interfacing tools in Labview

[anasparks777@gmail.com]

My project is to create a multi parameter diagnostic tool for monitoring temperature, ECG waveform, HRV analysis, SPO2 measurement and cuffless BP. I would like to know the different interfacing tools that i can use for my project

[Sam_Sharp · Accepted solution]

LabVIEW supports a lot of interfaces: Serial, Ethernet (TCP/IP, UDP), communicating with driver DLLs, communicating with NI and third-party Data Acquisition (DAQ) devices (e.g. USB DAQ, cDAQ)

I suggest the first thing to do would be to look at the hardware you want to use and what interfaces they offer (or the sensors you want to use...analogue? digital?) - you can then think about how to use that interface within LabVIEW.

[Hooovahh]

LabVIEW is a programming language.  As a result it can interface with any hardware that it has an API for.  If an API doesn't exist for your hardware you are free to make one your self.  That being said there are tons of code written for helping interface with all kinds of hardware and you'd be crazy to write your own if you didn't need to.  Don't ask what hardware can LabVIEW interface with, but ask I need to interface with this type of signal, what hardware is best?

[anasparks777@gmail.com]

Thank you for the suggestion.

My next query is whether programming for HRV analysis is difficult using Labview compared to programming in Matlab?????????If so can we do Matlab programming within the Labview?????

[anasparks777@gmail.com]

Thank you for the suggestion.

My next query is whether programming for HRV analysis is difficult using Labview compared to programming in Matlab?????????If so can we do Matlab programming within the Labview?????

[Hooovahh · Accepted solution]

HRV Analysis

http://www.ni.com/example/30832/en/

Running Matlab

http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361G-01/lvhowto/creating_a_matlab_script/

[anasparks777@gmail.com]

Thank you for the procedural support. I have just started on the project and this post has given me a proper idea as what to do further

[anasparks777@gmail.com]

Can I use the same DAQ Card :NI PCI-6221 to connect a temperature sensor for monitoring temperature of a patient?

Which is the best possible sensor that can be used for patient temperature monitoring? Can I use a thermocouple sensor? Or is there any other sensor which is best suited for this application to be interfaced with Labview?

[Yamaeda]

Yes. A Thermocouple is typically a temperature dependant resistance, so all you need to do is check the resistance. You cant do that directly with the 6221, so what you'll do is put the Thermocouple in series with a fixed resistance and measure the voltage over the thermocouple, you want the fixed resistance to be the nominal (25 degree C) of the Thermocouple. Since the 6221 has AO it can supply the voltage needed. Easy as pie. (although the full extent of PI is rather hard ...)

Once connected you need to calibrate the system. If the voltage over the thermocouple is 50% of the supplied voltage, they have the same resistance and you know it's 25 degrees.

/Y

[Hooovahh]

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@Yamaeda wrote:

Yes. A Thermocouple is typically a temperature dependant resistance, so all you need to do is check the resistance. You cant do that directly with the 6221, so what you'll do is put the Thermocouple in series with a fixed resistance and measure the voltage over the thermocouple, you want the fixed resistance to be the nominal (25 degree C) of the Thermocouple. Since the 6221 has AO it can supply the voltage needed. Easy as pie. (although the full extent of PI is rather hard ...)

Once connected you need to calibrate the system. If the voltage over the thermocouple is 50% of the supplied voltage, they have the same resistance and you know it's 25 degrees.

/Y

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Wait a minute, I think you are confused.  A thermocouple generates a voltage, not resistance, which is then measured by an analog input.  This voltage is in the sub-millivolts range.  The 6221 is a +/-10V with 16 bit range so each count is about .3mV which you might think is enough but real world says it won't be.  Here is a table for voltage on a K type thermocuple.

What you may be able to use a is a RTD or a thermister which works on the principlal of resistance.  I'm guessing you are were confusing the two and depending on the setup it could be possible to measure temperature with the 6221.

If you are looking to measure a single temperature I recommend the USB TC01.  Just plug it in and it can start logging temperature to a text file without needint to program or install software.