LAB NO.

01: INTRODUCTION TO NI ELVIS II

LAB OBJECTIVES:
The objective of this lab is to get familiarization of NI ELVIS II trainer.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND:
NI ELVIS II, short for National Instruments Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation
Suite II, is an integrated hardware and software platform designed for engineering and science
education. It provides a comprehensive set of tools and resources to facilitate hands-on learning,
experimentation, and project-based activities in various fields, including electrical engineering,
mechanical engineering, and physics.
Hardware Components:
The NI ELVIS II platform consists of several hardware components that enable students to
perform a wide range of experiments and measurements. These components include:

a. Reconfigurable I/O (RIO) Device: The RIO device is the core component of NI ELVIS II,
combining analog and digital I/O capabilities, programmable FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate
Array), and a real-time processor for data acquisition and control.
b. Breadboard and Connectors: The platform provides a built-in breadboard and a variety of
connectors, allowing students to create custom circuits and interface with external devices.
c. Instrumentation: The NI ELVIS II platform provides essential instrumentation tools that
students can use for measurement and analysis purposes. These instrumentation tools include:
 1. Oscilloscope: The built-in oscilloscope allows students to visualize and analyze electrical
waveforms. It provides multiple channels for simultaneous waveform acquisition and
offers various triggering and analysis options.
2. Function Generator: The function generator generates different types of electrical
waveforms such as sine, square, triangle, and arbitrary waveforms. Students can use it to
stimulate circuits and observe the response.
3. Digital Multimeter (DMM): The DMM measures voltage, current, resistance, and other
electrical parameters. It is a versatile tool for general-purpose measurements and is useful
for troubleshooting and verifying circuit behavior.
4. Programmable Power Supplies: NI ELVIS II includes programmable power supplies
that provide students with the ability to generate and control voltages required for their
experiments. The power supplies can be set to provide constant voltage or current output.
d. Prototyping Accessories:
To enhance the hands-on experience, NI ELVIS II offers a range of prototyping accessories.
These accessories include various sensors, motors, and actuators. Students can connect these
devices to the platform to build interactive systems and perform experiments involving motion,
environmental sensing, or control systems.
e. Integrated System Design:
NI ELVIS II's hardware components are designed to work seamlessly with each other and the
software tools. The integration of the components allows students to develop and implement
complete system designs, combining analog and digital circuits, sensors, actuators, and control
algorithms.
The hardware components of NI ELVIS II provide students with the necessary tools to explore
and experiment with real-world systems. The combination of the RIO device, breadboard,
connectors, instrumentation tools, and prototyping accessories enables students to learn about
circuit design, data acquisition, signal processing, and control systems in a practical and hands-
on manner.
Software Tools:
NI ELVIS II comes with intuitive software tools that enhance the learning experience and enable
students to interact with the hardware effectively. These software tools include:
a. NI ELVISmx: ELVISmx is a software application that provides a graphical user interface
(GUI) for configuring and controlling the NI ELVIS II hardware. It allows users to access the
various instruments, I/O channels, and measurement functions conveniently.
b. LabVIEW: LabVIEW, a popular programming environment, is integrated with NI ELVIS II,
enabling students to develop custom measurement and control applications using a visual
programming approach.
c. Multisim: Multisim is a powerful circuit simulation software that allows students to design,
analyze, and simulate electronic circuits before implementing them on the NI ELVIS II
hardware.
Benefits and Educational Applications:
The NI ELVIS II platform offers several benefits for engineering and science education:
a. Hands-on Learning: With its combination of hardware and software tools, NI ELVIS II
promotes experiential learning by providing students with opportunities to build, measure, and
analyze real-world systems.
b. Interdisciplinary Integration: The platform supports various disciplines, enabling students
from different engineering fields to collaborate on projects that require multiple areas of
expertise.
c. Flexibility and Customizability: NI ELVIS II's reconfigurable hardware and software allow
students to design and implement a wide range of experiments and projects tailored to their
specific learning objectives.
d. Industry-Standard Tools: By using industry-standard software tools like LabVIEW and
Multisim, students gain practical skills and familiarity with tools commonly used in engineering
industries.
e. Remote Learning Capabilities: NI ELVIS II can be accessed remotely, enabling students to
perform experiments and projects from any location, making it suitable for distance learning or
remote education scenarios.

CONCLUSION:
The hardware components of NI ELVIS II provide students with the necessary tools to explore
and experiment with real-world systems. The combination of the RIO device, breadboard,
connectors, instrumentation tools, and prototyping accessories enables students to learn about
circuit design, data acquisition, signal processing, and control systems in a practical and hands-
on manner.

NI ELVIS II is a comprehensive hardware and software platform that empowers