Go Parallel with Next Generation Technologies – Introducing NI LabVIEW 8.6 National Instruments LabVIEW software simplifies programming for multicore, FPGA and WiFi data acquisition systems. Designed for engineers and scientists, the intuitive graphical programming of LabVIEW is multithreaded and inherently parallel, helping you quickly take advantage of the latest technologies. View demos and try LabVIEW 8.6 online at ni.com/labview86.
editor's view |
NIWeek Wrap Up
By Louis E. Frenzel, Communications/Test Editor
One of the best conferences I go to each year is NIWeek. Another has come and gone, but like always I got a glimpse at some solid technology from the mega-company. National Instruments has been sponsoring their own conference here in Austin, TX for several years now, and it has become a solid industry event. Why? Simply because NI’s products like LabVIEW software, data acquisition hardware, and virtual instruments have become so widely used. The conference is NI’s way of introducing its new products as well as showcasing the products and services of those you using NI products or contributing to them.
Hybrids and electric cars may get all the buzz these days, but what if you could leave the grid entirely? That may not be as far-fetched as you think, based on the results of the 2008 North American Solar Challenge. Last month, 15 teams and their sun-powered cars charged 2400 miles across the continent to test the technology’s viability.
Is It Worth Waiting For The Next Generation iPhone?
By Louis E. Frenzel, Communications/Test Editor
The media is simply overflowing with articles on Apple’s iPhone 2.0, which came out on June 9. I have already had the feeling that I was the only writer/editor/blogger/pundit who had NOT written about this device. So, here is my two cents worth. But to liven this up, I will tell you what I think will be the new and better features of the third version of the iPhone, not the newest one, but the (hypothetical) one just beyond.
NI Week 2008 has come and gone. With more than 3,000 engineers, scientists, educators, and NI developers at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas, there was three full days of interactive technical sessions, hands-on workshops, case study presentations, and exhibitions on the latest technologies for design, control, and test applications. Hosted by National Instruments, this show was both intellectually stimulating and a lot of fun.
New Product Showcase: TI's Multi-Architecture Roadmap In this interview, John Dixon, Product Manager for Low Power Processors at Texas Instruments, talks about TI's multi-architecture roadmap for 2009. (The video may take a minute to download. Click only once.)
A new feature called Read Pacing is now available on Gen 2 PCI Express switches. Read Pacing is a technology that opens up new avenues for enhancing performance in systems with multiple I/O streams. To learn more about Read Pacing from PLX Technology click on the link above. (NOTE: This webcast contains audio, so please hit the mute button on your volume control if you cannot listen to audio at this time.)
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Looking for the latest design techniques and technology in your market? Check out Electronic Design'sDesign Hotspots. Here you'll find exclusive content from our editors in Embedded, Power, and Analog technologies as well as Green Design and ROHS. We've also compiled Ideas for Design schematics here for your circuit design sweet-tooth. These spots are chock-a-block with information, so don’t delay!
This design shows how we combined four 36-V DeWalt DC9360 nanophosphate battery packs in a series-parallel configuration to create a robust, high-energy power source. Originally intended for the prototype Neodymics Cyclemotor electric bicycle kit, this power source may be used in other applications. Output power was at least 1.6 kW at 66 V, energy capacity was about 300 W-hr, and recharge time was one hour. Also, the claimed cycle life exceeds 2000. The system was successfully tested over 70 cycles.
A Frost & Sullivan Global Congress on Corporate Growth September 14-16, San Francisco
For over 45 years, Frost & Sullivan has been providing Global 1000 clients and beyond with innovative strategies, research, and consulting solutions to maximize growth opportunities to dominate the competition. Strategies to grow your company in a turbulent economy, in addition to Executive Insight, will be revealed at this event. All attendees will have access to the exhibit hall as well as our welcome reception, Economic Summit, Tour and Taste of Sonoma Valley, networking luncheons, Golf Scramble Tournament, and participation at industry networking dinners.
Raytheon has teamed with Swift Engineering to provide the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps with an unmanned aircraft system for their respective Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Tier 2 missions. “KillerBee offers the warfighter an affordable unmanned aircraft system, and the Swift Engineering vehicle has both longer endurance and the ability to carry a larger payload,” said Ken Pedersen, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Programs. “The Raytheon team is using proven, existing technology, so KillerBee can be fielded in the near term.” The Swift Engineering blended wing body design sets the KillerBee UAV apart from similar sized unmanned aerial vehicles and is designed to operate ashore or aboard ships with a minimal footprint.
news from the editors |
Wireless Gateway Makes Building A Point-To-Point Multipoint ZigBee Network Easy
The IEEE 802.15.4 and ZigBee wireless standards provide a way to build inexpensive wireless sensor and control networks using available chip sets and modules. But building the gateway that lets these networks talk over the Internet or via the cellular networks is a huge part of creating such a network.
STMicroelectronics, STATS ChipPAC, And Infineon Join Forces On Wafer-Level-Packaging
Semiconductor makers STMicroelectronics and Infineon have teamed with 3D packaging provider STATS ChipPAC to jointly develop the next generation of embedded wafer-level ball grid array (eWLB) technology.
Top Global Launches TD-HSPA Router During Beijing Olympics
The eyes of the world were on Beijing last Friday, as China opened the 2008 Summer Olympic Games with an unprecedented mix of pageantry and technology. But beyond the Bird’s Nest stadium, another communications marvel made a splash of its own as Top Global launched the world’s first time-division high-speed packet-access (TD-HSPA) router during the ceremonies.
High-Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+) is now in business. On July 31, Qualcomm completed the world’s first data call using the wireless networking technology. According to the company, the call achieved a data-transfer rate of more than 20 Mbits/s in a 5-MHz channel. With HSPA+, operators can double the data capacity and triple the voice capacity of their networks, compared to current HSPA deployments.
Design an energy-saving solution for automotive applications
Infineon and Auto Electronics invite you to participate in the “REV UP FUEL EFFICIENCY” design contest. Take “the green challenge” and design a solution using Infineon products that enables or improves energy efficiency for automotive applications. You could win a grand prize of $10,000, a second prize of $5,000 or a third prize of $2,000.
The three winners will get an all-expenses-paid trip to the Infineon and Auto Electronics Contest Award Ceremony at Convergence 2008. In addition, your winning design will be featured at the Infineon booth during the show. Submit your entry by August 15, 2008.
What kind of infotainment system do you want most in your next car?
Navigation system
Internet access
Rear-seat entertainment
Increased memory for audio/video
Safety/security features
Other
Click here to take the poll. Remember to scroll down. The poll is at the bottom of the page.
focus product |
LabVIEW 8.6 Adds FPGA, Multicore Support
LabVIEW 8.6, the latest version of the graphical system design software program for control, test, and embedded system development, includes new FPGA and multicore intellectual property (IP) and support for the company’s FPGA-based hardware.
Overall, MRDS users will find this book to be invaluable in getting up and running. It is possible to cherry pick chapters if you have used MRDS before. Still, even more experienced developers will benefit from a close reading given the nuances and complexity of MRDS.
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In this interview, John Dixon, Product Manager for Low Power Processors at Texas Instruments, talks about TI's multi-architecture roadmap for 2009.
Gerardo Garcia, Product Manager for Industrial and Embedded Software at National Instruments, explains the important new features of LabVIEW 8.6.
