Custom FPGA-based tests with COTS hardware and graphical programming

Of all types of test applications, none require higher reliability, greater customization, more application-specific protocols and interfaces, and higher performance for more complete test coverage than military and aerospace test systems. These requirements often dictate custom hardware and HDL-based FPGA programming which drive higher costs, greater development time, more maintenance, and require specialized development knowledge. A new product family from National Instruments offers commercial-off the shelf (COTS) analog and digital I/O coupled to high-performance FPGA modules which can be programmed with the common, more abstract NI LabVIEW graphical programming language on the PXI platform. These NI FlexRIO products bring the prospect of customized hardware to a wider audience through COTS components which reduce costs and decrease long-term support requirements.