Leading NI LabVIEW Users Define Tools to Create Source Code Instrument Drivers; LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board Helps Shape New National Instruments LabVIEW 8 Features.

AUSTIN, Texas -- The LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board continues to simplify LabVIEW Plug and Play instrument driver creation and usability by proposing new features integrated into the recently released National Instruments (Nasdaq:NATI) LabVIEW 8 graphical development environment. The NI LabVIEW 8 Instrument Driver Project Wizard helps engineers and scientists using LabVIEW quickly and easily create LabVIEW source code instrument drivers that meet LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board standards.

"The LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board worked closely with National Instruments engineers to shape many new features in LabVIEW 8," said Albert Geven, test and measurement engineering specialist at Philips Research and LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board member. "With the upgraded version, LabVIEW users can take advantage of the Instrument Driver Project Wizard to save significant time and apply proper software engineering principles when developing LabVIEW source code instrument drivers. This new tool not only makes instrument driver creation easier than ever, but it provides templates to ensure that drivers are consistent with LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board guidelines."

Using standardized templates defined by the LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board, the Instrument Driver Project Wizard provides programming frameworks for oscilliscopes, digital multimeters, function generators and power supplies while eliminating much of the tedious work of documenting and creating custom icons. In addition, LabVIEW 8 users can take advantage of new instrument recognition and driver retrieval functionality to automatically identify and install drivers from the Web for their stand-alone instruments.

"The LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board provides invaluable insight into how our customers are using LabVIEW for instrument control and instrument driver development," says Noel Adorno, NI LabVIEW senior software engineer. "The advisory board heavily influenced many of the new features in LabVIEW 8, including tools for automatically updating VI linkages, name changes, icon updates, palette menu links and improved instrument driver search and management."

About the LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board

The LabVIEW Instrument Driver Advisory Board is composed of leading LabVIEW users who help define architectural and development standards for instrument drivers to ensure they provide maximum benefits to all LabVIEW and instrumentation users. The advisory board meets regularly to create a consistent review process and ensure continual improvement in LabVIEW instrument connectivity. The nine-company board, including representatives from Lockheed Martin, Philips and Rockwell Collins, supplies and interprets customer feedback to focus on usability, flexibility and performance of LabVIEW instrument drivers.

About National Instruments

National Instruments (www.ni.com) is 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, USB and Ethernet. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 3,600 employees and direct operations in nearly 40 countries. In 2004, the company sold products to more than 25,000 companies in 90 countries. For the past six years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America.

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