Revolutionising laboratory measurements using Virtual Instrumentation

Abstract

Just as Virtual Instrumentation with LabVIEW is revolutionizing industry, it also dramatically affects traditional academic research and teaching. A Lab VIEW-based laboratory makes researchers more productive and improves the way students learn. Rather than focusing on sometimes-tedious methods of gathering data, educators and students can focus on results and concepts. Students still learn methodology, but spend the majority of their time executing their experiments instead of building them.
A virtual instrument consists of an industry-standard computer or workstation equipped with powerful application software, cost-effective hardware such as plug-in boards, and driver software, which together perform the functions of traditional instruments. Virtual instruments represent a fundamental shift from traditional hardwarecentered instrumentation systems to software-centered systems that exploit the computing power, productivity, display, and connectivity capabilities of popular desktop computers and workstations. Although the PC and integrated circuit technology have experienced significant advances in the last two decades, it is software that truly provides the leverage to build on this powerful hardware foundation to create virtual instruments, providing better ways to innovate and significantly reduce cost. With virtual instruments, engineers and scientists build measurement and automation systems that suit their needs exactly (user-defined) instead of being limited by traditional fixed-function instruments (vendor-defined).
This presentation discusses the concepts of Virtual Instrumentation and describes the latest laboratory techniques that help students learn concepts effectively.