Application of LabVIEW in higher education laboratories

The LabVIEW software system, which builds instrumentation applications on the Apple Macintosh, is described. Application programs are called virtual instruments (VIs). A VI consists of a front panel and a block diagram. The front panel has ready-to-go controls such as graphs, knobs, and switches. The users selects, moves, and sizes these controls to define a user interface. Behind the front panel is the block diagram, which is the actual executable program. In the block diagrams, icons and other graphical elements are wired together using the graphical programming language 'G' LabVIEW has an inherent hierarchy in that icons representing other VIs are used as functions. Thus LabVIEW has just one building block, the VI, which can be a program or a function. LabVIEW includes ready-to-go VIs for acquisition and analysis. Acquisition VIs support GPIB (general-purpose interface bus), RS-232 and plug-in boards for analog to digital, digital to analog, digital input/output, and timing. Over 100 instrument driver VIs are available for GPIB and RS-232 instruments. Analysis VIs include statistics, digital signal processing, filters, and numerical methods. Users can also write their own VIs. Applications of LabVIEW in engineering laboratories are mentioned.<
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