Agenda

• What can I do with LabVIEW?• Why LabVIEW (text based comparison)• Re-visit the State Machine• Intro to common LabVIEW Architectures

Programming Approaches

Built-In Libraries

Deployment Targets

A Highly Productive Graphical Development Environment for Scientists and Engineers

Hardware APIs Custom User Interfaces

Technology Abstractions

G .m

What Can I do with LabVIEW?

Odin – 3rd Place WinnerVirginia Tech

Powered by LabVIEW and CompactRIO

DARPA Urban Challenge

• Autonomously navigate 60 mile urban environment

• Follow all traffic laws• Safely navigate around

obstacles/barriers• Safely interact with other UGV

and manned vehicles at stop signs during passing, parking

LabVIEW / RIO for Robotics Virginia Tech (LabVIEW + CompactRIO)

Do-it-yourself MIT (C with a 40 core Linux cluster)

• NI dramatically reduces the cost of robotics system design, deployment, and testing

• Key strengths:– Rapid development software– Extensive, integrated I/O support– Tightly integrated system design platforms– World class support

Early Virginia Tech (TORC) successes using LabVIEW in Autonomous System Projects

Results of IGVC Competition1996 –- Did not place 1997 –- 5th place 1998 –- Did not place1999 –- 7th place 2000 –- 1st place2001 –- 2nd place2002 –- Did not place

2003 -– 1st Place

2004 –- 1st Place

2005 –- 1st Place

2006 –- 1st Place

2007 –- 1st Place

Introduction of LabVIEW

NASA Mars Rover Robotic ArmLabVIEW Robotics and cRIO for complex mechatronics

Robot-Assisted Laparoscopy with LabVIEW The Challenge:

Training doctors to perform robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System (dVSS).

The Solution:Using NI LabVIEW to develop a platform to ensure medical students and new surgeons perform robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery using the correct movements to maintain the highest level of patient safety.

As seen on Good Morning America (abcnews)

"The inherent ease-of-use of the LabVIEW platform was enhanced by the numerous training courses offered by NI, which was a component other solutions could not provide."

LabVIEW vs. Text Based Languages

• Shorter learning cycle• Can execute just as fast• UI Integration• I/O Integration• Community• National Instruments• Intuitive

• Black Box scenario• Less flexible (complex)• National Instruments• Lack of Familiarity• Doesn’t feel like a

programming language

Benefits and Cons

Example: Sort 1-D Array

C

Example: Sort 1-D Array

Black Box

Example: Random Number

C

Example: Read Lines from File

Example: FPGA Count Edges

VHDL