National Instruments

National Instruments (NI) is a global provider of automated test and measurement systems and software, now operating as part of Emerson's Test & Measurement business group following its acquisition [4][5]. The company is a leader in creating software-connected automated test and measurement (T&M) systems, which are critical for the development, validation, and production of a vast array of electronic products and industrial equipment [2][5]. Historically an independent entity, NI's integration into Emerson, a global industrial technology leader, represents a strategic milestone aimed at enhancing growth and market diversification within Emerson's automation portfolio [2][4]. The core of NI's technological offering is its platform-centric approach, which emphasizes standardization to simplify test system development and provide significant long-term benefits [3]. A foundational element of this platform is LabVIEW, a graphical programming environment designed specifically for test system development. LabVIEW provides an intuitive programming approach, connectivity to various instruments, integrated user interfaces, and includes specialized tools like the test-optimized NI Nigel™ AI for productivity acceleration [6]. This software works in tandem with a wide range of modular hardware, including instruments for radar and electronic warfare applications [1][8], forming cohesive systems that automate complex measurement tasks. NI's systems have broad applications across numerous high-technology industries. They are used in the development and testing of advanced electronics, communications systems, and are integral to the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, as evidenced by NI's affiliate membership in the Intel® IoT Solutions Alliance [7]. The significance of NI's solutions lies in their role in accelerating innovation, ensuring product quality, and reducing time-to-market for new technologies. Under Emerson, the company continues to focus on investing in industry-leading innovations and delivering differentiated solutions, building upon its legacy in automated T&M to pioneer the next era of testing [5][8]. This positions the combined entity at the forefront of addressing the evolving validation challenges presented by modern, software-defined industrial and consumer products.

Overview

National Instruments (NI), now operating as an independent business within Emerson's Test & Measurement division, is a prominent provider of automated test and measurement systems used extensively in engineering and scientific applications [14]. The company's core philosophy centers on a software-centric platform approach, enabling engineers and scientists to design, prototype, and deploy complex systems for measurement, control, and embedded applications. This platform is built upon integrated hardware and software architectures that provide flexibility and scalability, allowing users to adapt systems to specific needs rather than relying on fixed-function instruments. NI's technologies are foundational in industries requiring high-precision data acquisition, signal processing, and real-time control, including automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, and consumer electronics [14].

Corporate Evolution and Integration with Emerson

In 2023, Emerson (NYSE: EMR), a global industrial technology and software company, completed the acquisition of NI for $1.2 billion [14]. NI now functions as a key operating unit within Emerson's broader portfolio, which focuses on advanced automation solutions and industrial software. This integration aims to leverage Emerson's scale and industrial expertise to accelerate NI's growth, particularly in software and recurring revenue streams [14]. A significant development following the acquisition was announced at NI Connect 2025, where Emerson unveiled substantial upgrades to NI's hardware and software offerings [14]. These upgrades are designed to enhance system performance, improve user productivity, and deepen integration with Emerson's existing automation ecosystem, thereby creating a more comprehensive toolchain for industrial customers from design validation through to manufacturing test [14].

Core Technological Platform: Hardware and Software

NI's technological foundation is the LabVIEW system design software, a graphical programming environment that uses a dataflow paradigm. Unlike conventional text-based languages, LabVIEW employs graphical representations of functions and wires to pass data between nodes, which can accelerate development for measurement and control systems. The software is complemented by a suite of modular hardware, primarily the PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation) platform. PXI is a rugged, modular, open-standard platform that combines a high-speed PCI/PCIe backplane with integrated timing and synchronization, chassis, controllers, and modular instrumentation modules. A typical PXI system consists of:

• A chassis with slots (e.g., 4, 8, 18 slots) and a system controller module
• Modular instruments for specific functions, such as:
  • Digitizers (Analog-to-Digital Converters) with sampling rates exceeding 3 GS/s and resolutions up to 24 bits
  • Arbitrary waveform generators (Digital-to-Analog Converters)
  • High-speed digital I/O modules with voltage levels from 1.2V to 5V and data rates up to 1 Gb/s per line
• Timing and synchronization modules using technologies like the NI-TClk (Timing and Synchronization Clock) for sub-nanosecond alignment across multiple devices

This hardware-software synergy allows for the creation of highly customized automated test stands. For example, a radar component test system might utilize a vector signal transceiver (VST) module to generate and analyze complex modulated waveforms like 256-QAM at carrier frequencies up to 6 GHz, with error vector magnitude (EVM) measurements performed in real-time by LabVIEW algorithms [14].

Strategic Alliances and Ecosystem

NI's platform strategy is extended through key industry alliances. The company is an Affiliate member of the Intel® IoT Solutions Alliance, a community of technology providers that develop and market solutions based on Intel® architectures [13]. This membership facilitates the optimization of NI's software and hardware for Intel processors, which are commonly used in NI's industrial controllers and embedded systems. The collaboration enables features like direct memory access (DMA) for high-throughput data streaming from acquisition hardware to system memory, which is critical for applications involving large data sets, such as in-line semiconductor wafer inspection or recording of long-duration RF signals for electronic warfare analysis [13][14]. These partnerships are essential for ensuring that NI's platforms can leverage the latest advancements in commercial computing technology.

Application in Radar and Electronic Warfare

A critical and demanding application area for NI's systems is in the development and test of Radar and Electronic Warfare (EW) systems [14]. Modern radar systems employ complex digital signal processing techniques like pulse-Doppler processing, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging, and adaptive beamforming. Testing these systems requires generating and receiving sophisticated RF signals with high fidelity. NI provides integrated solutions for this domain, such as software-defined radio (SDR) hardware like the USRP (Universal Software Radio Peripheral) and higher-performance PXIe-based RF instrument modules. These tools are used for:

• Generating realistic, dynamic radar scenarios with multiple emitters and targets
• Recording and analyzing wideband RF signals for electronic support measures (ESM)
• Performing conformance testing to standards like IEEE 1528 for specific absorption rate (SAR) or MIL-STD-461 for electromagnetic compatibility
• Implementing hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations where a radar signal processor unit under test interacts in real-time with a simulated RF environment generated by NI hardware

The software upgrades announced at NI Connect 2025 specifically targeted enhancements in this area, including improved libraries for radar waveform generation and more advanced signal analysis toolkits, which reduce the time required to model and test next-generation active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars [14].

Impact and Industry Role

The acquisition by Emerson and the subsequent platform upgrades position NI to address larger, system-level challenges in industrial automation and validation [14]. By combining NI's strengths in precision measurement and flexible test with Emerson's expertise in operational technology and plant-wide automation, the integrated entity offers a unique value proposition. This is particularly relevant for trends such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and the increasing software content in manufactured products. NI's role has evolved from primarily supplying instruments for benchtop engineering validation to providing the core test infrastructure for smart, connected factories. In this context, NI systems are used not only for design verification but also for production test, where they must execute test sequences with high repeatability and statistical process control (SPC), often integrating with manufacturing execution systems (MES) via standard interfaces like OPC UA [14]. The ongoing development of its platform ensures that NI remains a central player in the ecosystem that bridges product design, validation, and manufacturing.

History

Founding and Early Years (1976–1980s)

National Instruments (NI) was founded in 1976 by James Truchard, Jeff Kodosky, and Bill Nowlin in Austin, Texas. The company originated from research conducted at the University of Texas at Austin Applied Research Laboratories, where the founders sought to develop a method for interfacing standard laboratory instruments with early minicomputers and microcomputers. Their initial breakthrough was the creation of the General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) controller, which allowed for programmable control of test and measurement equipment from computers, a significant advancement over manual operation [14]. This innovation established the company's core philosophy of providing engineers and scientists with flexible, software-centric tools. In 1986, NI introduced its most influential product, LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench). Developed primarily by Jeff Kodosky, LabVIEW revolutionized the field by implementing a graphical programming language known as "G," which used dataflow programming and a visual syntax of block diagrams and front panels resembling physical instruments. This approach made complex system development accessible to domain experts who were not necessarily professional software programmers, enabling rapid creation of custom measurement, test, and control systems [14].

Expansion and Platform Development (1990s–2000s)

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, National Instruments expanded its software and hardware ecosystem. The company built upon LabVIEW to create a comprehensive platform for automated test, measurement, and control. A key component introduced during this period was TestStand, a test management software environment. TestStand is engineered to develop, execute, and deploy automated test systems, featuring a parallel process model that allows for the simultaneous execution of multiple test sequences. This architecture supports sequencing steps, reporting results, and integrating code modules from various programming languages, including LabVIEW, C/C++, and .NET, which is critical for high-throughput production testing environments [14]. The company complemented its software with a wide array of modular hardware, most notably the PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation) platform, introduced in 1997. PXI combined the electrical bus of standard PCI with rugged, modular packaging and integrated timing and synchronization features, creating a high-performance, rugged platform for measurement and automation systems. NI's strategy of providing tightly integrated software and hardware platforms allowed it to serve a broad range of industries, from electronics manufacturing and automotive to aerospace and academic research.

Corporate Evolution and Leadership Transition (2010s)

The 2010s marked a period of significant corporate evolution for National Instruments as it navigated leadership changes and strategic shifts. In October 2019, the company announced a planned CEO transition, stating that Alex Davern would step down as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 31, 2020 [15]. This period reflected the company's ongoing adaptation to a rapidly changing technological landscape, characterized by the increasing importance of software, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), and the growing complexity of systems requiring validation, such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. NI positioned its tools as essential for the test and validation of these complex systems, including radar, electronic warfare, and sensor fusion technologies. The company's solutions for transportation, particularly ADAS and autonomous driving testing, involved hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation and synchronized data acquisition to validate sensor performance and system algorithms under realistic, repeatable conditions [14]. Concurrently, NI fostered its user community through events like NI Connect, which provided networking opportunities for engineers to engage with peers, industry experts, and thought leaders to explore new methodologies and best practices in advanced test and measurement [14].

Acquisition by Emerson (2020s)

A major turning point in the company's history occurred in the 2020s when it became a target for acquisition. Emerson (NYSE: EMR), a global industrial technology and software leader, completed its acquisition of National Instruments in 2023. The acquisition was valued at approximately $1.2 billion. Under Emerson's ownership, NI was integrated as a core business unit within Emerson's automation portfolio. This union combined NI's expertise in software-defined test and measurement with Emerson's broader industrial automation and digital transformation capabilities. Post-acquisition, Emerson announced significant hardware and software upgrades to the NI platform, emphasizing enhanced integration, scalability, and cloud connectivity for next-generation test and measurement applications. These planned upgrades, highlighted at events such as NI Connect 2025, were aimed at addressing evolving industry needs in sectors like semiconductor validation, electric vehicle powertrain testing, and sustainable energy systems. The historical trajectory of National Instruments, from its founding on the principle of GPIB connectivity to its development of the graphical programming paradigm and its eventual acquisition by a major industrial technology firm, illustrates the evolution of test and measurement from a hardware-centric discipline to a software-defined, systems-level engineering challenge integral to modern technological innovation [14].

Description

National Instruments (NI), now operating as a business within Emerson's Test & Measurement segment, is a global provider of automated test and measurement systems used extensively in research, validation, and production environments [4]. The company's core philosophy centers on empowering engineers and scientists with a flexible, software-centric platform to solve complex measurement and automation challenges. This approach has established NI as a foundational technology provider across several critical, high-growth industries, including semiconductor and electronics, transportation, and aerospace and defense [4]. Building on the acquisition discussed earlier, the company operates in more than 40 countries and serves approximately 35,000 customers, a testament to the broad adoption of its platform-based solutions [4].

Foundational Software and Systems

The company's technological impact is anchored by its flagship software products, which create an integrated ecosystem for system design, measurement, and control. LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench) is a graphical programming environment that revolutionized test and measurement by allowing engineers to develop custom applications using a dataflow paradigm with iconic graphical blocks and wires, rather than traditional text-based code [6]. This environment includes thousands of built-in engineering analysis functions for signal processing, mathematics, and control, significantly accelerating development cycles [6]. Complementing LabVIEW is TestStand, a test management software designed for sequencing, execution, and reporting in automated test systems [14]. Its architecture supports a parallel process model, enabling the simultaneous execution of multiple test sequences and efficient management of complex, high-throughput production test stations [14].

Hardware Platform and Product Evolution

NI's hardware portfolio is designed to be modular and synchronized with its software, forming cohesive systems. The product lines range from modular instruments like PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation) controllers and modules to compact, bus-powered devices for distributed measurements. A representative example of modern hardware design is the NI mioDAQ device, which features 20-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) resolution for high-precision measurements, USB-C connectivity for bus power and data transfer, and a QR code-guided setup process to streamline configuration [13]. This focus on accessibility and precision allows engineers to implement high-quality measurements earlier in the design cycle to identify potential issues before they escalate into costly failures [13]. The hardware platform is continuously evolved, with major updates announced at events like NI Connect, which serve as a forum for unveiling significant upgrades to both hardware and software test and measurement tools.

Application in Critical Industries

NI's platform-based solutions are deployed to address some of the most demanding engineering challenges in modern technology sectors. In the transportation industry, the systems are crucial for the development and validation of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies [1]. Engineers use NI's hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation and data acquisition systems to test sensor fusion algorithms, perception software, and vehicle control systems under realistic, repeatable, and safe conditions before real-world deployment [1]. Similarly, in aerospace and defense, the platform is applied to areas such as radar and electronic warfare system development, where testing requires high-fidelity signal generation and analysis across wide bandwidths. The flexibility of the software-defined approach allows these complex RF systems to be prototyped and validated efficiently.

The Modern Laboratory and Community

Beyond individual products, NI advocates for a holistic view of the engineering laboratory as a dynamic, interconnected nucleus. The modern lab is conceptualized not merely as a physical space but as a living system that integrates and elevates tools, personnel, and processes to enhance organizational capability and innovation [3]. This vision is supported by a global community and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Events such as NI Connect 2025 provide networking opportunities where engineers, industry experts, and thought leaders engage to explore new methodologies and exchange best practices in advanced test and measurement [2]. This combination of technological platform and professional community underpins the company's enduring role in engineering ecosystems worldwide.

Significance

National Instruments (NI) established its significance through a fundamental reimagining of measurement and automation systems, transitioning them from fixed-function hardware to flexible, user-defined software-centric platforms. This approach, which the company termed "The Measurement Revolution," positioned the computer as the central instrument, enabling engineers and scientists to create custom systems for test, measurement, and industrial automation [21]. The company's core contribution was the conceptual and practical realization of virtual instrumentation, where software on general-purpose computers defines the functionality of measurement hardware, a paradigm that became industry-standard [16][20].

Revolutionizing Engineering Software with LabVIEW

The company's most profound and enduring impact stems from the development of LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench). Created by founders James Truchard and Jeff Kodosky, LabVIEW is a graphical development environment that revolutionized how engineers and scientists build measurement, test, and control applications [18]. Unlike traditional text-based programming languages, LabVIEW uses a dataflow programming model with graphical block diagrams, significantly reducing development time for complex instrumentation systems. This environment allows for the rapid creation of flexible and scalable applications, which can range from simple data logging to advanced control systems, often at a lower cost compared to proprietary, fixed-function alternatives [16][19]. The induction of Truchard and Kodosky into the Inventors Hall of Fame underscores the transformative nature of this innovation, which empowered users to visually program their instruments rather than being constrained by vendor-defined functionality [18].

Defining the Virtual Instrumentation Market

NI is widely recognized as the pioneer and a continuing leader in the virtual instrumentation market, a sector it effectively created. The company's business model centered on providing the integrated hardware and software platforms that enabled this paradigm shift [20]. Its product lines, including the industry-standard PXI modular instrumentation platform, provided the building blocks for user-defined systems across a vast array of applications. These applications include:

• Automated test and measurement
• Laboratory automation
• Factory automation and control
• Physiological monitoring
• Numerical analysis and data visualization [16][17]

By promoting open, modular standards like PXI, which it helped establish and advance, NI fostered an ecosystem of third-party hardware vendors, further accelerating the adoption of software-defined instrumentation and ensuring its solutions remained at the forefront of technological evolution [17].

Enabling Advanced Technological Development

The flexibility and performance of NI's platforms have made them critical tools in the research, development, and deployment of cutting-edge technologies. The company's heavy involvement in standards bodies and deep experience in lab applications translate into compelling solutions for the latest communication protocols. This is particularly evident in wireless technology, where NI platforms are extensively used for prototyping, validation, and production test of advanced standards like 5G New Radio (NR) and Wi-Fi 6, due to their ability to handle complex modulation schemes and wide bandwidths with software-upgradable hardware [16]. Beyond communications, NI's high-speed, reconfigurable I/O and signal processing capabilities are foundational in defense and aerospace for applications such as radar and electronic warfare system development, where rapid prototyping and testing of complex signal algorithms are required.

Strategic Role in Industrial Automation and Test

As noted earlier, a major turning point in the company's history occurred in the 2020s. Its subsequent acquisition by Emerson, a global leader in industrial automation, highlights the strategic value of NI's technology stack beyond traditional test and measurement. Emerson's stated intent was to advance its global automation leadership by integrating NI's best-in-class test and measurement and embedded control capabilities [22]. This merger signifies the convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT), with NI's software-centric platforms providing the critical data acquisition, control, and analysis layer needed for modern, data-driven industrial systems. The acquisition also led to significant hardware and software upgrades within the combined portfolio, aimed at creating more integrated and powerful solutions for industrial test and measurement [22]. Furthermore, NI's strategy of expanding its capabilities through strategic acquisitions, such as its purchase of Measurement Computing, demonstrates a consistent effort to broaden its reach into adjacent measurement markets and strengthen its overall value proposition [14].

Enduring Legacy and Industry Impact

The significance of National Instruments extends beyond its products to its lasting influence on engineering workflows and education. LabVIEW became a staple in engineering curricula worldwide, training generations of engineers in graphical system design and dataflow concepts. The company championed the idea that sophisticated measurement and control systems should be accessible and customizable by the domain experts who use them, rather than solely by specialized software programmers. This democratization of instrumentation empowered innovation across countless fields, from fundamental scientific research to the production lines of advanced manufacturing. By successfully commercializing the concept of virtual instrumentation, NI fundamentally altered the economics and capabilities of test, measurement, and automation, embedding its software-centric philosophy as a core tenet of modern engineering practice [20][21].

Applications and Uses

National Instruments (NI) has established itself as a foundational technology provider across numerous engineering and scientific disciplines by creating flexible, user-defined systems that replace traditional, fixed-function instruments [16]. The company's core paradigm involves the integration of its proprietary application software with modular, multifunctional hardware, which is then combined with industry-standard computing platforms to form customizable "virtual instruments" [16][21]. This approach provides scientists and engineers with powerful productivity tools for the entire product lifecycle, from initial experimentation and research and development (R&D) to final manufacturing and production test [16]. By developing and manufacturing hundreds of these integrated software and hardware products, NI enables the monitoring and control of complex processes and the communication with or replacement of conventional benchtop equipment [21].

Software Ecosystem and Development Environments

The cornerstone of NI's application platform is its graphical development environment, LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench). LabVIEW enables the rapid creation of flexible and scalable test, measurement, and control applications through an intuitive, dataflow-oriented programming model that uses graphical block diagrams instead of traditional text-based code [Source Materials]. This environment significantly reduces development time and cost for complex systems. Complementing LabVIEW for automated test sequencing is TestStand, a test management software that allows engineers to develop, execute, and deploy automated test systems for validating products in manufacturing [Source Materials]. The software ecosystem is supported by extensive global training and certification programs, accessible through dedicated course catalogs, to ensure user proficiency [14]. Furthermore, the recent introduction of the NI Nigel AI Advisor represents a transformative shift, aiming to integrate artificial intelligence directly into test and measurement workflows to help engineers navigate complexity and accelerate development cycles [23].

Core Application Domains

NI's solutions are deployed in a vast array of technical fields, driven by the need for high-performance, configurable measurement and control.

• Semiconductor Test: A critical application area is in semiconductor manufacturing validation. NI's Semiconductor Test System (STS) provides a modular, software-defined platform for device characterization and production test. It utilizes drag-and-drop software templates to streamline common test operations, which include:
• Continuity checks
• Leakage tests
• Digital pattern bursts
• Radio frequency (RF) waveform generation and acquisition [7]
• Wireless Communications R&D and Test: The company maintains heavy involvement in international standards bodies, translating into deep expertise and compelling solutions for developing and testing next-generation wireless technologies. This experience is particularly evident in applications for the latest standards, such as 5G New Radio (5G NR) and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), where NI platforms are used for prototyping, conformance testing, and performance validation [Source Materials].
• Industrial Automation and Control: Building on the strategic role discussed earlier, NI hardware and software form the backbone of sophisticated industrial systems for real-time monitoring and control. These systems are applied in:
• Machine condition monitoring
• Predictive maintenance
• High-speed process control
• Factory automation and data acquisition [21]
• Academic and Research Laboratories: Universities and government research institutions worldwide utilize NI platforms for teaching fundamental engineering concepts and for conducting advanced research in physics, biomedical engineering, renewable energy, and aerospace, leveraging the same tools used in industry [16].

Global Deployment and Support

The deployment and support of these complex systems are facilitated by NI's multinational structure. The company operates in and provides technical resources for key global markets, with support and documentation available in numerous major languages, including:

• Chinese
• English
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Russian
• Spanish [24]

This multilingual capability ensures that engineers and scientists across the world can effectively implement and maintain NI-based solutions. The company's operational history, including its early establishment of dedicated customer-facing roles like order handling and billing, underscores a long-standing commitment to supporting the user base that relies on its technology for critical applications [17].