NI Advances Compact Vision System with Faster Processor, More Storage; Compact Vision System and NI LabVIEW 7.1 Bring Reconfigurable I/O to Machine Vision.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2004

Engineers now can execute more sophisticated image processing applications that require fast frame rates and complex algorithms with the latest version in the National Instruments (Nasdaq:NATI) rugged Compact Vision System series. The new NI CVS-1456 delivers 83 percent more processing power and eight times more memory than the original version of the Compact Vision System released in June 2003.

With the increased processing power of the NI CVS-1456, scientists and engineers now can speed inspections in the lab or on the factory floor by more rapidly executing advanced image processing algorithms such as pattern-matching and character recognition. Taking advantage of its 256 MB of nonvolatile onboard Flash memory, engineers and scientists can store larger images on the CVS-1456 system for future offline analysis.

Also, by combining the CVS-1456 system or previously released CVS-1455 system with the new NI LabVIEW 7.1 FPGA Module, engineers can completely reconfigure the 29 digital I/O lines of their Compact Vision Systems. With this capability, engineers can use the Compact Vision System for a wider variety of highly customized applications including packaging inspection, assembly verification and robot control.

"With the original Compact Vision System, engineers could run time-bounded algorithms using NI LabVIEW Real-Time on their vision inspection applications," said John Hanks, NI director of measurements marketing. "Now, with the recent release of the LabVIEW 7.1 FPGA Module, engineers can customize the digital I/O on their Compact Vision Systems to perform tasks such as stepper motion control, custom system communication and intelligent part sorting. In the past, this level of flexibility would have required programming an FPGA with a hardware design language such as VHDL."

Engineers also can use LabVIEW 7.1 to store large amounts of data and images on IEEE 1394 (FireWire) hard drives connected directly to their Compact Vision Systems for security and monitoring applications.

They can store hundreds of gigabytes of images for offline quality control analysis or for logging all acquired images for days at a time.

Engineers can use the NI Compact Vision System to build applications with multiple cameras without the need for separate processing units, saving time and money. NI Compact Vision Systems feature three FireWire ports for connectivity to a variety of imaging sensors, and engineers have the flexibility to choose from more than 80 IEEE 1394 cameras. The systems easily integrate into rugged, industrial environments and are ideal for inspection, alignment, gauging and identification applications. NI Compact Vision Systems can withstand temperatures ranging from 0 to 55 degrees Celsius and shock and vibration up to 50 g. The product does not include fans, external vents or moving parts of any kind.

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 approach measurement and automation. Leveraging the PC and its related technologies, virtual instrumentation increases productivity and lowers costs through easy-to-integrate software, such as the NI LabVIEW graphical development environment, and modular hardware, such as PXI modules for data acquisition, instrument control and machine vision. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 3,100 employees and direct operations in 40 countries. In 2003, the company sold products to more than 25,000 companies in 90 countries. For the past five years, FORTUNE magazine named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America.

Readers may obtain investment information from the company's investor relations department by calling 512-683-5090, by sending e-mail to [e-mail] or by visiting www.ni.com/nati.

Pricing and Contact Information

NI CVS-1456 Compact Vision System
Priced from $4,495
web: www.ni.com/vision

11500 N Mopac Expwy, Austin, Texas 78759-3504
Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.