Seeking a general platform with multifunction DAQ

[AutoMeasure]

I've read the recent NI marketing regarding the Labview Microprocessor SDK and compatibility with products (PowerPC, ARM7, TI C6x, x86, XScale, Coldfire, Blackfin). I'm interested in ramping up my capability to offer services in embedded Labview as the brains of a box instrument product. When I've done it in the past, it involved a single-board Pentium computer running Windows 98SE. I'd very much like to avoid putting the Windows OS in future boxes.

My question is: to use the Labview Microprocessor SDK, do I need to develop the main circuit board, or is there an off-the-shelf general solution available? Such a board would include:

• microprocessor
  
• plentiful memory
  
• plentiful non-volatile memory (flash)
  
• analog input (at least 1 channel)
  
• analog output (at least 1 channel)
  
• digital I/O (at least 8 in, 8 out)
  
• serial lines for keypad interface
  
• serial lines for display interface
  
• USB port with interface driver for Windows
  

Thanks for your help!

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

I'm not an embedded expert, but looked into this a while back. I went out to refresh my memory:

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/5860

There are several prepackaged hardware solutions from companies like EmbeddedPlanet, BlueTechnix and Boston Engineering. I've seen Eric Goethert at some of the New England NI events; he's the contact for the Boston Engineering FlexStack so maybe he could give you a demo. You might see him at the Boston NI Tech Symposium on October 8th.

I will be celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary with my wife & KIDS in DisneyWorld that week, and won't be able to attend. Hmm. NI Symposium or DisneyWorld? One day of geekiness or seven days with my loving wife and family in warm weather and a lunch with Cinderella?

[Gabi1]

It seems to me that a CRIO system would perfectly match your requirements. and you can add elements (expandable). and it is relatively cheap. some of them include USB on top of LAN. i liked it.

another solution i have seen once is the utilisation of a PXI rack. this is a beauty, but i expect the price to be real steep. it include full computer embeded as a PXI box, has all connections in front for easy access, and look very professional

[AutoMeasure]

QUOTE(LV Punk @ Sep 18 2007, 01:47 PM)

...

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/5860

...

Thanks, LVPunk. That web page is a very good resource! Yah, I remember seeing a demo of the FlexStack at a local LV user group meeting 2 years ago. Nifty product.

Gabi1, CompactRIO is a good suggestion. It's compact enough that it could conceivably fit in a box instrument product. It only has one RS-232 port and no easy way to add more ports unfortunately. But I see that Crystalfontz has a nice general-purpose mini display with integrated keypad that requires only one port. See

http://www.crystalfontz.com/products/635serial/

and they can integrate other keypad arrangements on larger displays on a custom basis.