National Instruments Proposal for Engineering Training Equipment
The variety of industry standard software and hardware solutions have been brought to the
desktop and laboratories of leading universities globally through our academic product line
Hear what leading educators are saying about NI teaching tools and technology…
"This combination of NI software and hardware for laboratory use has proven effective
for reinforcing theoretical circuit design concepts" - Thomas E. Brewer, Georgia Institute of Technology
"Overall, the LabVIEW framework gave students the freedom to take greater control of
the hardware controller design process." - Jonathan How, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Overview
This proposal showcases the best engineering teaching solution
products from National Instruments that are currently in use at
thousands of colleges and universities, including many of the most
prestigious engineering universities globally. The relevance of
technology in a teaching environment from National Instruments is
important, as many of the teaching products are specifically derived
from industry standard technologies allowing students to in practice
become engineers and to experience technology that will be utilized in their job functions in the
workforce, post-graduation. Whether it is advanced topics in circuits and electronics, mechatronics and
robotics, or the latest communications and RF systems, National Instruments offers a full breadth of
tools that are used by engineers worldwide, but also available in the form of teaching platforms that are
suitable for the classroom. Not only is using industry relevant tools a key to successful engineering and
technical education, it is also the rate of discovery and knowledge that is important, so that future
engineers can readily consume technical theory and put it into practice in a lab and project based
environment to quickly understand and implement the theory in an advanced engineering setting. The
software and hardware tools designed for supporting academic teaching labs from National Instruments
are known to be the most effective at gaining interest from students, allowing rapid discovery and then
allowing successful applied learning in both project and laboratory level practice.
Technology Scope of Teaching Applications
The scope of teaching applications and courses that can be achieved by using National Instrument’s
technology is wide-ranging. National Instruments offers hardware, software, and courseware solutions
that prepare today’s engineering students to be the innovators of tomorrow. From introductory classes
to advanced system design, easily integrate NI tools into existing curriculum or re-envision your teaching
lab to add hands-on learning and industry relevance. Below is an overview of the target applications
that can be supported and some of the hardware and software choices to effectively teach engineering
and technology based topics in these areas.
Core Teaching Topics by Subject Matter
Introduction to Engineering
Sensors and Actuators—
LEDs, thermistor, light
sensor, motor, relay,
speaker, piezoelectric
Interactive Systems—
Temperature chamber,
environmental monitoring,
traffic light controller
Basic Robotics—Line follower,
colored object sorting,
autonomous vehicle
Sensor Fundamentals—
Thermocouples, strain gages,
force sensors, signal
conditioning
Virtual Instrumentation—Data
logging, graphical user interface
design, signal processing,
graphing
Measurements and Instrumentation
Measurement
Fundamentals—Statistical
error, sampling theory,
measurement accuracy,
analog-to-digital converter
Circuits and Electronics
Analog Circuits—
Resistors, capacitors,
inductors, power sources,
switches, breadboard
Digital Electronics—Logic
gates, counters, state
machines, Boolean algebra,
VHDL
Microelectronics—
Diodes, operational
amplifiers, BJTs,
MOSFETs
Sensors and Actuators—
Digital, analog, pneumatic,
electromechanical, hydraulic,
optical
Student Design—Real
embedded systems complete
with sensors, actuators, control
Robotics—Motor drives, image
processing, localization,
planning, navigation
Measurements—Bit error
rate, error vector magnitude,
constellation plots, eye
diagram
RF Fundamentals—Mixing,
up/down conversion, harmonics,
impairments
Advanced Topics—OFDM,
MIMO, synchronization,
equalization, channel estimation
Power Electronics—Buck
converter, boost converter,
rectifier, inverter, PWM
Controls and Mechatronics
Control Theory and
Design—Model
construction, analytical PID,
state-space control,
estimation
RF and Communications
Modulation—AM, FM, PM,
ASK, FSK, PSK, QAM
Extended course content for physical sciences, computer science and industrial technology and other
engineering disciplines are also available from NI or through our network of partners.
National Instruments Teaching Products Overview
LabVIEW (Graphical Programming and System Design Platform)
LabVIEW is being used by thousands of students and educators in their classrooms, whether
logging data for their lab experiments or programming a robotic device, the ease-of-use of
programming graphical is essential skill that every engineering and technical student should
be familiar with. LabVIEW is an essential tool that technical employers are
looking for in their workers that are coming out of university. At the highest level,
LabVIEW developer certification is available for students at a designated “LabVIEW
Academy” university, which is a partnership between the university and National
Instruments to assign a core curriculum and an achievement test for students centered
around LabVIEW for use in their lab projects and what industry professionals attain for
developing measurement, control and automation systems.
NI ELVIS (Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite)
Originally optimized for Electrical Engineering topics, the NI ELVIS II platform has been expanded to
become a multi-disciplinary base laboratory platform that allows
educators to optimize the student laboratory with a teaching platform
that takes students from discovering engineering theory to practical
hands-on experience with industry relevant technology. The
disciplines and courses that can be utilize include Analog and Digital
Circuits and Theory (including simulation), Mechatronics, Physics and
Dynamics, Signals and Systems, Control Theory and Simulation,
Bioinstrumentation and Physiological Sensors, Chemistry and Ecology Sensors, Digital/Analog
Communications, Fiber-Optic Communications and Power/Green Energy topics. The system allows
guided modular experiments based on the theoretical subject matter taken from the classroom to be
applied to specific labs.
If simulation and circuit theory is an essential part of the Electrical Engineering core curriculum, the
ELVIS platform along with NI Multisim, allows a full range of SPICE based circuit simulation tied together
with practical circuit labs to reinforce and compare theory with application.
Modularity is key. The variety and breadth of the
ELVIS platform allows labs in physics, electronics,
mechanical and other engineering disciplines to be
utilized on a single modular platform. A top board
approach is used to allow alternate experiments to be
loaded based on the topics being instructed. The
experiment boards typically will come closely coupled
with textbooks or NI supported courseware.
Along with the Multisim and ELVIS
companion labs, both the Circuits
textbook (NTS Press) by Fawwaz T.
Ulaby and Michel M. Maharbiz and the
Microelectronics Circuits textbook
(Oxford University Press) by Adel S.
Sedra and Kenneth C. Smith are both
very good textbook options that have NI
supported Multisim and ELVIS material
to fufill a comprehensive lab based
Electrical Engineering program.
Multisim and ELVIS Based Lab Materials
Circuits (Ulaby and Maharbiz) -> http://www.ni.com/gate/gb/GB_EKITANALOGCIRC/US
Microelectronics Circuits (Sedra and Smith)-> http://www.ni.com/white-paper/52062/en/
NI VirtualBench (All-in-1 Instrumentation)
VirtualBench is the new standard in professional and educational benchtop measurements and should
be considered an essential piece of any engineering teaching laboratory. By replacing multiple analog
and digital instruments with a single modern unit that is wireless connected to a touch-enabled virtual
panel (tablet or PC), university labs can use a versatile and modern approach to performing
measurements and collecting data in their engineering laboratories. If automation needs arise, the
instrument has a fully featured API interface to LabVIEW.
NI myRIO (University Hardware for Controls Applications)
The NI RIO technology is used in our industry grade platforms for embedded control of large machines,
industrial or factory control and a variety of deterministic or high-speed engineered control applications.
In it’s industrial form, the RIO platform is offered in CompactRIO and the R Series PXI products which are
modular and can focus on large scale control and sensory needs. With the NI myRIO platform, the base
RIO technology is the same, but the focus is on educational, teaching focused products with many of the
same elements. The multiple teaching uses of myRIO include control theory, embedded control
systems, mechatronics and mobile robotics. Several teaching application kits are available that include
myRIO to serve controls, embedded and robotics disciplines. Shown below are the myRIO, the myRIO
with Quanser QUBE-Servo with Inverted Pendulum experiment and the Pitsco TETRIX PRIME kit for NI
myRIO, a mobile robotics kit, all of which are available through National Instruments.
NI USRP (Universal Software Radio Peripheral)
The NI USRP is a software defined radio device
that for education is a flexible and affordable
transceiver that turns a standard PC into a
powerful wireless prototyping and RF teaching
system. Paired with LabVIEW Communications
System Design Software, USRP transceivers help
students understand RF and communications protocols and are advanced enough to allow students to
prototype a wide range of single-channel and MIMO wireless communications systems. Educators can
benefit by allowing communications education to go beyond the traditional limitation of focusing on
theory. Now with USRP transceivers, students can gain hands-on experience exploring a
communications system with live signals to develop a better understanding of theory and
implementation. For researchers, a single low-cost platform can be used to build a complete wireless
communications system using the intuitive LabVIEW programming environment that supports multirate
DSP for physical layer communications and helps you integrate .m file scripts and C language algorithms.
NI myDAQ (Low Cost Education Data Acquisition)
Educators can now take student projects and learning beyond the lab
and lecture with NI myDAQ, an affordable, student-ready data
acquisition device.
Designed for portability by students, the unit provides for hands-on
experimentation in or outside the lab, with a comprehensive set of
instruments. For student project work, the device allows for real
engineering and when combined with NI LabVIEW and Multisim
software, gives students the power to prototype systems and analyze
circuits outside the lecture and lab. Whereas NI ELVIS is positioned as
the best laboratory exploration platform, NI myDAQ is a good option for portable, student-based project
designs. The NI myDAQ device is often provided to students in certain engineering and capstone
classes, in lieu of textbook, or as part of a project fee built into the course.
Project expandability. Through a variety of peripherals and system level add-on devices, called minisystems, projects can be developed or specific technical subjects can be explored more deeply with
several add-on accessories.
NI Academic Hardware Products – Feature Comparison
Below is a chart to view the various high-level features of the 5 major academic hardware platforms
from National Instruments. The group highlighted within the box are the best laboratory options.
Below is a chart to view the various high-level features of the 5 major academic hardware platforms
from National Instruments. The group highlighted within the box are the best laboratory options.
Major Degree Discipline Map to NI Teaching Platform
Major Degree Discipline Map to NI Teaching Platform
The scope of teaching applications and courses that can be achieved by using National Instrument’s
The scope of teaching applications and courses that can be achieved by using National Instrument’s
technology is wide-ranging. National Instruments offers hardware, software, and courseware solutions
technology is wide-ranging. National Instruments offers hardware, software, and courseware solutions
that prepare today’s engineering students. Although this list is not comprehensive, it shows the major
that prepare today’s engineering students. Although this list is not comprehensive, it shows the major
courses
varioussoftware
softwareand
andhardware
hardwareteaching
teaching
products
from
National
coursesand
anddisciplines
disciplines covered
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Comprehensive Course Mapping for Courseware and NI Teaching Platform
In addition to a general guide, NI can recommend some particular mappings to desired courses and the
related laboratory and courseware that support NI technology. Below is a sample course map listing
courses and the relevant NI product platforms and supported courseware and lab materials that would
apply.
User Solutions and University Teaching References
The scope of teaching advancements using NI based technology spans globally. The references below
represent a small sampling of actual use cases of NI hardware and software.
University of Manchester (UK)
In this example, the School of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering in the University of Manchester received
alarmingly low marks on the 2009 National Student
Survey. To address the issue, the school knew it had to
engage students with practical course work that would
give them the chance to “do engineering.” Lab
exercises with NI educational tools improved relevance
for students and, after only one year, the school-wide
effort raised overall student satisfaction by 31
percentage points.
Rice University (USA)
Rice University adjusted their mechanical engineering and material science curriculum to Use industryproven NI LabVIEW software and the NI myRIO device to allow students to actively participate in
learning system dynamics and
controls concepts using hardware
and software that provides industrygrade performance with a studentfriendly user experience. The
teaching solutions allowed the
instructor to combine the out-of-thebox nature of NI myDAQ with the
performance of industry-grade for
technology from NI to provide a highperformance lab platform to teach
system dynamics and controls
concepts.
Imperial College London (UK)
The college used NI Technology to create rapid
prototyping platform powered by NI LabVIEW
software and built with NI PXI RF and FPGA
modules for flexibility and reconfigurability in
addition to real-time mobile radio system
emulation.
Shizuoka University (Japan)
A professor, Dr. Motohiko Kimura sought tools that would help his students use the experience they
already had to build biomedical systems. He found that NI LabVIEW system design software and data
acquisition devices helped to unify software and hardware so that students could see immediate results.
With the graphical software, students could program visually in a way more intuitive to them, which
made the learning process easier.
“All 160 students in the first years of the course could use the
tools on their own. They completed projects previously
impossible because they had equipment that integrated the
mechanical and electrical elements for them, so they could focus
on the science,” Kimura said.
Leeds University (UK)
The School of Mechanical Engineering in the
University of Leeds found that it was graduating
largely unprepared students into industry and
research. The newly appointed director of student
education soon realized that the curriculum was
lacking practical course work to solidify textbook
theory with real-world applications. The curriculum
was reformed to incorporate a scalable hardwaresoftware platform based on National Instruments
teaching tools to make hands-on learning possible throughout the degree plan. Four years after the
reform, positive feedback from industry poured in and student employability rose 19 percentage points.
To learn more, the table below provides links that describe the solutions in detail and some additional
resources on other Case Studies and projects where National Instruments based teaching tools have
improved the value of engineering education at the respective institutions.
University
(Country)
University of
Manchester (UK)
Rice University
(USA)
Imperial College
London (UK)
Massachusetts
Institute of
Technology (USA)
Shizuoka University
(Japan)
Leeds University
(UK)
UC San Diego (USA)
Loughborough
University (UK)
University of
Oxford (UK)
Loughborough
University (UK)
University of
California at
Berkeley (USA)
Royal Holloway,
University of
London (UK)
Lund University
Application
Electrical Engineering
Labs
Mechanical
Engineering, Materials
Science
Link / Source
http://www.ni.com/landing/118/en/
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-15742
Communications
Teaching and Research
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-15646
Mechanical
Engineering, Robotics
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-13938
Biomedical Engineering
http://www.ni.com/pdf/products/us/Saving_the_World_One_Stud
ent_at_a_Time___A_Guidebook_for_Engineering_and_Science_Ed
ucators.pdf
Mechanical
Engineering
http://www.ni.com/landing/124/en/
Computer Science,
Electrical Engineering,
Robotics
Robotics,
Mechatronics,
Manufacturing
Engineering
Physics Labs
Green Energy,
Electrical Engineering,
Systems Engineering
Mechanical
Engineering, Computer
Science, Online
Teaching
Physics
Industrial Engineering,
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-14437
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-16755
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-16743
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-16721
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-16273
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-16253
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-16165#
(Sweden)
University of
Southampton (UK)
Georgia Institute of
Technology (USA)
University of Pécs
(Hungary)
Computer Science,
Electrical Engineering
RF and
Communications
Electrical Engineering
Labs
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-16221
Control Engineering
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-14543
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-11164
National Instruments Tools for Powering Applied Research
Leading researchers around the world rely on the NI platform to accelerate innovation and discovery in
a variety of applications. Several resources below are available to showcase the breadth of NI based
research applications and to help match the tools that can help realize theories into practice.
Competitive NI Grant Funding
Each year, NI issues a call for proposals in a competitive research grant funding process where leading
professors and researchers submit their ideas on how they would use NI technology to fulfill their
research. The top selections are reviewed by National Instruments engineers and leaders and several
grant awards are issued globally in the form of NI software and hardware to the winning submissions.
Through this process we see fulfillment of great ideas that can impact the success of the leading
research scientists as they explore and put discovery into practice using National Instruments tools.
University Research References
The entire NI products from PXI to RF and some of our core modular instruments and DAQ products are
leading research advancements at major global research institutions. The references below represent a
small sampling of actual use cases of NI hardware and software.
Harvard University (USA)
Researchers with the Lieber Research Group,
which is in the Department of Chemistry at
Harvard University, used the PXI platform to create
a virtual, high-channel-count, lock-in amplifier for
nanotechnology research. By using National
Instruments LabVIEW software and a multichassis
PXI solution they developed a highly flexible and
compact lock-in amplifier to help detect specific
bio-molecules/viruses using nanowire field effect
transistor (FET) arrays.
University of Wisconsin (USA)
Researchers build a system using the modular NI RIO platform to fulfill research
in the Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) engine under transient
conditions. Using the NI RIO open platform and precision engine position
tracking gave the research team full autonomy over combustion timing, throttle
control, EGR levels, turbo boost, swirl control, and fuel injection, which is critical
to understanding how the RCCI system works. Using the NI based Engine Control
System, the team was able to rapidly calculate and process in-cylinder pressure data for use as the
feedback parameter in controlling combustion phasing.
University of Leeds (UK)
Researchers were challenged in
developing a realistic, reliable, and
reconfigurable testing environment to
advance and improve a novel heart assist
device without the need for animal
testing. Using LabVIEW and NI
CompactRIO, researchers created a standalone hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing
environment that combines a physical
mechanical heart with a circulatory blood
flow model to create an end solution that
physically and hemodynamically
replicates in-vivo models.
University
(Country)
Kingston University
(UK)
Multimedia
University
(Malaysia)
Virginia Tech (USA)
Harvard (USA)
Institute of Marine
Research (USA)
AGH University
(Poland)
University of
Wisconsin (USA)
Research Area
Link / Source
Rapid Prototyping,
Teaching Labs
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-14828
Wireless Protocols, RF
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-13822
Robotics
Nano Technology
Underwater Marine
Study
Semiconductor,
Manufacturing,
Undergraduate
Engineering Education
Automotive / Engine
Research
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-812
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-790
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-748
http://www.ni.com/pdf/products/us/Students-Today-CuttingEdge.pdf
http://sine.ni.com/cs/app/doc/p/id/cs-14295
Additional teaching and research case studies that use NI tools can be found at:
http://www.ni.com/case-studies/
NI Week 2016 Information
The 22nd annual NIWeek conference presented by NI begins August 1 in Austin, Texas, and brings
together the brightest minds in engineering and science. More than 3,200 innovators representing a
wide spectrum of industries, from automotive and telecommunications to robotics and energy, will
discover the latest technology to accelerate productivity for software-defined systems in test,
measurement, and control. For educators, a special NI Academic day is given with feature speakers and
educators sharing their highlights of using NI based tools in their academic teaching and research
endeavors.
NI Products and Software Options
NI Software and Licensing
National Instruments provides flexible software licensing for its LabVIEW and Multisim platforms. The
best option for full-scale adoption at the university level is the NI Academic Site – Campus License
which can include separate options for both LabVIEW and Multisim and also can be bundled with a
research use license, if academic research is being performed at the same campus. Students can
purchase student licenses separately, or the typical option for student use, is to have Academic Site
License cover the student install option where students are free to use the software for academic
purposes on their own computers.
NI Laboratory Configurations
Below are some sample lab configurations based on the discipline and subject matter to be taught.
These vary by the number of students and also by the specific courses being taught.
Best Teaching Licenses for Teaching Application, Campus-Wide
Part Number
Description
782923-3523
NI Academic Site License – LabVIEW Teaching Only (Campus)
782923-3523
NI Academic Site License - Multism Teaching Only (Campus)
780387-65
NI Student Install Option, Volume License
NI Based Laboratory Configurations (EE Circuits Lab, 30 Workstations)
Part Number
Description
780381-02 (Q=30)
NI ELVIS II+ Hardware
781025-01 (Q=30)
NI ELVIS Digital Electronics Board
781725-01 (Q=30)
Emona Signals & Systems Experimenter
783651-01 (Q=30)
Quanser HVAC Trainer
783555-0X (Q=30)
NI VirtualBench (VB-8012) All-in-1 Instrument
783538-01 (Q=30)
VirtualBench Binding Post Adaptor
780284-01 (Q=30)
NI SP200B 10:1 and 1:1 Switchable Passive Oscilloscope Probe, 60V
184698-01 (Q=30)
DMM P-2 probe set, Includes 2 Alligator Clips, 2 Spade Connectors, 2
Spring hooks
780593-01 (Q=30)
BNC to BNC Cables, 50W, Male Both Ends, 12", qty 2
780594-01 (Q=30)
Banana Jack Cable, Male both Ends, 12", Black and Red
784413-01
NI VirtualBench and Multisim Circuits Textbook Companion
NI Based Laboratory Configurations (Mechanical Eng., Controls & Mechatronics Lab, 30 Workstations)
Part Number
Description
780381-02 (Q=30)
NI ELVIS II+ Hardware
781025-01 (Q=30)
NI ELVIS Digital Electronics Board
783649-01 (Q=30)
Quanser DC Motor Control
781032-01 (Q=30)
Quanser QNET Mechatronics Sensors
783652-01 (Q=30)
Quanser QNET VTOL 1DOF Helicopter
780294-01 (Q=30)
Quanser Rotary Inverted Pendulum
783759-01 (Q=30)
NI NI myRIO (MYRIO-1900) Includes Wifi and MSP Connector
783069-01 (Q=30)
NI myRIO Kits: Mechatronics Kits (for MyRIO Project Essentials Guide)
783472-01 (Q=30)
QUBE-Servo for NI myRIO
NI Product – Ecosystem for Teaching Solutions
NI Based Partner Solutions are available for specific areas that National Instruments does not cover with
our own core technologies. Often, the NI platform has been augmented through our diverse set of
academic partners, to offer the latest teaching tools, specifically tailored to teach vertical subject matter
topics such as green energy, industrial controls and a variety of other subjects. By choosing LabVIEW
and the NI platform, these academic partners are still well aligned with using the latest teaching tools
and technology, but can add the special domain knowledge or industrial scale required for these
specialty areas.
Here are some samples available on one of our partner sites, lab-store.org. Please consult with National
Instruments on the availability of these labs for your teaching and engineering lab applications.
Technology Access Program for Emerging Countries – “Planet NI”
National Instruments recognizes the diverse range of economies and the limitations to access to the
latest technology by small to medium enterprises (SME), especially to those with access to NI equipment
during their education. In an effort to enable access to the latest technologies, Planet NI is a program
that prioritizes recipients and partnerships around the world based on local needs and challenges. From
providing technical training and support to connecting recipients and partners to projects and resources,
employees in local NI offices are committed to the long-term success of the program and its impact to
their shared communities.
To extend its reach and maximize the impact of the Planet NI program, NI partners with mission-aligned
global and local organizations through formal agreements and public-private partnerships. For example,
NI works with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Partnerships
for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) Science program to provide technology to researchers in
emerging countries working on projects with significant social and environmental impact. NI also
worked with SME Corporation in Malaysia to establish a test and measurement innovation hub to
provide shared technology infrastructure to SMEs and incubator startups as well as a state–of-the-art
human capital development center. Additional strategic partnerships include the Acumen Fund,
Berytech in Lebanon, Engineering World Health in Honduras, IdeaSpace in the Philippines, and various
incubation labs in universities around the world
National Instruments is committed to supporting innovation … after graduation.
For more information, go to the Planet NI website at: http://www.ni.com/planetni