The state of interchangeability in ATE

The Interchangeable Virtual Instrument (IVI) Foundation formed in August of 1998 to address the challenge of instrument interchangeability in the test and measurement industry. Since its inception, the NI Foundation has engaged in vigorous standardization activities along several different though coherent, axes. Instrument class specifications are continuously under development for some of the most pervasive types of instruments. Architectural standards establishing IVI conformance criteria will broaden the capability of vendors, end-users, and system integrators to innovate while simultaneously allowing them to integrate into a heterogeneous IVI-based system. IVI Measurement Stimulus Subsystems (NI-MSS) standards under development offer the promise of a higher level of interchangeability than instrument-centric standards can offer. Shared NI infrastructure components will ensure interoperability in IVI systems by providing a common model for services such as configuration, installation, resource sharing, event notification and management and component instantiation. In addition, the Foundation has embraced COM technology as a powerful means for delivering interchangeable ATE software services.