Thanks to an integrated data-acquisition (DAQ) device, the SCXI-1600 USB DAQ module makes all of National Instruments' 40 measurement and switching modules USB 2.0-compatible in a plug-and-play manner. The 16-bit, 200-ksample/s SCXI-1600 works with all of the company's modules to cover a broad range of measurements, such as temperature, strain, and high voltage.
Setting up the unit is as easy as plugging in a mouse to a PC, which substantially saves setup time as well as reduces costs. In fact, a recent NI survey of data-acquisition customers and prospects found that system setup can otherwise tally 18% of the overall measurement cost.
"By using the SCXI-1600 and other USB devices, engineers and scientists can create a complete plug-and-play data-acquisition system from sensor to software," says Ryan Wynn, NI's DAQ systems product manager.
NI also is releasing LabView 7.1, the latest version of the company's flagship graphical development environment, in French, German, and Japanese versions. LabView 7.1 documentation is available in Korean as well. The software supports the IEEE 1451.4 standard for smart sensors with a Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS), which facilitates the programming and use of a wide variety of sensor types and manufacture.
The SCXI-1600 DAQ USB module is priced from $995. LabView 7.1 is priced from $1095.
National Instruments Corp.www.ni.com (888) 280-7645 See associated figure