Embedded Controllers PXI-8106 and PXIe-8106 - National Instruments

National Instruments announced the NI PXI-8106 and NI PXIe-8106 embedded controllers (embedded computer), PXI Express and PXI real-time embedded controllers. The products are based on dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7400 run at 2.16 GHz.

The dual-core NI PXI-8106 and NI PXIe-8106 embedded controllers offer  more than 100% of performance improvement, compared to traditional embedded computer with single-core processors. With two computing engines in a single processor, the new PXI and PXI Express embedded controller can execute two computing tasks simultaneously.

Inset:
PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI) is an open specification governed by the PXI Systems Alliance that defines a rugged, CompactPCI-based platform optimized for test, measurement and control. It is supported by more than 70 member companies and more than 1,200 products are available. PXI products are compatible with the CompactPCI and CompactPCI Express industrial computer standards…

The PXI-8106 and NI PXIe-8106e embedded controllers seamlessly integrate with multitasking operating systems, as well as multithreaded applications, such as the National Instruments LabVIEW development platform software.

NI claim, using SYSmark benchmarking software, the NI PXI-8106 and NI PXIe-8106 embedded controllers demonstrate an overall performance improvement of 29 percent compared to the previous-generation dual-core controllers and 67 percent compared to previous-generation single-core controllers.

Inset: About National Instruments (NI):
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, National Instruments has more than 4,000 employees and direct operations in nearly 40 countries. For the past eight years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America.

NI also offers the new NI PXI-8106 RT embedded computer with the NI LabVIEW Real-Time Module for deterministic and reliable measurement and control applications. LabVIEW Real-Time uses the processor in single-core mode to achieve an up to 20 percent performance improvement for LabVIEW Real-Time applications compared to NI’s  real-time controller.

The NI PXI-8106, NI PXIe-8106 and NI PXI-8106 RT embedded controllers feature Gigabit Ethernet  networking. The integrated ExpressCard slot gives choice of additional peripheral I/O, such as external RAID hard-drive arrays. The controllers also feature DVI-I digital and analog video, Serial ATA hard drive, GPIB, Hi-Speed USB, COM and parallel. The embedded computers can also be equipped with an extended-temperature, extended-operation hard drive for applications that require 24/7 operation in dynamic temperature environment.

The embedded computers work with a variety of NI software including LabVIEW, the LabVIEW Real-Time Module, LabWindows(TM)/CVI software for ANSI C development and NI TestStand test management software. The embedded controllers come with Windows XP Professional or LabVIEW Real-Time installed. 

Source: National Instruments