Includes DUT control capabilities and 8x8 multi-channel setup
Improving Parallel Testing of Low-Power Internet of Things Standards

National Instruments (NI) announced updates to the Wireless Test System (WTS), NI's solution for multi-site automated test of wireless devices.

The latest version 1.3 of WTS includes support for 8x8 multi-channel configurations and custom 802.11ax test steps, along with device-under-test (DUT) control capabilities, to perform efficient parallel testing of new connected devices based on the IEEE 802.11ax standard (Draft 1.1). Furthermore, WTS 1.3 improves parallel testing of Bluetooth 5 and low-power Internet of Things (IoT) standards such as Zigbee and Z-Wave.

The new 802.11ax standard includes major changes to the physical layer (PHY) that deliver higher average data throughput per user in complex environments. While these changes complicate characterization, design verification, and production test efforts, engineers can leverage WTS to automate 802.11ax measurement solutions that are accurate and suitable for the new, expanded design test coverage.

WTS instrument software and NI's vector signal transceiver (VST) support massive MIMO (multi-input, multi-output) configurations for up to 8x8 dual-band simultaneous testing and accurate error vector magnitude (EVM) measurements. This latest software also addresses the task of creating a variety of trigger-based multi-user scenarios, each with its own simulated user waveform settings and compensation capabilities. The WTS includes built-in support for DUT control tools developed by leading chipset manufacturers.

Additionally, WTS 1.3 includes updates to the TestStand Wireless Test Module (WTM). As an industry-leading test execution tool for parallel testing, TestStand WTM is an extension of NI TestStand software that simplifies the creation of complex wireless test sequences for lab and factory environments.

“With today’s rapidly changing wireless standards and continued market pressure to reduce the cost of test, you need smarter test systems,” said Charles Schroeder, vice president of RF marketing at NI. “Test solutions like the WTS, built on flexible software and modular hardware and optimized for rapid multi-DUT implementation, can provide significant cost savings, increased throughput and future-proof your organization.”