The NI WSN-3212 measurement node is a wireless device that provides four 24-bit thermocouple input channels and four bidirectional digital channels that you can configure on a per-channel basis for input, sinking output, or sourcing output or that you can program to respond to digital value change events. The 18-position screw-terminal connector delivers direct connectivity to J, K, R, S, T, N, B, and E thermocouple types. You can power the measurement node with four 1.5 V, nonrechargeable AA alkaline battery cells, with operation up to three years on battery power, or you can externally power them with a 9 to 30 V supply (not included).
With the LabVIEW Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Module Pioneer, you use graphical programming to customize the node’s behavior, adding intelligence to extend battery life; increase analog and digital input performance; and interface with sensors. The default behavior of an NI measurement node is to transmit every sample acquired to the gateway; however, this is not a requirement for many applications. You can use LabVIEW WSN Pioneer to average samples over time and provide threshold or deadband logic, so you can extend battery life by transmitting only meaningful data. Additionally, you can increase acquisition rates on the node by not incurring the overhead of transmitting each sample after acquisition. Using LabVIEW WSN Pioneer, you can then perform processing and data reduction on the node. LabVIEW WSN applications are downloaded wirelessly to NI WSN measurement nodes, allowing seamless updates to deployed nodes.
A 2.4 GHz radio is used to wirelessly transmit data to the WSN Ethernet gateway, where you can connect through Ethernet to either Windows or real-time host controllers to gather measurement data. NI-WSN software delivers easy network configuration in NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) and data extraction with LabVIEW software.
You can configure the WSN-3212 as a mesh router to increase network distance and reliability. Up to 36 measurement nodes can connect to a single WSN Ethernet gateway, with outdoor range up to 300 m with line of sight. The device also offers industrial temperature and shock and vibration ratings.
Wireless products require certification based on the geographic region of use. Consult the Wireless Product Certifications document linked from the Resources tab to determine which products are certified in your region.
