Incorporating National Instruments LabVIEW

into an Intermediate Laboratory Experience

Steven C. Sahyun
Physics Department, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, Whitewater, Wisconsin 53190

Abstract Equipment LabVIEW Virtual Instrument Result for Exercise 2

A novel approach to the Intermediate Physics Laboratory is to use the Students worked in pairs for three weeks at a computer workstation equipped with a computer
resources of the Synchrotron Radiation Center (SRC) national and a National Instruments NI-6009 USB interface unit. Each computer had LabVIEW 8.2
laboratory located in Stoughton, WI and run by the University of installed.
Wisconsin - Madison. [1] Students collect data at the laboratory in
person and remotely through the use of a Web interface. This A department site license was acquired through a National Instruments grant. UWW College of
experience relies heavily on the use of LabVIEW for data acquisition L&S Dean provided funds to purchase NI-6009 USB interface units for the laboratory
and remote instrument control. To provide students with a better workstations. Small supplementary items (LEDs, photocells, motors) were purchased from
understanding of how the process occurs, the first three weeks of the Radio Shack with instructional funds.
course are devoted to learning LabVIEW in order to collect data and to
control basic circuits. This poster will detail how LabVIEW is
incorporated into the course structure. NI USB-6009 interface unit. 14-
Bit, 48 kS/s Multifunction Data The Front Panel contains The Block Diagram contains the
Why LabVIEW? Acquisition for USB. 8 analog input program of components wired together.
channels, 14-bit resolution, 12 digital I/O lines, 2 Controls and Indicators
analog outputs.
SRC experiment and the need to learn LabVIEW
Result for Task 5: Run a small motor with LabVIEW.
The Synchrotron Radiation Center (SRC) is a highlight feature of the
Photocell uncovered, Photocell covered,
Intermediate Physics Laboratory course at the University of
Motor is off. Motor is on.
Wisconsin - Whitewater. Students have the opportunity to visit and
perform remote experiments at the SRC. The facility consists of an Darlington circuit to increase
electron accelerator and the Aladdin storage ring, and produces the current to the motor
intense, broad-spectrum electromagnetic radiation from infrared to x- Item Product number Count Tota l Price
ray frequencies. NPN Switching Transistors RS 276-1617 1 Pkg. of 15 $2.59 LabVIEW front panel.
Cd-Sulfide Photocells RS 276-1657 2 Pkgs. of 5 $5.58
A research station at the SRC, called Students
470 resistors RS 271-1317 2 Pkgs. of 5 $1.89
Performing Experiments Collaboratively Thorough
Assorted LEDs RS 276-1622 1 Pkg. of 20 $2.59
Remote Access (SPECTRA), is dedicated to
Small Motors RS 273-258 6 $19.74
outreach programs. This research station enables
students to conduct local or remote experiments Interface Unit NI-USB-6009 6 $1614
and collect real-time data using LabVIEW and a LabVIEW LabVIEW 8.2 Dept. License NI Grant
Web interface. Instructional Practice

Because LabVIEW plays such an important role in A hands-on guided set of six exercises provided the structure for basic understanding of the
data acquisition and equipment control in the SRC LabVIEW environment. This method was similar to that used at National Instruments
experiment, as well as at other laboratories and in workshops where concepts would be introduced and then students would have time to
industry, it was decided to provide students an complete specific tasks. The guided exercises were tailored to the specific needs of I/O
opportunity to learn LabVIEW at the beginning of functions that would be seen on equipment later in the semester. Many of the students
this course to better prepare them as future began with little or no programming and/or electronics knowledge. At the end of the three
physicists. LabVIEW block diagram controlling the circuit.
week period, students were bread-boarding circuits and programming LabVIEW to control
Course Overview a small motor and to acquire and record data.
Because the USB 6009 interface unit does not provide enough current to
The Intermediate Physics Laboratory is a two-credit semester-long Topic Exercise
directly run the motor, students discover that they need to create a
course. It meets twice a week for two hours each session for 15 Creating a Virtual Instrument Exercise 0 - Perform a mathematical function on two numbers. Darlington circuit to increase the current. [A pre-lab assignment asked them
weeks. The course is divided into a series of Lab Stations that the
Working with Loops Exercise 2 - Add a loop structure to convert the temperature from degrees Celsius to research the use of a Darlington circuit and draw its circuit diagram.] In
students experience, usually in groups of 2 or 3. to Fahrenheit so that it will run until stopped.
this activity, students learn rudimentary breadboard and circuit design skills,
LabStation1:ComputerInterfacing. Controls and data Types Exercise 3 - Switches, lights, Boolean and conversion. Make this work. which they may not encounter unless they take an optional electronics
(3Weeks) Using loops and Charts Exercise 4 Build a vi to display a simulated noisy sine signal (Functions course.
StudentslearnbasicsofLabVIEW Express Input) to a Waveform graph (Controls Modern Graph). Include
programmingtoacquiredataand Reset Signal and variable time delay controls.
controldevices. The LabVIEW Virtual Instrument monitors the light level from a photocell
DAQ Data Acquisition with the 6009 Exercise 5: Acquire and graph an input signal from a function generator. Start with
InputStarter.vi
and sends a signal to the motor such that when the photocells signal is
Student groups then rotate through the following lab stations below a critical value (when covered) the motor will operate.
Create and view 1 and 2D arrays
LabStation2: LabStation3: LabStation4:Material
Electronproperties. Magnetism Properties. Analyzing and Logging Data Exercise 6 Create a vi that will record a graphs data using the Write to CONCLUSION
(2Weeks) (2Weeks) (2Weeks) Measurement File subVI. Include a Save control connected to the enable
Magneticdipole Usinga
Helmholtzcoilfield momentandtorque spectrophotometerto
input.
The inclusion of a LabVIEW module appealed to the students. The
mapping. experimentsanda investigatematerials. Student Assignment for the 3-Week Lab Session methodical buildup of skills provided the students with a straightforward
briefintroductionto ScanningTunneling approach to learning the environment and they enjoyed the engineering
e/mratio vacuumsystems. Microscope.
Physics221:IntermediateLaboratory aspect of designing systems to accomplish a goal. A better appreciation of
MillikanOilDrop Station1Assignment:ComputerInterfacing the program occurred later in the semester when they again used it for
Objectives: data collection in subsequent lab station experiments and more importantly
SRCExperience: with their SRC project. By having this short introduction at the beginning of
(3Weeks) Youwilllearnbasicfunctionsandmethodsfortransferringdatafromdevicestocomputersanduse the semester, they were able to understand this type of computer aided
StudentsusetheSRCforphotoemissionstudiesofmaterials computerstogeneratesignalstoremotedevices.Youwillbecomeacquaintedwithadigitalstorage data collection, rather than seeing it as a black box. This understanding
oftheirownchoosing.
oscilloscopeaswellastheLabViewprogram. was also important when they needed to trouble-shoot data errors with
EFNMRLab their remote data collection experiment at the SRC.
(2Weeks) 1. CompletetheIntroductiontoLabVIEWexercises.
2. CompleteaLabVIEWprogramtographandsavedata References
Previous literature show several examples of incorporating LabVIEW 3. CompleteaLabVIEWprogramtocreateaDecimaltoBinaryconverter;usetwoLED [1] Sahyun, S.C., Polak, J. M., Moore, C. J. Undergraduate student
into course structures. Essick [2] provides a complete full semester lightsconnectedtotheNI6009interfacetodisplaytheresult. laboratory experience at the Synchrotron Radiation Center. Am. J. Phys.
course text and Moriarty [3] provides further details on how to tailor a 4. UsetheNI6009interfacetoturnonaLEDdiodewhentriggeredbyasignalfroma 74, 987 (2006)
semester-long course for students who have had electronics courses. photocell. [2] Essick, J. Advanced LabVIEW Labs. Prentice Hall. (1999)
UsetheNI6009interfacetorunasmallmotorwhentriggeredbyasignalfroma [3] Moriarty, P.J., et al. Graphical computing in the undergraduate
However, the focus of this course is centered on the SRC project, and photocell.ThiswillrequiretheuseofaDarlingtoncircuit. Laboratory: Teaching and interfacing with LabVIEW. Am. J. Phys. 71, 1062
LabVIEW is not the end, but a means. Also students taking this course CreateaLabVIEWprogramtoacquireandsavetoafilethewaveformproducedbya (2003)
are mostly sophomore level, with no electronics experience so the full functiongenerator. [4] Green, A. Introducing Students to LabVIEW without tying up the
semester courses previously described are not satisfactory. Extracredit:PasstheLabVIEWfundamentalsexamathttp://www.ni. semester. 2006 AAPT Summer Meeting, Syracuse, NY
com/training/labview_exam.htm The experiments conducted at the Synchrotron Radiation Center, University of
Instead, a three week series of 6 two-hour classes was implemented SupplementalLabVIEWmaterialavailableonrequest. Wisconsin-Madison, is supported by the NSF Award No. DMR-0084402.
loosely based on the philosophy of Green [4] but with a lower level
cohort. The classes used a modified version of National Instruments Funding for the UW-Whitewater Physics Departmental Site
ProgressandprogramswillbekepttrackofinyourLaboratoryNotebook.AttheendoftheLabStation,
Learn LabVIEW in 6 hours as a presentation base but focused the License provided by the National Instruments Equipment
youwillturninyournotebookaswellasalabreportdetailingyouractivities.Gradingwillfollow
activities on the I/O nature of LabVIEW. This was followed by Grant Program.
guidelinesoftherubricshandedoutinthecoursesyllabus.
independent student activities. National Instruments, NI, and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation.