NEWS RELEASE – Aug. 29, 2006 – National Instruments today released four USB bus-powered data acquisition (DAQ) devices, the first bus-powered NI data acquisition products to feature high-performance multifunction M Series capabilities. With low-cost and isolated options, these devices are ideal for applications such as simple data logging, portable measurements and academic lab experiments.The low-cost National Instruments USB-6210, USB-6211, USB-6215 and USB-6218 devices draw power directly from the USB port and therefore do not require an external power supply. They feature NI signal streaming technology, a new technology for high-speed data streaming over the USB cable, which results in a four times improvement in sampling rate over previous NI bus-powered multifunction DAQ devices.
They also feature M Series technology, including NI-MCal, a revolutionary design for calibration at every input range that improves measurement accuracy, and the NI-PGIA 2 family of programmable-gain instrumentation amplifiers, which dramatically reduces settling time to ensure accurate measurements even at the fastest scanning rates. With M Series capabilities, these devices offer sampling rates five times faster than existing NI bus-powered USB multifunction DAQ devices. They are available with up to 32 16-bit, 250 kS/s analog input channels and up to two 16-bit, 250 kS/s analog output channels. These devices also can perform up to four functions simultaneously using NI signal streaming technology, which optimizes data transfers to and from a PC using a standard USB cable.
In addition, the NI USB-6215 and USB-6218 devices offer built-in isolation technology, which offers safer measurements by electrically separating the sensor signals, which can be exposed to hazardous voltages.The NI USB-6210, USB-6211, USB-6215 and USB-6218 devices feature up to eight digital input and digital output channels and two 32-bit counter/timers. They also ship with NI-DAQmx driver and measurement services software, a collection of powerful tools, including data-logging software, that make system setup even faster and simpler.
About National Instruments
For 30 years, National Instruments has been a technology pioneer and leader in virtual instrumentation – a revolutionary concept that has changed the way engineers and scientists in industry, government and academia approach measurement and automation. Leveraging PCs and commercial technologies, virtual instrumentation increases productivity and lowers costs for test, control and design applications through easy-to-integrate software, such as NI LabVIEW, and modular measurement and control hardware for PXI, PCI, PCI Express, USB and Ethernet. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 4,000 employees and direct operations in nearly 40 countries. For the past seven years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America.
