National Instruments (Nasdaq: NATI) has announced two new low-cost embedded controllers – the PXI-8104 and PXI-8183 – that deliver exceptional performance for value-based test, measurement and control applications. With these new controllers, engineers and scientists can apply PXI in a variety of new applications across many industries including consumer electronics, automotive, semiconductor, telecommunications and aerospace and defense.

The NI PXI-8104 is an Intel Celeron M 440 processor-based embedded controller for use in PXI and CompactPCI systems. With its 1.86 GHz processor and dual-channel 533 MHz DDR2 memory, the PXI-8104 controller offers 41 percent performance improvement compared to its predecessor, the NI PXI-8195 controller. Engineers can use the new controller to create a PC-based platform that offers an optimal balance of performance and value.

The NI PXI-8183, the company's lowest-cost Windows-based PXI embedded controller at £949 (€1,349) is ideal for high-volume OEM and industrial control applications. The two-slot embedded controller features an 850 MHz Intel Celeron processor and provides a highly cost-effective and compact platform when combined with a PXI-compatible chassis, such as the NI PXI-1036.

The PXI-8104 and PXI-8183 controllers are also available in versions that support NI LabVIEW Real-Time and LabWindows™/CVI Real-Time software to deliver a flexible, rugged platform for deterministic and real-time measurement and control. Using PXI-based real-time systems, engineers can leverage powerful processors, high-level software development tools and off-the-shelf PXI I/O modules to quickly create and deploy systems in a variety of applications such as hardware-in-the-loop test, rapid control prototyping and industrial measurement and control.

About PXI

PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI) is an open specification governed by the PXI Systems Alliance (www.pxisa.org) that defines a rugged, CompactPCI-based platform optimised for test, measurement and control. Created in 1997, the PXI specification is supported by more than 70 vendors offering more than 1,500 PXI products. PXI is compatible with the CompactPCI and CompactPCI Express industrial computer standards and offers additional features such as environmental specifications, standardised software and built-in timing and synchronisation.