National Instruments PXI-8176

This is a self-contained PXI chassis and workstation built around the PXI-8176 controller with an LCD and keyboard functions as a compact, high-performance computing platform for data acquisition, signal processing, and automated testing. The PXI-8176 was released in circa 2000 featuring a 1.26 GHz Intel Pentium III processor, 512 MB SDRAM, and a 15 GB Ultra ATA100 hard drive, making it well-suited for real-time applications. The product was discontinued in 2004.

The system provided multiple PXI slots for National Instruments PXI measurement modules, allowing users to customize their setup for instrumentation and control tasks. The built-in LCD and keyboard enable direct interaction without requiring an external PC, making it ideal for standalone operation in industrial environments. The workstation supported Windows 2000, ensuring compatibility with LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, and NI-DAQ driver software, which were commonly used for test automation and measurement applications.

In the early 2000s, National Instruments explored portable computing solutions primarily through PXI-based embedded controllers for standalone operation. National Instruments' strategy focused on modular instrumentation, allowing users to build customized test and measurement systems without relying on traditional desktop computers. However, as laptops and compact industrial PCs became more powerful and widely adopted, NI gradually shifted away from dedicated portable workstations favoring networked and distributed measurement systems that leveraged modern computing advancements.