National Instruments PXIe-8115 embedded controller

The PXIe-8115 embedded controller features the latest dual-core, 2nd generation, Intel Core i5 processor, which helps reduce test times and is suitable for multicore applications.

The device features a rich set of peripheral I/O ports with six USB 2.0 ports. These onboard peripheral ports minimise the need for external peripheral adapters and help engineers build hybrid systems.

To improve the serviceability and minimise downtime, the controller features In-ROM and hard drive diagnostics to determine the controller’s health.

By combining the controller with LabVIEW system design software, engineers can gain efficiency in a variety of test, measurement and control applications.

The processor gives the controller a 2.5 GHz base clock frequency and uses Intel Turbo Boost to automatically increase the clock frequency, based on the application type.

This flexibility makes the device suitable for a variety of applications, including high-performance automated test and industrial control.

The controller also features: six USB 2.0 ports; two display ports, to connect to multiple monitors; dual-gigabit ethernet; GPIB; and serial and parallel ports. This peripheral I/O no longer requires the purchase of individual PXI modules. Engineers can optimise use of the slots in a PXI chassis because the slots are available for measurement modules rather than standard I/O.

For memory-intensive applications, the controller is supplied with 2 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 memory, with up to 8 GB of maximum memory and support for Windows 7 64-bit operating system.

To improve the reliability of PXI systems, the device features In-ROM and hard drive diagnostics for serviceability of the PXI embedded controller. With this new feature, engineers no longer have to use third-party tools to determine the health of the memory and hard drive.