Special Report: Leveraging modularity from measurement hardware to DFT software (.PDF Download)
The term “modular” in the context of electronics test and measurement suggests industry-standard architectures like AXIe, PXI, or VXI, which define physical and electrical specifications for modular instruments and chassis. LXI relaxes the physical constraints but lets you interconnect your choice of electrically compatible instruments and compute resources. Similarly, USB configurations allow you to take a modular approach to selecting interconnectable measurement units and computers.
Many manufacturers are continuing to innovate on these platforms, yet others are pursuing proprietary modular approaches. The concept of modularity can extend from instrumentation all the way to design-for-test software, where a hierarchical approach creates retargetable test functionality.