National Instruments launches wireless sensor platform

London – National Instruments has introduced the NI wireless sensor network (WSN) platform that combines its LabVIEW graphical programming software with new low-power wireless measurement nodes.

The NI WSN platform is designed to provide high-quality measurement data, the flexibility to manage power consumption and the ability to customise wireless hardware for added functionality. A key differentiator is LabVIEW software, which integrates seamlessly with the new battery-powered, industrial WSN nodes, the company said.

The products are being targeted at distributed and portable measurement applications, such as structural health and environmental monitoring. In these areas, , said NI, it is still hard to find integrated systems that provide the required measurement quality, power management and reliable hardware for long-term, remote deployments.

"With the flexibility of LabVIEW, the NI WSN platform simplifies and accelerates the development of these applications by delivering a drag-and-drop programming environment for configuring wireless systems, extracting measurements, performing analysis and presenting data," said a company statement.

National Instruments is releasing its first two WSN nodes and plans to expand the measurement capabilities of the NI WSN platform. The wireless measurement nodes are powered by four AA batteries for up to three years, making them ideal for long-term deployments. The NI WSN-3202 four-channel, ± 10 V analogue input node and NI WSN-3212 four-channel, 24-bit thermocouple node have four digital I/O channels that can be configured for input, sinking output or sourcing output.

The platform also includes the NI WSN-9791 Ethernet gateway, which is used to connect the measurement nodes to LabVIEW. The wireless devices include NI-WSN software, which connects the NI wireless devices to LabVIEW software running on Microsoft Windows or a LabVIEW Real-Time host controller. NI-WSN software is based on IEEE 802.15.4 technology and gathers measurement data from the distributed measurement nodes.

The software also delivers capabilities for mesh routing and managing power usage across the network, making it possible to increase measurement distance while maintaining network reliability. Additionally, LabVIEW delivers seamless integration with wired measurement devices and a wide range of third-party wireless sensor network platforms.