Explore the 2010 Graphical System Design Achievement Awards

Academic Research and Education
Examples in this category feature teaching and research methodologies that use graphical system design tools. Topics include classroom and laboratory teaching successes as well as scientific computing and experimental research applications.
Winner: Using CompactRIO for Control and Measurement in the Low-Voltage Marine Substation at the Lysekil Wave Power Research Site
Finalist: Developing an Integrated Focused Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect (MOKE) Magnetometer Using NI PXI Hardware and LabVIEW

Machine Control and Monitoring
This category contains applications such as sound and vibration monitoring, machine condition monitoring, and dynamic structural test that include high-speed control, precision motion, analog measurements, real-time processing, and human machine interfaces (HMIs).
Winner: Performing Aircraft Jet Plume Noise Measurements Using NI LabVIEW Software and PXI Hardware
Finalist: Controlling Echogen Power Systems Waste Heat Engine with NI Software and Hardware, Green Engineering Award Recipient

Medical Device Design and Development
These examples show how engineers and scientists have combined graphical system design tools with flexible, off-the-shelf, embedded hardware to design, prototype, and deploy PC-based or portable technologies for medical devices.

Winner: Using LabVIEW Software to Develop the Canary System for Early Detection and Monitoring of Tooth Decay

Finalist: Measuring Fetal Heart Rates Accurately and Safely Using LabVIEW and NI Hardware

Finalist: Biorep Perifusion System Automates Cell Secretion Analysis, Humanitarian of the Year Award Recipient

Prototype and Validation Test

The content in this category reveals how engineers and scientists are reducing prototyping costs through virtual prototyping, simulation, iterative design processes, and/or hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test.

Winner: Developing an Inertial Pipeline Inspection Gauge with LabVIEW and CompactRIO

Finalist: NI CompactRIO and LabVIEW Deliver a State-of-the-Art Control System

Robotics

This category consists of examples that discuss machine building, industrial robots, unmanned vehicles, and other advanced control applications in industries such as government, defense, medical, mining, and space exploration.

Winner: Building a Semiautonomous Vehicle Driven by the Visually Impaired with LabVIEW and CompactRIO, Application of the Year

Finalist: Designing a Robotic Device to Study Flying Insects Using LabVIEW and CompactRIO

Test and Measurement

These applications exhibit innovation in test system design with virtual instrumentation by demonstrating the combination of open PC technologies, modular instrumentation, and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) test system software.

Winner: The ISIS Proton Synchrotron: Beam Data Acquisition and Analysis Using NI PXI and LabVIEW

Finalist: Reducing Test Time and Increasing Quality in Final Control System Tests for Wind Turbines

Wireless Monitoring

This category comprises applications that use wireless technology to remotely monitor and control electrical, physical, mechanical, and acoustical signals.

Winner: Monitoring Atmospheric Ozone on the Global Hawk Unmanned Aeronautical Vehicle with NI CompactRIO, Editor's Choice Award Recipient

Finalist: Developing a Telemetry System for a Solar Car

Student Design Showcase

Examples in this category feature student projects that use LabVIEW and graphical system design tools. Topics include student senior design and capstone design projects.

Winner: University of Colorado: CUBOAT Project

Finalist: CWRU Cutter: An NI-powered Autonomous Lawnmower