Any recommendations/suggestions for hardware?

[therealkilkenny]

Hi All,

I'm a bit confused with what LabVIEW Embedded will work with. I've read http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/7066 but that hasn't been much help as it tells me there are 260 devices but it only lists 3 in the Tier 1 section (I'm assuming that there are more than three). A search in the community did not yield any results. In the tier 2 section they do point us to the keil device database but that doesn't really help me either.

I'm looking for a hardware platform like this http://www.gumstix.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=252 or like this http://www.compulab.co.il/x270em/html/x270-em-datasheet.htm that will work with LV Embedded. I don't really want to design and build the hardware from scratch - I want to find something that will work for me for prototyping off the shelf and that will also work for low volumes of product.

The problem is, how do I find something like this? Does anyone have any hardware recommendations? The Gumstix has a ARM A8 processor so I'm guessing that it could be targeted by LV Embedded but I don't know. There is a post on this forum regarding the Gumstix but it refers to the LV Microprocessor SDK and from the replies to that post it sounds a very complicated if not impossible process to implement LV programming on it. That post is old however and I understand that the SDK is no more.

Any advice gratefully received.

Dr Phil

[manumohannair]

I would suggest you to use the framework Keil and NI made for Tier-1 devices as they provides you a reasonably good platform to start with. There are many examples(I personally evaluated MCB2300) which can be modified to enhance the application. I have used and modified  MCB2300 hardware design available from Keil website  to make a custom board. Developing C code for tier-2 devices can be tedious as it involves porting low level drivers(firmware in controller) for new devices. Make sure you can buy Keil licence before selecting Keil MCB2300 target as it costs significantly.The code size limit allowed by Keil with evaluation version   to use with "LabVIEW embedded module for Keil" is relatively less.

What kind of LCD display you plan to use ?

Regards,

Manu

[therealkilkenny]

Hi Manu,

I am looking for a good platform to start with that makes it as easy as possible to get up and running with LV Embedded but that will also provide us with a proof of concept device that I can show to customers as is. The MCB2300 as it is will not work as there is not much of a screen to it and I don't want to have to faf around trying to design and build my own hardware just to get a prototype up and running.

I'd like a 3"-4" touch screen (as showing in the external links that I included), a camera and an SD card slot/storage (i.e. just like the two links that I provided in my first post).

The key question here is whether there is off the shelf hardware (that requires no modification) that will work with LV Embedded without causing me pain and strife.

I don't know what you're saying about buying the keil license before selecting the MCB2300 target. I thought LV Embedded came with the Keil License. Am I going to have to fork out more money on top of the LV Embedded license in order to get this working?

Thanks. 

Dr Phil.

[manumohannair]

Have a look at following device,which got a good GUI and it is supported with Windows XP Embedded and you can program it with LabVIEW for pocket PC. 

http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/207460

Though I had LabVIEW Embedded Module for Keil Licensed,I had to get my Keil activated. Better talk to your local NI sales division for a better picture.

[therealkilkenny]

Did you look at the links that I posted in my first post? Did you look at the prices? I need something for $200-$300 not $2000-$3000. That is the whole point in LV Embedded isn't it? - LOW cost.

[manumohannair]

The last option for you with that price tag is http://www.luminarymicro.com/products/lm3s8962_evaluation_kit.html which is supported by LV Embedded + Keil. Still it lags in a Camera Interface. I don't think NI have any LOW cost(below 1000USD) products which resembles in the above mentioned links.

Please look into Windows XP Embedded\Windows CE 6.0 supporting hardware(Slightly above your price tag) as this can be programmed with LabVIEW DSC 2009 .

[YannC · Accepted solution]

Hi Phil,

As Manu says, the best of the shelf hardware for using with LabVIEW Embedded for ARM module are MCB2300, MCB2400,  LM3S8962 evaluation board.

If I had to do your project, I probably used this hardware:

Stellaris® Single Board Computer Intelligent Display Module RDK

LM3SXXXX family is easier to port in LabVIEW than LPC family because it use Stellaris driver.

Moreover, this hardware comes with examples that work on Keil µVision. 

However, you have to create a new target and add all new function to LabVIEW. It can be difficult at the beginning.

Best Regards,

[therealkilkenny]

Hi Yann,

Now we're cooking! That is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. Have you got any other recommendations like this, or is my hardware range of devices pretty limited.

When you say that I'd have to add all new functions to LabVIEW, is this basically like creating the subVI's that will interface with the hardware to perform all the things that I want it to do?

Thanks.

Dr Phil.

[YannC]

Hi,

In fact the hardware range is limited by the work to be done to use the board in LabVIEW.

If you find a board with a supported microcontroller that is not a LM3SXXXX microcontroller, you have to do the all porting guide:

using a Tier2 ARM device with the LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers.

For a LM3SXXXX microcontroller it's easier:

How Do I Configure a Texas Instruments (Formerly Luminary Micro) Stellaris ARM Target?

After this step, you have to create the code for board specific hardware( Display, touch panel).

It's basically like creating subVI's.

You have two choices, create a "standard subVI  " using graphical code or create a SubVI that will call C code function.

For a color graphical display, create a standard SubVI for write a string on the display can be challenging.

It's better to use C code in this case because you can find sample code.

Feel free to ask if you have another question.

Best Regards,

[JoeC]

Yann,

I am in the same boat as Phil, where I need to display and monitor video as well as read in at least 2 Analog inputs on an embedded level using LabVIEW.  Seems like all the platforms are missing one piece, or they are all there, but are complicated to interface to LabVIEW.

I did find through gumstix.com, that there is a company that does have a Windows CE 6.0 for the gumstix http://www.adeneo-embedded.com/Products/Board-Support-Packages/Gumstix

So the one piece I don't understand is which LV product would I program with Windows CE 6.0?  Does this mean I can use LV2010 just like it was on a normal PC, with some work to interface with the BSP?

I do like the luminary products, but they are straight forward.  I do have some ADC data processing as well as image acquisition, and manipulation and display (seems like a lot for an embedded application).

Thanks,

Joe