30 Years of Test & Measurement

“The Software is the Instrument”

In the early 1980s, Jeff Kodosky, cofounder of National Instruments, was inspired by the spreadsheet, which was created to mirror the way financial analysts worked. He thought that the same type of application could improve the way scientists and engineers performed tests and obtained measurements. In 1986, Kodosky and NI introduced LabVIEW, a graphical development environment for creating virtual test systems.

LabVIEW, according to Truchard, combined the concepts of drawing block diagrams and a user interface, or front panel. “You could quickly build a front panel and program it with block diagrams, so we were able to solve the problem of programming instrumentation in a very unique way,” he said. “We used the mantra, ‘To do for test and measurement what the spreadsheet did for financial analysts.’”

Introduced for the Macintosh platform, LabVIEW initially received few kudos from the test and measurement community. Most scientists were using text-based programming languages such as Basic.

But LabVIEW was successful. “In fact,” said Truchard, “We coined the phrase, ‘The software is the instrument.’”

Other instrument vendors also introduced their own test and programming software, including ATEasy from Geotest, an application development framework for functional test, automated test equipment, data acquisition, process control, and instrumentation systems. It lets users create everything from instrument drivers, to complex test programs.

Software also has played an important role in how test systems are calibrated. According to Schmittseifer, “The ability to calibrate instruments with internal software rather than external hardware has made this task far easier for the user. The user interface has changed from scales and meters to a multifunction, menu-driven display with soft keys, and the measurements themselves have evolved from simple physical tests to complex protocol and signaling measurements.”

Software — including Web-based software — will continue to be a key technology in the future of test and measurement. Said Schmittsereceived few kudos from the test and measurement community. Most scientists were using text-based programming languages such as Basic.

But LabVIEW was successful. “In fact,” said Truchard, “We coined the phrase, ‘The software is the instrument.’”

Other instrument vendors also introduced their own test and programming software, including ATEasy from Geotest, an application development framework for functional test, automated test equipment, data acquisition, process control, and instrumentation systems. It lets users create everything from instrument drivers, to complex test programs.

Software also has played an important role in how test systems are calibrated. According to Schmittseifer, “The ability to calibrate instruments with internal software rather than external hardware has made this task far easier for the user. The user interface has changed from scales and meters to a multifunction, menu-driven display with soft keys, and the measurements themselves have evolved from simple physical tests to complex protocol and signaling measurements.”

Software — including Web-based software — will continue to be a key technology in the future of test and measurement. Said Schmittseifer, “It took years for Ethernet and the World Wide Web to transform the way we work, and LANbased connectivity, together with Webenabled instruments, is transforming the future of test and measurement.” Network connectivity enables test system users and developers to set up, configure, and debug systems much more quickly, he explained.

Added Byrum, “As users gain confidence and comfort using test instruments connected to the Internet, a new generation of distributed testing and/or engineering portals will come into existence.”

And as computing power continues to increase, so will the capabilities of PC-based instruments and the software that controls them. “I believe the PC will still be a key technology driver,” predicted Truchard. For the next 30 years, he said, “I see a convergence of design and test. The increased complexity of devices and change of pace have required design engineers to seek higher levels of abstraction in creating test systems.”

(Editor’s Note: The complete interview with Dr. James Truchard of National Instruments is available in a podcast that may be accessed at: www.techbriefs.com/podifer, “It took years for Ethernet and the World Wide Web to transform the way we work, and LANbased connectivity, together with Webenabled instruments, is transforming the future of test and measurement.” Network connectivity enables test system users and developers to set up, configure, and debug systems much more quickly, he explained.