wirelessly as a W-iFi router. This last
feature allows the user to control the
MyRIO with an Apple iPad running
NI’s Data Dashboard which is
available for free from the i Tunes
store, as well as for Android tablets
from the Google Play Store.
The MyRIO hardware is a block
approximately 5-1/2 inches tall, 3-1/2
inches wide, and 1” deep (Figures 1
and 2). The unit’s brain is a Xilinx
Zynq-7010 FPGA. Although
programming FPGAs (field
programmable gate arrays) can be a
daunting task, LabVIEW makes it quite
simple to deal with, and the user
generally does not need to be
concerned with the details of how the
FPGA operates. Advanced users can
get more involved with the FPGA if
they desire.
The unit has three expansion
ports available: two MXP ports
(MyRIO expansion port) called A and
B; and one MSP port (mini system
port) called C. The unit comes with a
protoboard that can connect to ports
A and B, and a screw terminal block
that can be connected to port C. Each
A and B port has 16 digital I/O lines
and port C has eight for a total of 40
digital I/O lines.
Ports A and B have two analog
outputs each and port C has two as
well, for a total of six analog outputs.
Ports A and B have four analog inputs
and port C has two, for a total of 10
analog inputs. Ports A and B each
have a UART (universal asynchronous
receiver transmitter) port for serial communications with
such things as LCDs (liquid crystal displays), and can
emulate several serial communication protocols such as
I2C, SPI, and RS-232. It has audio in and audio out
connections. It also features a user programmable
pushbutton on the bottom and four user programmable
LEDs, so programs can be run that require no external
connections whatsoever (other than the DC power
source). It has a DC power connector and comes with an
AC adapter to 12 VDC. However, the unit can be powered
Part 1: An introduction to
the National Instruments’
MyRIO and LabVIEW
software. How to build
and deploy your first
LabVIEW VI (virtual
instrument) into the
MyRIO.
FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 2.
December 2016 41