Labview and NMR

Lachlan Graham (Lachlan.Graham@dbce.csiro.au)
Thu, 2 Jul 1998 10:16:17 +1000

Dear Colleagues,
My posting about Labview generated some response so I should elaborate
especially for those not familiar with it. Labview is a very flexible data
acquisition and processing package which uses graphical programming. I
like to think of it as like a hybrid computer with both analogue and
digital data processing capabilities. It is also possible to do things
like generate waveforms and spit them out via D/A and to transmit digital
data through digital I/O lines. It was suggested to me that it might be
possible to replace the Aspect 3000 with a PC running Labview. I have not
attempted to do this yet. My best guess at the hardware requirements is
sufficient digital I/O lines to drive the frequency synthesizer, digital
I/O as an input to the gradient interface or D/A lines to the gradient
amplifiers directly, an analogue output to the r.f system (shaped pulses)
and input channels from the receiver out. Timing of events would also have
to be carefully considered. Other functions e.g. RG and the filters may
also have to be controlled. I expect that to run a console with Labview
would be possible but not a trivial task to set up. However if it was done
a very powerful and flexible system would result. The idea is also not
mine but a suggestion from another NMR person here in Melbourne. At the
moment I am using some of the data processing capability to process my
velocity sensitive images but I have not attempted to control the console
with it.
Regards,
Lachlan Graham