National Instruments LabVIEW Integrates with Analog Devices VisualDSP++ Software to Streamline Blackfin Design Cycle

With the new Analog Devices (ADI) Blackfin Test Integration Toolkit for LabVIEW, engineers now can use the National Instruments LabVIEW graphical development environment with ADI’s VisualDSP++ embedded development environment to streamline the development of Blackfin-based systems. The new toolkit, which is included free with ADI’s VisualDSP++ software and hardware evaluation kits, integrates with NI LabVIEW to provide design engineers with a single development, prototyping and test environment for applications running on the Blackfin microprocessor.

“By collaborating with National Instruments on this product, we can provide our customers with solutions that help them integrate measurements throughout the design process,” said Gerald McGuire, Analog Devices general manager, Media Platforms and Services, DSP and Systems Products Division. “With the new Analog Devices Blackfin Test Integration Toolkit for LabVIEW, design engineers can graphically view data to verify algorithm performance earlier in the design process and compare data with real-world signals using NI measurement hardware.”

Because testing early in the design process of Blackfin-based systems was traditionally time consuming and not automated, design engineers often delayed validation until after they built system prototypes. Using the Blackfin Test Integration Toolkit for LabVIEW, design engineers now have an integrated tool chain for easily building automated test systems and utilities for their Blackfin-based systems. With easier test integration, they can iteratively verify their designs throughout the design cycle and identify flaws early in the process. Early testing reduces overall development time and improves the quality of products that use Blackfin Processors, such as wireless LAN systems, MP3 players and household appliances.

The Blackfin Test Integration Toolkit for LabVIEW gives engineers an intuitive and familiar graphical tool to easily build test and verification systems. Engineers can use the toolkit to rapidly develop Blackfin test systems by automating routine VisualDSP++ processes, such as building, downloading and running code, with a simple set of LabVIEW virtual instruments. With the toolkit, engineers also can use LabVIEW to communicate data directly to and from the Blackfin Processor’s memory through VisualDSP++ Background Telemetry Channels, a high-speed communication protocol specific to ADI.

Design engineers can use the Blackfin Test Integration Toolkit for LabVIEW and ADI VisualDSP++ software with a wide variety of NI measurement I/O hardware and modular instruments to validate algorithms by comparing real-world stimulus/response measurements with theoretical data.

To learn more about the Blackfin Test Integration Toolkit for LabVIEW, readers can visit www.ni.com/info and enter blackfin.

About National Instruments
National Instruments (www.ni.com) is a technology pioneer and leader in virtual instrumentation – a revolutionary concept that has changed the way engineers and scientists in industry, government and academia approach measurement and automation. Leveraging the PC and its related technologies, virtual instrumentation increases productivity and lowers costs through easy-to-integrate software, such as the NI LabVIEW graphical development environment, and modular hardware, such as PXI modules for data acquisition, instrument control and machine vision. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 3,100 employees and direct operations in 41 countries. In 2003, the company sold products to more than 25,000 companies in 90 countries. For the past six years, FORTUNE magazine named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America