Introduction to myRIO

Hello everyone! I hope you all will be absolutely fine and having fun. Today, I would like to give a detailed discussion on Introduction to myRIO. myRIO is basically a sort of micro controller introduced by National Instrument (NI), that is why it is sometimes known as NI myRIO. First of all I would like to tell you a bit about this device then we will move further. After listening its name i.e. myRIO, the first question comes in mind that what is this RIO. So, RIO is basically abbreviated from Re-configurable Input/Output. myRIO is a portable device and students can easily use it for the design and control of robots and may other systems quite efficiently. It operates on the frequency 667 MHz. myRIO has dual core ARM cortex A9 programmable processor. It has a Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). FPGA support in myRIO helps the students to design real life developing systems and to solve real problems quite faster as compared to the other micro controllers. Using FPGA support we can avoid the complicated syntax used in C language and in many other. We just have to create logic instead of writing the complicated code with the proper syntax. So, it has reduced the student's difficulties while designing complicated systems. It is student friendly device and is very easy to use. The processing speed of myRIO is quite higher than the standard micro controllers. So, it can be used t solve real life problems and it can be easily used in efficient systems which need a quick output response. It supports different languages e.g. C, C++ and graphical language (FPGA). The further detail about NI myyRIO will be provided later in this article.

Introduction to myRIO

myRIO is a real time embedded for evaluation. It was introduced by National Instruments. We can use it to develop the systems which require on board FPGA and microprocessor. LabVIEW is required to program it. Using this device, it is quite easy for the students to design complicated systems and to solve real life problems quite efficiently and quickly. It processing speed is almost ten times of the standard general micro-controllers and microprocessor. We can us this device in the systems where there is a need of quick responses e.g. CNC machines, two wheeled self balancing robots, robots performing different human operations. NI myRIO is shown in the figure given below.
  • If you are using myRIO for the first time, you should go through How to Configure NI myRIO on Wifi first in order to get the complete idea about its configuration using USB canle or WiFi.
1. myRIO Pins
  • myRIO has thirty four (34) pins in total, each having different functionality.
  • All of these pins are listed in the table shown in the figure below.
2. myRIO Front View
  • myRIO has two ports named as port A and port B.
  • It has a builtin WiFi shield and on board LED's.
  • The front view of the myRIO is shown in the figure given below.
3. myRIO Bottom View
  • At the bottom side of the myRIO, it has power pin, PC connection point, and USB port.
  • The bottom view of the myRIO is shown in the figure given below.
4. myRIO Side View
  • myRIO side view consists of two types of ports named as MXP A and MXP B.
  • The side view of NI myRIO is shown in the figure given below.
5. myRIO Block Diagram
  • The block diagram helps us to understand the internal structure of a device.
  • NI myRIO block diagram is shown in the figure given below.
6. myRIO Required Software
  • There are different software required for NI myRIO.
  • These software are shown in the table shown in the figure given below.
7. myRIO Optional Software
  • There are some optional software which can be used in case of myRIO.
  • Some optional software are listed in the table shown in the figure given below.
8. myRIO Supported Systems
  • myRIO has able to perform tasks on different operating systems.
  • The different operating systems are given in the table shown in the figure below.
9. myRIO Features
  • The unique features can make a device more and more popular.
  • myRIO major features are listed in the table given in the figure shown below.
In the tutorial Introduction to myRIO, I have tried my level best to provide you the entire necessary details about the basic use of NI myRIO. I have provided complete pins configurations in order to use it properly. I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial. If you have any problem you can ask us in comments anytime you want. Me and my entire team is 24/7 available to entertain you. I will share different interesting topics in my upcoming tutorials. Till my next tutorial Take care and bye :)

Getting Started with myRio

Hello friends, I hope you all are fine and having fun with your lives. Today, I am going to share a tutorial on new board and as you can see in the title, this new board is named as Myrio. So, today, we are gonna have a look at getting started with Myrio. NI myRIO is a combination of dual-core ARM Cortex™-A9 real-time processing and Xilinx FPGA customizable I/O. It is specially designed for engineering students by National Instruments and is a cheap as well as an awesome piece for building your dream projects.

Recently I got a chance to work on this NI Myrio board and I really enjoyed while working on them as they not only awesome but also easy in programming. Moreover, because of its awesome speed you can ask it to do any kind of embedded work. You can read more about myRio on the Official Site of National Instruments. Today, I am not gonna design any project on this NI myRio board, instead I am gonna give you a quick overview of getting started with myRio. So, what's the delay :P Let's have a look at getting started with myRio board.

Getting Started with myRio

  • I ordered my myRio board about a month ago and I got it delivered within 10 days.
  • Below are the items which I have received in the myRio box:
    • myRio board itself.
    • USB Cable to plug myRio board with computer.
    • Three CDs which contains the software.
    • A manual having the instructions for myRio use.
  • If you have also ordered the myRio board then you must have also received the same things in the box.
  • Now first of all, what you need to do is to arrange a 12V adapter for power up your Myrio board.
  • The one I have used is of 12V and 1.5A.
Note:
  • There are different models of myRio available online and the one I received is myRio 1900, which has the Wifi functionality in it.
  • There's also another myRio board called myRio 1950 which doesn't has the WiFi functionality in it so if you got that one then there's no need to be worried as both boards works exactly the same so if you have any other model then still you can follow today's tutorial as its valid for all myRio boards.
  • Now I assume that you have arranged a 12V adapter and ready to plug it in your myRio board. :P
  • So, why are you waiting ??? :P Simply plug you adapter in the myRio board and two lights on it will get on as shown in the below figure:
  • So, you can see in the above figure that when I plugged the adapter in my myrio, the Power LED and the Status LED turned ON.
  • After some time the status LED will turned OFF.
  • Now next thing you need to do is to connect your USB cable with your computer from one side and with myRio from the other side.
  • As soon as you connect the USB cable, the myRio will start installing the driver on your computer. It will take some time.
  • Once the driver is installed, then a pop up window will open up as shown in below figure:
  • Now, if you got this pop up window then it means your myRio driver has installed successfully.
  • This window is giving you some information about your myRio board like mine is NI myRio 1900, yours could be 1950.
  • Now next thing you need to do is to click the first button which says "Launch the Getting Started Wizard".
  • Now when you click it, a new window will open up as shown in below figure:
  • Now in the above window, it is showing the connected NI myRio device, if you can't see your device then click on the Refresh button.
  • If your device is listed as mine then you need to press the Next Button.
  • When you press the Next button a new window will pop up as shown in below figure:
  • In the above window, you can change the name of your myRio board, if you want but I have left it as it is and clicked the Next button and below window opened up:
  • Now finally we have reached the control window, from this window we are gonna control all the four LEDs labelled as LED0, LE1, LED2 and LED 3 and also gonna get notification for the button pressed and will also get values for X, Y and Z axis.
  • IF your check your myRio board, rite now then you will see that LED2 and LED3 are ON now and you can see in above figure that LED2 and LED3 are green.
  • Now you can click these buttons to turn your respective LED ON or OFF.
  • Similarly when you press the button on your myRio board then this black small circle will go green.
  • Moreover, if you change the orientation of your myRio board then its axes values will also change as it has built in gyroscope.
  • You can check more detail on this below video:

So, that's all about getting started with Myrio. Today, we have seen how to get started with your new NI myRio board and also how to control the built in LEDs, button and gyroscope of myRio board. I hope now you can play a little with your myRio board. That's all for today. In the coming post, I am gonna discuss How to Configure NI myRIO on Wifi. So, till then take care and have fun !!! :)

Syed Zain Nasir

I am Syed Zain Nasir, the founder of <a href=https://www.TheEngineeringProjects.com/>The Engineering Projects</a> (TEP). I am a programmer since 2009 before that I just search things, make small projects and now I am sharing my knowledge through this platform.I also work as a freelancer and did many projects related to programming and electrical circuitry. <a href=https://plus.google.com/+SyedZainNasir/>My Google Profile+</a>

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Syed Zain Nasir