Drawing on its expertise in the measurement and control market, National Instruments has identified six technological trends to watch. The Texan company details them in a document entitled "The 2014 Trends Observatory".
National Instruments is more than just a designer of hardware and software solutions for test, measurement and control. The Texas-based company also prides itself on being a keen observer of what's going on in the industry. This enables it not only to develop tools that meet the future requirements of its customers, but also to guide them in their choices. " NI is more than a supplier. We're also a technology advisor," says Erick Starkloff, the company's Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing. Given that our tools are used in a wide range of sectors and applications, we're well placed to study the latest trends in measurement, sensors, networks, testing and so on. ". With this in mind, National Instruments this year publishes a report compiling the main trends it has identified to help industry and scientists take advantage of the latest technological advances. The report focuses on six themes: cyber-physical systems, big data, radio frequency and wireless, computational models, mobile communication, and science and technology education.
Cyber-physical systems
Many complex systems combine the fields of computer science, information technology and physics. The study and development of technical systems combining the cybernetic and physical worlds is an emerging scientific field. These cyber-physical systems are designed to interact continuously and dynamically with their environment by combining elements of the physical world with elements of the distributed information universe. They are characterized by three elements: computing, communication and control. These include power grids and intelligent buildings, cooperative robots, avionics, automobiles and more.
Large data volumes
Some test and control applications require the collection of very large quantities of data in a short space of time. The NSF's LSST telescope, due to be launched in 2016, is expected to acquire 140 terabytes of information per week. Gas turbine testing can generate 20 terabytes of data per day. Volume is not the only challenge. Not only is this data highly varied and fast-moving, it also has to be made available from anywhere in the world. For rapid decision-making, this means closely linking IT systems such as the Cloud with data acquisition systems.
Radio frequencies and wireless
Modern RF instrumentation has evolved from a simple device to a true system design tool. This evolution has been made possible by a wide range of software-defined radio (SDR) technologies. The architecture of the new generation of RF instruments includes, in addition to a versatile radio, a wide range of PC and signal processing technologies such as multicore processors and FPGA circuits. The integration of software-defined radio with RF test instruments makes it possible to develop applications hitherto impossible to realize with traditional instrumentation.
Computer models
Whether it's the search for new renewable energy sources or new treatment protocols to combat cancer, the complexity of the problems facing engineers continues to grow. This requires the use of several computer models. It's hard to master them all. Having an abstract software tool capable of speaking the different languages of domain-specific design tools eliminates the need to invest time and money in systems integration.
Mobile communication
Tablets and smartphones are now part of everyday life for many engineers and scientists. They are gradually being added to their panoply of tools for testing and controlling their applications. Their touch screens and advanced graphics capabilities make these mobile devices ideal platforms for building a remote man-machine interface that will take full advantage of the increased speeds of 4G and Wi-Fi networks.
Technical and scientific education
The complexity of the products and systems manufactured today requires engineers and scientists to develop knowledge in a variety of fields. Students must therefore be prepared for the world of industry by learning about interdisciplinary approaches, engineering and collaborative work..
Youssef Belgnaoui
Learn more: https://france.ni.com/tendances-2014