LabVIEW for FRC NYC / NJ Software Workshop January 7, 2012

Agenda What you will need to be successful What is LabVIEW? What else LabVIEW might be able to do for you Resources Hands On Instruction

What you will need to be successful Feel comfortable navigating the LabVIEW development environment (Today’s Goal) A good understanding of the FRC control system – cRIO Inputs and Outputs – Driver Station – Mode of operations Lastly digest the LabVIEW Projects for: – cRIO – Dashboard

Which version of LabVIEW FRC SoftwareFTC Software FTC this Year – FTC = LVLM2010 FRC Prior Years – FTC = LVEE2009 – FTC = LVEE2009 FRC this Year – FRC 2012 = LV2011 FRC Prior Years – FRC 2011 = LV8.6.1 – FRC 2010 = LV8.6.1 – FRC 2009 = LV8.5.1 Do NOT: Use Last Year Version Don’t download LabVIEW from ni.com… Find the FIRST DVD FRC and FTC versions can coexist on the same PC

What is LabVIEW? It is a tool used by scientists and engineers to measure and automate the universe around us It is a graphical programming environment – programming – it is a programming language and you won’t be an expert in a day or two – graphical – you draw your code – environment – it is more than measurement and automation, it has analysis and user interface capabilities created for scientists and engineers

Examples of where LabVIEW is used Large Hadron Collider – Over 100 Processors controlling over 600 motors are used to help steer the particles around the 27 km ring at over 1,000 times per second Test your Xbox Controller Control a Power Generating Buoy – Ocean Power Tech – Pennington, NJ Arresting Jet Aircraft MythBusters

Other LabVIEW uses for you Students – Students Projects with LEGO NXT – You’ll see it in many collegiate engineering & science programs – Teachers – The Infinity Project – myDAQ personal electronics lab eqmt – Works with your Vernier Sensors

Other LabVIEW uses for you Mentors from Industry – Instrument Control – GPIB, Etc – Industrial Automation – PLCs, HMI, SCADA – Machine Vision – Motion Control – Program FPGAs – Algorithm Engineering

Early Virginia Tech (TORC) successes using LabVIEW in Autonomous System Projects Results of IGVC Competition 1996 –- Did not place 1997 –- 5 th place 1998 –- Did not place 1999 –- 7 th place 2000 –- 1 st place 2001 –- 2 nd place 2002 –- Did not place – 1st Place 2004 –- 1st Place 2005 –- 1st Place 2006 –- 1st Place 2007 –- 1st Place Introduction of LabVIEW

Virtual Instruments (VI) LabVIEW = Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench Programs are called VIs (vee-eyes), they have: A.vi file is analogous to.doc,.xls or.ppt Front Panel Block Diagram

VI / Car Analogy – Front Panel The Front Panel is like the driver’s cockpit – Controls or Inputs to the car Ignition Key, Shifter, Gas Pedal, Brake, etc. – Indicators or Outputs Speedometer, Tachometer, Fuel Gauge, etc. – Connects to the engine compartment

VI / Car Analogy – Block Diagram The Block Diagram is like the engine compartment – Functional Blocks Engine, alternator, battery, sensors, control modules, etc. – Wires, Tubes and Hoses Connects everything together – Connects to driver’s cockpit

Resources Websites – ni.com/first – Books – LabVIEW for Everyone – Travis & Kring – Learning with LabVIEW – Robert Bishop – LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT - Michael Gasperi

Hands On Instructions At first, please do what I do… don’t stray Listen Carefully… – “left-click” vs. “right-click” – “click & release” vs. “click & hold” Raise your hand … shout “Help!”