LabVIEW for FRC

Long Island Software WorkshopDec 13, 2008

Robert.berger@ni.com

Agenda

• Intro to the New Control System• LabVIEW Basics– little LabVIEW History– What else LabVIEW might be able to do for you– Resources– Hands On Instruction

• LabVIEW Project Window• WPI Robotics Libraries for LabVIEW

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

Virtual Instruments (VI)

• LabVIEW = Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench

• Programs are called VIs (vee-eyes), they have:

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

LabVIEW History• 1986 - Premiered on a Macintosh– It mainly automated electronic instruments –

oscilloscopes, multimeters, etc• 1992 - Ported to MS Windows• 1997 - Ported to a Real Time OS– Used by several Universities and Companies in various

robotics competitions• VA Tech started using it in 2003 – They finished in 3rd place at the

Urban Grand Challenge – late 2007• 1999 - Robolab was introduced by LEGO & Tufts Univ• 2006 - Ported to run on a LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT• 2008/9 – LabVIEW FTC and FRC

Other LabVIEW uses

• Students– Students Projects with LEGO NXT– You’ll see it in many collegiate engineering & science

programs– Create NXT-G blocks for your favorite FLL or FTC

team*• Teachers– Project Lead the Way– The Infinity Project– Works with your Vernier Sensors

* You’ll need LabVIEW Version 7.1

Other LabVIEW uses

• Mentors from Industry– Instrument Control – GPIB, Etc– Industrial Automation – PLCs, HMI, SCADA– Machine Vision– Motion Control– Program FPGAs– Embedded Targets – ADI Blackfin, ARM 7– Algorithm Engineering

Early Virginia Tech (TORC) successes using LabVIEW in Autonomous System Projects

Results of IGVC Competition1996 –- Did not place 1997 –- 5th place 1998 –- Did not place1999 –- 7th place 2000 –- 1st place2001 –- 2nd place2002 –- Did not place

2003 -– 1st Place2004 –- 1st Place 2005 –- 1st Place2006 –- 1st Place2007 –- 1st Place

Introduction of LabVIEW

http://www.igvc.org/

Resources

• Books– LabVIEW for Everyone – Travis & Kring– Learning with LabVIEW – Robert Bishop– LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT - Michael

Gasperi

• Websites– ni.com/first

Logistics• LabVIEW for FRC – 2 DVDs ship with the Kit

• You don’t need to load both• Disk 1 = LabVIEW• Disk 2 = Windriver C++• Version 8.5.1 which is not the latest version

– http://www.usfirst.org/frccontrolsystem• LabVIEW FRC software update - VERY IMPORTANT• Control System Manual• H/W and S/W Documentation

• If you don’t have your kit – use LabVIEW Evaluation Copy

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!”