Moreover, the VMM maximizes the use of hardware and software already present in your PC, which includes many of a DMM's internal components, such as a microprocessor, memory, display, and power supply. By avoiding the duplication of these items, VMMs not only save money but also enable much higher computing performance and a much wider range of functionality. Modern graphical software provides data analysis and presentation through animated user-interfaces and multimedia capabilities that far surpass traditional DMMs in flexibility, functionality, and ease of use. The emergence of the VMM is a watershed. Every other type of instrument, including oscilloscopes, waveform generators, and logic analyzers, is also facing direct competition from new-generation virtual instruments.
Virtual instruments are now the mainstream.
James Truchard is the co-founder, president, and chief executive officer of National Instruments, Austin, Texas. He is a co-inventor of LabVIEW graphical software for instrumentation, the company's flagship product.