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JoelleP
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Here’s the second installment of descriptions of NIWeek summits, which bring targeted keynotes, product trainings, and innovative demonstrations together in one place. Visit the following pages for detailed information on each summit.

Aerospace and Defense Summit

Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) test platforms have evolved significantly to address complex system requirements while decreasing time to market and reducing total cost of ownership. Learn how to address the entire life cycle of aerospace and defense systems, from creating flexible, software-defined test systems to deploying real-time embedded systems for control, monitoring, and operation.

Keynote: Rapid Innovation on the Cheap: Lessons From DARPA and Commercial Space Flight

Session Highlight: Nondestructive Structural Test for Aerospace

Big Physics and Science Summit
This workshop brings together scientists and engineers from major national and research labs to discuss topics in the areas of control, measurement, and diagnostics for particle accelerators, synchrotrons, fusion reactors, and telescopes.

Keynote Highlight:
The Quest for Alternative Energy—Anomalous Heat Effect (a.k.a. Cold Fusion)

Session Highlight: Operating and Controlling More Than 100 Cherenkov Telescopes

Energy Technology Summit

This summit covers a wide range of topics: clean energy, grid-tied power conversion, storage, distribution control systems, and electric vehicles. You won't want to miss this in-depth technical discussion of design and development techniques for controlling the smart grid.

Keynote Highlight: Sandia and Vestas: Designing a Smarter Wind Farm
Session Highlight:
Next-Generation Instrumentation for Nuclear Power

Stop by the corresponding pavilions on the expo floor to see the summit content in action!

Laura Arnold
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Searching for all things robot? Or are you pining for big physics? NIWeek summits have you coveredthey’ll bring targeted keynotes, product trainings, and innovative demonstrations together in one place. Here, NI developers and industry-leading researchers will present on the new trends and techniques within the field. Visit the following pages for detailed information on each summit.

Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles Summit

The world's top roboticists, researchers, design engineers, and domain experts unite. With in-depth technical sessions and corresponding live demonstrations at the Robotics Pavilion on the expo floor, learn how to apply the latest technology from real-time devices, FPGAs, and graphical and textual programming to design robotics systems faster than your peers.

Keynote: Past, Present, and Future of Robotics Software

Session Highlight: Bipedal Robots Imitate Human-Like Walking Through LabVIEW Autonomous Feedback Control

Vision Summit

For the last six years, the NIWeek Vision Summit has been one of the most comprehensive conference lineups in North America around imaging applications and technologies, featuring two full days of interactive technical sessions, hands-on workshops, and three days of exhibitions on the NIWeek expo floor. Come to learn about new technologies and industry best practices, as well as network with vendors, integrators, end-users, and other vision experts including NI R&D.

Keynote: The Evolution of Embedded Vision

Session Highlight: Inside the Thunderdome—FPGAs Versus Multicore Processors

RF and Wireless Summit

Learn how National Instruments is redefining RF and wireless test and hear from RF, microwave, and wireless industry experts as they explain the latest trends, emerging technologies, and test techniques. Technologies discussed will include RF-RIO, FPGA signal processing, MIMO, advanced network analysis, microwave system simulation, and microwave frequency synthesis.

Session Highlight: Software Defined Radio Experts Panel

Stop by the corresponding pavilions on the expo floor to see the summit content in action!

crelf
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VIShots posted a great podcast last year leading up to NIWeek: they invited three members of the LabVIEW community to talk about how to get the most out of NIWeek.

From the blog entry: "I have Darren Nattinger from National Instruments, Christopher Relf from VI Engineering (that's me!) and Justin Goeres from JKI. There are a lot of things to see at NIWeek and we cover some of the technical sessions you can attend and how to get the most out of this year’s technology conference if this is your first time or even if you’ve been there before."

So if you want to get the most out of NIWeek, listen in here!

While you're there, check out some of the other VIShots content, including some excellent short training videos and other National Instruments technology-related podcasts.

Travis_M.
10433 Views
2 Comments

... this is the third installment of the Five Ways to Keep Cool In Austin During NIWeek, here is a link to the first and second ...

I can feel the anticipation building and know you're ready for me to get on with the #1 already so you can get back to reading all the other NIWeek hype.  Those who have been to Austin should find the #1 spot as no surprise:

1) Barton Springs Pool

Easily the largest in the city, this 3 acre pool is fed completely by 68 degree water from the Edwards Aquifer and is regarded as one of Austin’s crown jewels.  The pool is formed by a small dam on the lowest section of the (usually dry) Barton Creek downstream from a series of springs. The water isn’t treated with chemicals so the pool is filled with plants and fish in addition to a high load of visitors seeking a refreshing dip, so get there before 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays to avoid crowds and parking headaches.

Ever see one of those door signs that says “hippies use the back door”?  Maybe that’s just an Austin thing, but I could think of no better slogan to apply to the pool.  Whether you plan to partake in a free-spirited drum-circle or not, I recommend doing like the locals and using the back pool entrance where there’s free parking and easy access to an expansive hill with ample sun and shade.  The back entrance is located along Robert E. Lee Road just west of its intersection with Barton Springs Road.  For the GPS types, it’s right across the street from the house at 905 Robert E Lee Rd, Austin, TX 78704.

Insider’s tip: go at night. At 9pm the main pool entrance opens for an hour of free swimming (the back entrance described above closes at 9). While the sun may not be baking your skin to a crisp, the air temperature at 9:00 pm is plenty warm to justify a night swim with some of Austin’s more interesting people.  Want to keep it Austin Weird?  Go at night to a full-moon party (full moon on Aug 2). Same rules as above, but you’ll be treated to a livelier crowd, a buffet of snacks, and impromptu howling at the moon.

Other honorable mentions:

Some other sites that are just as good as #s 2-5 (#1 trumps all) but I didn’t write about:

crelf
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It's that time of year again! Are you coming to NIWeek 2012? Do you want to enjoy cold beers and hot mesquite BBQ with your friends from the LabVIEW Community?

Then come to the 2012 LAVA / OpenG NIWeek Bar-B-Q!

http://lavag.org/old_files/monthly_06_2008/post-181-1214520808.gif

Year after year we bring together all your best online (and real-life!) friends from LAVA (LabVIEW Advanced Virtual Architects), OpenG (home of LabVIEW's open source community), and even the leaders in NI LabVIEW R&D. Come enjoy great barbecue with great people away from the hustle and bustle of the convention floor - EVERYONE IS INVITED!

Menu*: Mesquite BBQ beef brisket, chicken, and pork ribs. Potato salad, pinto beans, and coleslaw, and iced tea (vegetarian food is available on request). There'll be a cash bar, and they have a great selection of brews.
Date: Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 7:00 PM (after the NIWeek "Block Diagram Party")
Location: Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701

And, as if you need any more convincing, the BBQ has Door Prizes Galore! Everyone is in the running for one of there super door prizes donated by LAVA members.

>> Find more information here!

G-Money
11856 Views
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I hear this question all the time: “Grant, what sessions should I make a priority at NIWeek this year?”, and it’s always difficult to answer. There are tons of great technical sessions and hands-ons during NIWeek, ranging from new product releases to advanced technical deep-dives to incredible customer applications. I’m going to simplify this question by framing it as “What sessions are you definitely going to be at this year?” Hopefully, that will help people decide on their own choices. Here are my top five sessions from the Software Development Technique track that I will not miss:

  1. TS8244 – Secret Sauce: Non-LabVIEW Tools to Make You a Better Developer
  2. TS8253 – A Scalable Plug-In Architecture for Monitoring Distributed Real-Time Applications
  3. TS8255 – Parallelizing the Unparallelizable
  4. TS8553 – Smartphones and Tablets for Measurement and Control
  5. TS8447 – What’s New in LabVIEW 2012

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Christiana
11308 Views
5 Comments

Hello,

My name is Christiana.  I have been using NI Products since LabVIEW version 2.  I have yet to meet another woman that uses NI products.  I looked at the NI Week group and noted that the majority of the women listed are NI employees.  I think it is wonderful that NI hires women and I hope to see all of the NI employees at NI Week.  Are there women going to NI Week that are not NI Employees?  I am really just curious.

Christiana Wilson

mlax
10867 Views
1 Comment

Austin is a great city with many attractions, but sometimes you don’t have time to see them all. If you can't do everything, go ahead and skip these Austin staples and try something else.

SKIP: Oasis on Lake TravisThis Tex-Mex restaurant is known for the sunset and not much else. Many Austinites will tell you that an Oasis sunset is something you shouldn’t miss, but after waiting about three hours for table (and about 30 minutes searching for a parking spot), the sunset just doesn’t seem as great.

ALTERNATIVE: Southwest Bistro at Hyatt Regency—This restaurant resides on the other side of the Congress bridge from the Austin Convention Center, so it’s much closer, and still provides beautiful sunsets with Tex-Mex cuisine.

SKIP: Austin Duck Adventures—This tour includes an amphibious tour of downtown Austin and Lake Austin in vehicle that goes from land to water. It’s nice to be able to see all of the landmarks in Austin, but depending on your location within the vehicle, you can’t see much.

ALTERNATIVE: Haunted Ghost Tours—These tours can be done walking or on the historic trolley. If you are really into history and the paranormal, skip the tours and go straight to ghost hunting with the team featured on PBS "Haunted Texas" and the Biography Channel's "My Ghost Story.”

SKIP: IMAX Theatre—Of course everything is bigger and better in Texas, but our IMAX theatre is the same size as all of the rest across the country, so go ahead and skip this theatre.

ALTERNATIVE: Alamo Drafthouse—Eat, drink, and be merry all while watching a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse. Alamo shows all of the current movies as well as fun sing-a-longs and cult classics, turning a movie experience into interactive entertainment. 

>> Check out the NIWeek Pinterest board for more things to do around Austin.

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Photo by Matthew Whitehead

G-Money
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There are hundreds of demonstrations that will take place at NIWeek that show off the power and fun of a graphical system design approach. Some of my favorites though are going to be within the LabVIEW Zone this year (forthcoming I am a LabVIEW Product Manager so I might be biased). Here are three of the many demos that you won’t want to miss this year:

  • Intel Industrial Control in Concert –  This thing is a marvel of ingenuity and control design. It is a collection of connected vibraphones, xylophones, high-hats and other musical instruments that all work together through industrial control to make music. Using the Intel Atom processor as well as NI LabVIEW, NI CompactRIO, and NI Vision, this digital music conductor brings it all together. Look for a more in-depth blog post on this demo closer to NIWeek.

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  • Multi-touch LabVIEW Tool –  David Carberry from the United Kindgom has created a mult-touch interface tool for NI LabVIEW and it will be shown off during NIWeek. Available on the LabVIEW Tools Network come NIWeek, the tool allows multiple users to interact with a running LabVIEW Front Panel simultaneously. In addition to obvious interaction such as pushing Boolean buttons or moving sliders, the user can define unique gestures (i.e. pinch-to-zoom) for Front Panel objects. With the rise of human touch as interfaces for machines on the rise, I see this tool as becoming a critical need for many applications.

  • Williams Formula 1 Race Car – Formula One cars create enormous amounts of down force in order to stay glued to the track while corning at high speeds. Engineers go to painstaking lengths to design aerodynamic components of the car that generate these forces. Windtunnel testing is a technique used to optimize the aerodynamic forces on prototype race cars in a controlled environment. These dynamic tests allow engineers to see how air flow affects forces applied to components of the prototype and design better ways to translate these forces to the tires. All  Formula One teams, including the Williams F1 Team which will have their race car at NIWeek, use windtunnels as an integral part of the R&D programs. The use of the windtunnels enable the teams to design and then build some of the most  technically advanced and aerodynamically efficient race cars in the world, such as the one on display. I don’t know if it’s my love of cars or the upcoming F1 race happening in Austin in November, but I can’t wait to take my picture next to the Williams F1 car at NIWeek.

    car.jpg

Travis_M.
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... this is the second installment of the Five Ways to Keep Cool In Austin During NIWeek, here is a link to the first ...

3) Tubing

Pronounced tube-ing, as in you are floating in a river on an inter-tube with a cooler and a bunch of friends you haven’t met yet.  Three area rivers are popular: Guadalupe, Comal, and San Marcos.  The Guadalupe is the most well known and most visited river with cool waters, but the San Marcos and Comal rivers have their advantages and may be a shorter drive.  Be sure to drink a lot of water and wear appropriate clothing. 

I recently floated the San Marcos River and though the trip was short (about an hour), the water was clear, cold, and beautiful.  I rented from the San Marcos Lion’s Club which offers unlimited rides and tubes with your rental fee in case one hour isn’t enough.

Note: check on river conditions before you head down. Due to recent drought conditions in the state, water levels can be low enough to make for a crowded and frustratingly slow moving trip.  The San Marcos river was restriction free, but areas on the other rivers may have restrictions on certain types of coolers, drink containers, etc. so be sure to check with your tube rental company before you make your trip.

2) Inner Space Caverns

Less than an hour from Austin is the cave known as Inner Space Caverns. When construction crews were building I-35 they discovered this 10,000 year old limestone cave.  While it might be a searing 100 degrees above ground, below ground the weather is great year-round and there’s virtually no chance of getting a sunburn.  The abundant limestone in Central Texas is home to several other large caves, including the impressive Natural Bridge Caverns between Austin and San Antonio (about an hour from Austin) which features some ‘off the beaten path’ excursions for the more adventurous types.

Check back for my number 1, and a list of honorable mentions and other ideas!

JMoran
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NIWeek_2011.jpg

Each year, the conference does a few things a little differently to make the experience for attendees even better. So before we all meet up at NIWeek, here’s a look at what's new this year:

  • Big Physics and Science Summit: The Big Physics and Science summit brings together engineers and scientists from major national and research labs to discuss topics in the areas of control, measurement, and diagnostics for particle accelerators, synchrotrons, fusion reactors and telescopes. Attend the summit to share ideas and results.
  • Reducing Poverty Through Technology: Nurturing Innovation in Emerging Countries Panel: Attend the panel on Wednesday, August 8, to discover how the Planet NI program is providing access to technology in emerging countries. Hear from the world’s top motivational speaker, environmentalist, and global leader Robert Swan, as well as small and medium enterprise (SME) business owners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and educators from Africa, Latin America, Arabia, India, and South East Asia.
  • Mobile App for Blackberry, Android, and iPhone: Get the most out of NIWeek with our online and mobile application tool. Check out the NIWeek App online or on your smartphone.
  • Keynotes Move Downstairs to Exhibit Hall 4: Every year the conference gets better and bigger. So this year, we’ve moved the keynotes downstairs to a larger exhibit hall in the convention center with more room for attendees to enjoy presentations showcasing the latest NI technologies.


>>Get more details on what’s new and other exciting events in the NIWeek Preliminary Flyer.

Dave Brown
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mobileapp.png

If you're already registered for NIWeek 2012, get a head start and schedule your sessions with our new site and mobile app.

Remember, this works smoothest if you're already registered for NIWeek and have received an email that gave you a login ID and confirmation number.

Here's how it works:

  • Click on the "First time user? click here to create your account" link and enter the Login ID and Confirmation # that will be included in an email sent to all attendees.*

  • Now you can create your own profile, session agenda, check out the exhibitor hall, connect with other NIWeek attendees via social media and more!

  • COMING SOON: On an iPhone, you'll be able to download the App from the iTunes Store (search for NIWeek 2012). Keep checking the iTunes store.

Travis_M.
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It happened.  Actually, it’s happened about a dozen times this year and it doesn’t look like it will stop anytime soon: Austin has hit 100 degrees.  For Austin, this summer has been much better than the record busting heat and drought wave of last summer, but now hotpocalypse has been unleashed on the whole nation and chances your engineering mind already has you cooking up ideas for ways to keep yourself cool.  As an Austin native, I’ve discovered a number of ways to beat the oppressive summer heat and so before you waste those new NI products on designing a futuristic personal cooling device check out this a collection of ways to keep cool and take in some Austin-area sights which I’ll be rolling out over the next several days.

Let's get to it and since it's Friday here's a double-dose:

5) Take a Brewery Tour

If you drink beer, chances are you'll have Shiner while you're here.  While it might not be my favorite Texas beer, the Shiner brewery gives regular weekday tours, tastings of their beer, and is located in the sleepy little town of Shiner, Texas south east of Austin.  Make an afternoon of it by first stopping for some authentic Texas Barbecue in Lockhart (the self-proclaimed “BBQ Capital of Texas”).  BBQ is a religious debate in Texas (tip: avoid brining up your favorite bbq joint in formal settings with Texans), so I’ll leave my opinions aside and leave it to you and yelp.com to pick a place that suits your taste.  The Shiner beer tours are weekdays only at several times through the day (check the website for details).

Looking for a brewery tour but don’t want to make the drive to Shiner?  Check out the honorable mentions: Live Oak, Jester King, Independence, and Real Ale brewing companies.  All have delicious beers but infrequent tour hours, so check their websites for information.

4) Amy’s Ice Cream and Waterloo Records

Had a long day of conventioneering and networking?  You deserve a cool treat and some sweet tunes.  I wouldn’t be able to call myself an Austinite without repping two of Austin’s most iconic businesses.   Amy’s Ice Cream started in Austin in the early 80s long before the franchise creameries came to town and is consistently voted best ice cream in town by Austin Chronicle readers.  The entire menu is sure to please, but I recommend anything with Mexican Vanilla.  There are multiple locations, but I personally recommend the 6th and Lamar location. It puts you close to the next destination: Waterloo Records.  Waterloo is Austin’s most recognizable record store and has been a fixture in the city since 1982.  They are open until 11 so you should have plenty of time to enjoy your ice cream and to make it to the store before closing time.  Waterloo also hosts a number of in-store shows from some local and national acts, so be sure to check their website for current schedule.

That's it for today.  Y'all come back now ya hear?

JMoran
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Are you new to NIWeek? To help you navigate your way through three busy days of learning, networking, and socializing, here are answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. NIWeek veterans, you may even find a little something in here for you too.

What does my registration fee include?

It depends on what you’ve registered for. The full conference registration fee includes admission to the three-day conference, meals, exhibition receptions, and evening events. 

See registration and pricing to figure out what your registration covers.

Do I need to register for sessions or workshops in advance?

Yes, to ensure that you get into the sessions or workshops you’re interested in, we encourage you to register in advance. Spots fill up fast and those who register get in first.

To register for sessions, access our mobile app on your smartphone (you can also view it online) at http://mobile.niw2012.alliancetech.com/. Just click on the Sessions icon to start planning your schedule.

Are there opportunities to meet new people at the conference?

Definitely! NIWeek provides plenty of opportunities for networking and socializing. In fact, many past attendees have made longtime friends at the conference. See the NIWeek preliminary flyer for a list of events and online networking opportunities so you can keep in touch with new friends during and after the conference.

Are all events at the Austin Convention Center?

Most conference events, such as keynotes, summits, and exhibits, are at the convention center. See driving directions and parking at the convention center. However, you may need to venture out to join in on celebrations like the Annual Conference Party at the Moody Theater. You also may want to check out some of the sights and sounds around Austin.

What should I wear to the conference?

Most conference attendees wear business casual clothing. You should also wear good walking shoes, because you’ll need to walk between sessions and in the exhibit hall. On average, August is the warmest month in Austin with temperatures around 97 degrees, so it’s best to dress in light, loose-fitting clothing. But keep in mind that the meeting rooms tend to be chilly, so bring a light jacket or sweater.

NIWeek_2011.jpg

mlax
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You can write and translate code, you can understand commonly known acronyms, but how much do you know about these common Texasisms?

  • “Y’all” (n.) - The contraction between “you” and “all” used when speaking to a group of people that does not include yourself. Commonly mistaken for “ya’ll,” the contraction between “ya” and “all.”
    • Example - “Are y’all headed to the Austin Convention Center? I can’t wait for NIWeek.

  • “Bless yer heart” (phrase) - Commonly thought to be a phrase of endearment, and paired with a shaking head or head tilt. When used properly, can be a lethal and gracious insult. Also referred to as a curse.
    • Example - “Bless yer heart. You didn’t know about the LAVA group BBQ?”

  • Sweet Tea (n.) - A beverage of choice for many Texans, most commonly replaces water during and in between meals. Made up of iced tea with enough sugar in each glass for a family of four.
    • Example - “Can I get a glass of sweet tea, puh-lease?”

  • “Ya hear?” (phrase) – A common Texas phrase to assure someone heard you. Also used in confirmation at the end of a sentence.
    • Example - “Go on over to the LabVIEW training session, I’ll join in a minute. Ya hear?”

  • Coke (phrase) - Used in reference to all sodas, not just Coca-Cola.
    • Example - “What kind of Coke would you like?” “Sprite."

  • “Gettin’ ready ta” or “Fixin’ ta” do something. (phrase) - Tells someone that you are starting a project or about to start a project. Usually said after someone has asked you to do something a second time.
    • Example - “I’m fixin’ ta check out the demos, you?” “Yeah, I’m getting’ ready ta head on over there.”

Now that you have these words and phrases down, check out the video below to continue learning how to speak Texan.

>> Register for NIWeek to use your "Texan speak."

Valerie_G
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1 Comment

Turf N' Surf Po' Boy, located at 4th and Congress Ave, is just one of the many unique food trailers that keeps Austin's food scene fresh (and a little weird).

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Image source

Let's face it: trying to find a place to eat during NIWeek that isn't swarmed with your colleagues is a daunting (and nearly impossible) task, even for someone from Austin. If you're looking for a fun, new place to try for lunch, check out some of these less traversed (but equally delicious) lunch spots. You may have to hike a few more blocks, but trust me: it's well worth it.

Max's Wine Dive. Distance: 3 blocks. The toughest thing about Max's is trying to resist the urge to buy a bottle of wine to accompany their tasty noshes. Their menu includes everything from hearty and healthy salads to a Kobe Burger, and a Blackened Halibut Po Boy I'm itching to try. Down home goodness in an upscale atmosphere? That's definitely Max's M.O.

Turf N' Surf Po Boy. Distance: 6 blocks. Warning: this is a trailer (no inside seating) and there will most likely be a line, but I would practically sell a kidney for their Blackened Shrimp Po'Boy. Grab a Po'Boy, tacos, or a salad (and a side of Jalapeno Hush Puppies!) and head back to the convention center to beat the heat.

Frank's. Distance: 7 blocks. This unique and delicious lunch option is great for omnivores and vegetarians alike. You can go all out and try the Notorious P.I.G. (House-made pork, bacon, jalapeno & sage sausage with mac & cheese and Texas BBQ sauce), or keep it light with a Cobb Salad. Vegetarian? Frank has vegan dogs that you can swap out for most items on their menu.  If you get a chili cheese dog, add the caramelized onions they offer. It makes the dog complete!

Stubb's Bar-B-Q. Distance: 9 blocks. I wouldn't be a Texan if I didn't suggest at least one BBQ joint, right? More than just a great venue for live music, Stubb's offers a delicious brisket that's consistently smoky and moist, and a whole plethora of sides to fill your plate. In fact, the sides are so good (Cinnamon-Pecan Sweet Potatoes? Yes, please!) that I could happily fill up on those.

Yellow Jacket Social Club. Distance: 12 blocks. This would be a hike if you're walking (try Capital Metro!), but YJSC is one of my favorite lunch spots when I'm downtown. Do yourself a favor: try the Roasted Beet, Chevre,and Arugula sandwich with a side of Roasted Sweet Potato wedges. Your taste buds will thank you! If beets aren't your cup of tea, try the Cuban Beef: it's nothing short of amazing.

Happy Munching!

---

>> Visit ni.com/niweek/attend_info for more information about visiting Austin for NIWeek 2012!

Dave Brown
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For those travelling from other countries into Austin, Mark Phillips from Sydney, Australia – NI’s Marketing Manager for Oceania and South Africa – gives his view of Austin...

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Image source here

In the eyes of this Australian, “Work Hard, Play Hard” should be branded on all registration plates in Austin (especially on all those cool-looking trucks). Because that is definitely the way they role, as do the 3,000+ engineers, scientists, educators and journalists that flock to NIWeek each year from around the globe. And as a serial international guest, here are some things to know for your trip to Austin:

  • Austin is an incredibly safe place – You will pick up on this shortly after arriving. Once the day’s conference proceedings wrap up, things do not stop there! Yes, it may be over 40 degrees Celsius every day during NIWeek (!!!), but 6th Street as a starting point for an evening out and about is simply irresistible. You never have to venture more than a couple of meters (a yard or so) to find some fellow NIWeekers, and the city doesn’t stop until 3am. When you’re finally done, walk home, and grab a slice of pizza on the way.

  • Prepare to be blown away – This will be my fourth NIWeek, and every time I walk into the Austin Convention Centre for the opening keynotes on Day 1, I’m blown away by the size of this event and the enthused buzz in the air, and every year, NI outdo themselves with a seemingly endless list of new products, amazing demonstrations and incredibly innovative case studies from some of the world’s best. Once you break out from the keynote, it is always so hard to choose which summits, sessions or workshops to attend, but you will always be happy with your choices.

  • Barton Springs Pool – If you have a spare couple of hours and you want to cool down, check this out. This is a semi-man made pool filled with natural, flowing spring water from one of Texas’ largest natural springs. Great atmosphere and beautiful, cold, fresh water. It’s only a five-minute drive from down-town Austin.

  • Travel insurance – Keep your policy along with a basic outline of your cover with you. This can be very handy when hiring a car (or Segway!). Most places want to know that you are definitely covered, particularly if you don’t want to take out cover with them for your hire.

  • San Marcos Factory Outlet Centre – This is seriously huge, with seriously good deals. Just under an hour from Austin, and a must for anyone travelling to NIWeek that doesn’t mind a nice looking bargain. I can’t speak for everywhere in the world, but these outlets are so much better than anything we have in Australia, by a long shot. The best thing is, once you get there you are almost in San Antonio, so make a day (or two) of it, go up to San Antonio, and enjoy a Corona-Rita somewhere down along the famous River Walk.

  • The exhibition area at NIWeek – There really are some awesome product and application demos on the exhibition floor at NIWeek including some of the demos from the keynote stage. NI is known for its impressive demos and so the exhibition floor definitely won’t disappoint. Also, plenty of the demo stations are interactive, with NI Engineers and product specialists on-hand, so make the most of the experience.

  • Drink margaritas and eat Tex-Mex – They have these taste sensations down to an art in Austin, and it is pretty hard to go wrong. The locals can always point you in the right direction and you will never have to look too far. Iron Cactus, Chuy’s and Shady Grove are just some of my favorites.

Austin is just such a cool place with so much personality, and that tends to rub off on the locals, and vise-versa.  And NIWeek, well it is an event like no other, providing education, networking, and motivation in abundance, and you’re guaranteed to make some great friends along the way. Enjoy!

>> Visit ni.com/niweek/attend_info for more NIWeek travel information.

Dave Brown
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Whether this is your first NIWeek and you've never been to Austin, or you only come to Austin for NIWeek, we thought it would be good to give you a summary video about this great town.

>> Visit ni.com/niweek/attend_info for NIWeek hotel and travel information, and stay tuned for more informative posts about planning for NIWeek.

Dave Brown
11780 Views
0 Comments

RobertSwan.jpg

NIWeek 2012 attendees are in for a  treat: Robert Swan – explorer, environmentalist, and the first person ever to walk to both the North and South Poles – will be helping us host a special event.

We at NI are proud to work with Mr. Swan, as this Sweet App details, and we think you’ll really enjoy hearing from him. So be sure to join us this year!

>> Learn more about this and other special events at www.ni.com/niweek/special_events.

bcwilson
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For the past year, brilliant engineering students from around the world have been submitting their design projects to the 2012 Global LabVIEW Student Design Competition. Two members from each of the top four project teams, as selected by NI judges, will be flown to Austin, Texas, to attend NIWeek 2012 and have a shot at a $2,000 USD grand prize.

But the fame and fortune are not all in the hands of the NI judges. Students can also win the popular vote by amassing the most Likes on their project submission page.

Vote now by visiting the LabVIEW Student Community, reading through these amazing projects, and Liking your favorite. Voting ends July 15 and the top three teams win cash prizes.

Watch the video below to see last year's grand prize winners present their project at NIWeek 2011.

>> Learn more about the competition at ni.com/studentdesign where they're already gearing up for 2013. 

Dave Brown
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What: Nurturing Innovation in Emerging Countries: Reducing Social Disparity through Technology – a special event featuring environmentalist and polar explorer Robert Swan

Where: NIWeek, Room 3 at the Austin Convention Center

When: Wednesday August 8, 2012

Time: 10:30am -12:00pm

Although emerging countries account for 75 percent of the world’s population and 30 percent of the world’s economy, thousands of engineers in these countries don’t have access to PCs, the Internet, instrumentation, or software tools.

Through Planet NI, National Instruments provides access to NI’s graphical system design technologies for innovators in emerging countries. These entrepreneurs can then develop solutions to address local economic, social, and environmental challenges.

In this forum, hear from environmentalist and global leader Robert Swan, SME business owners, NGOs, and educators from Africa, Latin America, Arabia, India, and South East Asia. Learn how access to technology is creating jobs, reducing social disparity, and helping students in impoverished areas innovate.

>> Learn more at www.ni.com/niweek/planetni

Laura Arnold
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This year, engineers and scientists from 23 different countries submitted over 120 papers for the Graphical System Design Achievement Awards, our annual paper contest. The contest showcases the most innovative projects based on NI software and hardware and demonstrates how NI customers are creating cutting-edge applications that improve everyday life.

After two months of judging, we’re thrilled to announce the following 17 finalists. All finalists will be honored during NIWeek at the fifth annual Graphical System Design Achievement Awards dinner. During this exclusive, invitation-only event, we’ll announce the winner of each category and present several featured awards such as the Humanitarian Award and Application of the Year.

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Advanced Control Systems

Building a Nanomeasuring Machine Using LabVIEW and NI PXI

By Johannes Klöckner, Stephan Zschäck, Felix Balzer, and Brandon Percle, Ilmenau University of Technology, Germany

UC San Diego Uses LabVIEW and NI Single-Board RIO to Build an Agile Mobile Robot 

By Nicholas Morozovsky and Professor Thomas Bewley, University of California, San Diego, USA

Advanced Research

Developing an EMC Desktop Evaluation System Using a New Measurement Technique
By Naoki Hoshino, PERITEC Inc., Japan

Cleaning Up Dirty RF: RF/Communication Physical Layer Research With LabVIEW and NI USRP
By Jan Dohl, Dresden University of Technology, Germany

Automated Test

Using LabVIEW, NI TestStand, and PXI to Test a Medical Glucose Meter and Insulin Delivery System Wit...
By Matthew Kelton, Advanced Instrument Technologies, and Venkat Raghavan, TestPro Systems, USA

Emulating a System Controller CPLD for Automated RF Daughterboard Test
By Rick Garza, Averna, USA

Education

Creating a Real-Time Simulator for Power Quality Signals
By Miguel E. Hernandez, Davis Montenegro, and Gustavo A. Ramos, University of the Andes, Colombia

Measuring and Analyzing the Effects of Waves in an Experimental Basin Using PXI Express
By: Álvaro Álvarez Vázquez, Environmental Hydraulics Institute of Cantabria, Spain

Energy

Developing a Fracturing Pump Controller Using NI LabVIEW, Compact FieldPoint, and CompactRIO
By Gregory C. Cala and Brad Westfall, Data Science Automation, USA

Bringing Mobile Phone Coverage to Rural Areas With a Green, Off-Grid Energy Solution
By Dr. Mike Rendall, Diverse Energy Ltd, United Kingdom

Life Sciences
Using NI FlexRIO for Photoacoustic Quantitative Ultrasound (PAQUS)
By Pasi Karppinen, Jari Tuovinen, Timo Karppinen, Edward Hæggström, University of Helsinki, Finland; Petro Moilanen and Jussi Timonen, University of Jyväskylä, Finland; and Zuomin Zhao and Risto Myllylä, University of Oulu, Finland

Controlling a Heart Simulator with CompactRIO and LabVIEW
By Dr. David Keeling, University of Leeds, United Kingdom

Developing a Mobile X-ray Imaging System for Diagnosis Using LabVIEW Software and NI Hardware

By Duckjune Kim, Kwang-Hee Lee, Dr. Sang-Hoon Ji, Dr. Soo-Yeol Lee, and Dr. In-Beom Lee, the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, South Korea

Structural and Physical Test and Monitoring

Developing an Engine Connecting Rod Fatigue Test System Based on CompactRIO

By Hongrui Liu and Zhentao Liu, Zhejiang University, China


University of Nevada Researchers Use LabVIEW, PXI, and CompactRIO to Measure the Effects of Earthqua...

By Patrick Laplace, University of Nevada, Reno, USA

Transportation

Siemens Uses CompactRIO, LabVIEW, and DIAdem to Determine Root-Cause of Damaging High-Voltage Transi...
By Ryan Parkinson and Jacob Cassinat, Siemens, USA

Automated Dynamometer Testing of an Advanced In-Wheel Electric Drive System for Electric Vehicles
By Mark McDonnell, Protean Electric Ltd., United Kingdom

>> Pick your favorite finalist and vote for the Community’s Choice award! 

bcwilson
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Social media is one of the best ways to stay connected during NIWeek. Of course our favorite way to connect with NIWeek attendees is through the NIWeek Community, but Twitter is pretty great, too!

Here are some of our favorite tweets from the 2011 conference to help you get fired up for 2012. 

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Check out the NI Twitter Pack to start connecting with other Twitter users from NI and the NI Community.

JMoran
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This year’s NIWeek is shaping up to be our best to date. Bring your colleagues to learn about NI products, user applications, and industry trends and gain advanced technical knowledge from NI developers and your peers.

Maybe you haven’t had time to check it out, are still pricing flights, or are waiting for your manager’s approval—whatever the holdup, we’ve compiled some of the top reasons why we want you to attend this year’s NIWeek in Austin, August 6–9.

1. Get the tools you need to accelerate productivity.

See NI products in action in over 250 technical sessions divided into three technical tracks: embedded monitoring and control, software development techniques and test, and data acquisition. Then put your new tools to work the moment you return to the office.

2. Gain insight and learn new industry trends.

Explore trends and innovations in the six industry-focused summits of aerospace and defense, big physics and science, energy technology, RF and wireless communications, robotics and autonomous vehicles, and vision. To see the summit content in action, visit the corresponding pavilions on the exhibition floor.

3. Walk away with inspiration and insights from industry makers.

Join our keynote speakers as they discuss current trends and how they are driving future innovations.

4. Network with the best of the best.

NIWeek brings together more than 3,000 of the best engineers, scientists, and thought leaders from all industries. Take the opportunity to meet them, pick their brains, and find ways to address your pressing challenges.

5. Ramp up your skills with training and hands-on experience.

Get even more value out of our tools with “real-world” training. More than 40 hands-on workshops offer plenty of opportunities for you to upgrade your skills. Also be sure to partake in the
training and certification sessions to maintain your competitive advantage.

6. Enhance your product knowledge and expertise.

Besides a variety of technical sessions, you have multiple opportunities to meet industry and academic leaders and learn about engineers in the NI Community during special events such as the Academic Forum, Future of System Design Symposium, Build Your Own Embedded System Workshop, and Reducing Poverty Through Technology: Nurturing Innovation in Emerging Countries Panel.

7. Visit the great city of Austin.

As the capital of Texas, Austin prides itself on being far from ordinary. In fact, Austinites celebrate being “weird.” A hot spot for creativity, Austin embraces its community of musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and progressive thinkers. Check Austin out.

We look forward to seeing you and your colleagues at NIWeek 2012 in Austin, Texas, August 6–9!

Laura Arnold
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Upset you missed Early Bird pricing for NIWeek 2012? Fear not, you can still save. The first 100 people to register for NIWeek and enter the code "Social2012" will receive $100 off the price of registration. Click here to register now!

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Want to stay on top of NIWeek updates in real time? Make sure to follow NIWeek on social web:

-     Like us on Facebook: Facebook

-     Follow us on Twitter: Twitter

-     “Attend” the event on LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Dave Brown
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Today, at the International Microwave Symposium (IMS), we announced new connectivity between NI LabVIEW and the AWR Visual System Simulator (VSS) software for RF and microwave system design. As the first major joint development between NI and AWR following NI’s recent acquisition of AWR, the new connectivity helps engineers to better use measurements in the design flow by executing LabVIEW code directly from the AWR design environment.

  • AWR Design Environment can now incorporate LabVIEW signal processing capabilities including multirate digital signal processing (DSP), wireless standards, modulation, fixed-point math and more.
  • Engineers can integrate VHDL and LabVIEW FPGA Module code through NI field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based hardware directly into VSS diagrams.
  • New connectivity to both PXI and traditional RF instrumentation makes it easier to incorporate measurement data into simulations.

NI will be demonstrating the new connectivity this week at IMS in Montreal, at booth 1315.

Of course, if you're an RF engineer, you need to come to NIWeek 2012 too! (Hint: We've got something else really special for you this summer. Check back here tomorrow.)

>> Learn more at ni.com/awr. (Or, if you’re at IMS, just visit our booth!)

Dave Brown
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Through Friday, July 13, you can make your NIWeek hotel reservations through a new online tool. You can book, modify or cancel hotel reservations at any time. You also can compare rates, view hotel descriptions, amenities, photos and map the hotel locations. Just do it before July 13!

>> Register for NIWeek and get travel information at ni.com/niweek/attend_info, or make your hotel reservations right now, here!

Laura Arnold
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Want a sneak peek at what NIWeek 2012 has in store? You're in luck-- the preliminary program is now available online.

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This year's graphical system design conference includes:

  • More than 250 technical presentations divided into three  tracks: Test and Data Acquisition, Software Development Techniques and Embedded Monitoring and Control
  • Six industry summits focused on aerospace and defense, energy technology, RF and wireless, robotics and autonomous vehicles, vision, and big physics
  • Morning keynote presentations with NI executives and industry leaders showcasing the latest NI technologies
  • Special events including NI Alliance Day, Academic Forum, Big Physics Symposium, Build Your Own Embedded System workshop, and The Future of System Design Symposium

Plus, the preliminary program includes information about networking activities throughout the conference, including the annual conference party and Peer2Peer Roundtables.

View the NIWeek 2012 preliminary program to learn more, and don't forget to register ASAP because today is the last day for Early Bird pricing!

Laura Arnold
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Early bird registration for NIWeek, the world’s leading graphical system design conference and exhibition, remains open until May 31. The event, which takes place from August 6 to 9 at the Austin Convention Center, attracts more than 3,000 of the world’s most innovative engineers, educators and scientists each year.

Attendees can participate in interactive demonstrations, roundtable discussions and keynote speeches to gain advanced technical knowledge and network with peers and NI developers. In addition, NI engineers and industry experts give more than 250 technical presentations divided into three technical tracks: Test and Data Acquisition, Software Development Techniques and Embedded Monitoring and Control.

>> Register for the conference at www.ni.com/niweek.