National Instruments has introduced a version of its CompactRIO Module Development Kit with options for adding specialised or custom I/O to packaged and board-level embedded control and monitoring systems.
The same feature will be supported in the RIO Mezzanine Card specification for the firm's Single-Board RIO.
This version of the development kit features an FPGA communication core for low-level housekeeping tasks including module detection, identification, data transfer and other common functions.
"By starting with the communication core, engineers can accelerate their design process and maximise compatibility of custom modules within the RIO ecosystem," said NI.
The kit also includes slot-agnostic code generation and an elemental I/O node paradigm, making it possible for module designers to provide the same user experience whether engineers and scientists use third-party modules or NI modules.
Single-Board RIO devices also feature an expansion connector for an RMC. The RMC connector provides a method for adding application-specific custom circuitry to NI Single-Board RIO, including a combination of analogue or digital I/O or processor-based peripheral ports, including CAN, UART and USB.
The connector exposes up to 96 digital I/O lines from the reconfigurable FPGA.
The RIO development platform features floating-point processors, reconfigurable FPGAs and modular I/O which can be programmed with LabVIEW.
www.ni.com/compactrio
www.ni.com/singleboard