R&D Spotlight: The Passion and Tech Driving FlexLogger

Meet Nathan Hickey, a FlexLogger engineer who has been shaping the user experience since its inception.?

From a young age, I dreamed of becoming an inventor. I was fascinated by the process of developing an idea, building out the components, and seeing it come to life.??

My interests broadened in high school when I took a coding class. I was intrigued by the power of creating something tangible from lines of code. Combining my passion for designing physical things with my growing interest in software, I pursued a mechanical engineering major with a minor in computer engineering at Purdue University.?

I joined NI after graduating in 2011 and later earned my master’s in software engineering from the University of Texas through NI’s tuition reimbursement program. My roles at NI have given me the best of both worlds: blending innovative hardware and software solutions to build tools that deliver value to users.

Building User-Focused Solutions?

I started my career at NI as an applications engineer. One of my first major projects was contributing to LabVIEW’s sound and vibration toolkit. In particular, I developed the output API, enabling test engineers to feed specific test signals into systems and analyze real-time responses. This early work demonstrated the impact of user-focused development: every feature had to feel intuitive and address real testing needs.??

In 2018, I was asked to join the team developing FlexLogger, NI’s new data logging software written in C#. While I was eager to strengthen my C# skills, I quickly became passionate about the product itself. FlexLogger wasn’t just a tool for collecting data quickly; it had immense potential to simplify and enhance the way test engineers work.?

Behind the Simplicity

FlexLogger is designed to make it easy for test engineers to collect and analyze test data without writing code. Its drag-and-drop interface and configuration-based setup hide the complexity of what’s happening behind the scenes—but every feature?starts with?extensive thought about real-world applications and the user experience.??

One of my earliest contributions to FlexLogger was defining sensible defaults for various channel and sensor types. While this sounds straightforward, it involved extracting and interpreting data from DAQmx JSON files, repurposing that information into default values, and ensuring the values shifted dynamically based on user selections. Attention to every detail was critical for?making FlexLogger truly plug-and-play, letting engineers focus on the test itself instead of wrestling with error messages. ?

Another challenge was implementing synchronization within FlexLogger across multiple devices and chassis. NI’s latest DAQ modules support Ethernet-based synchronization, but customers with large systems often faced delays in receiving signals from the channels. Customers could wait for up to five minutes to receive the first reading. By rethinking the process and modifying algorithms, we reduced configuration time to less than one minute—making a big difference for our users.?

Even features that seem simple, like copy/paste functionality, brought unique challenges. Copying data between channels meant understanding hardware limitations and programming the system to copy everything it could while flagging values that needed user adjustments. Thoughtful development ensured that FlexLogger provided a logical and straightforward user experience, enabling the feature to deliver its intended value.?

Every feature has its own set of challenges and complications, and I’ve learned that stepping away is often crucial for solving tough problems. NI’s walking trails and working from home have helped make those breaks more productive by providing good spaces to clear my mind so I can return to the code with fresh ideas and sharper focus.?

Tech Week Wins?

One of my favorite NI traditions is Tech Week. Tech week is a dedicated time for employees to step away from tight project schedules and focus on passion-driven projects. Engineers and teams take the opportunity to explore innovative ideas, improve internal processes, or develop new product features that may not yet be prioritized on the roadmap. ?

During one Tech Week, I tackled a feature request to enhance timestamp precision in FlexLogger. The standard interface showed three decimal places (milliseconds), but the customer needed up to seven (one-tenth of a microsecond) for finer analysis when zooming in on their data. It was a fun and rewarding project, knowing it directly addressed a specific customer’s need.??

Celebrating Milestones?

Over the years, we’ve celebrated key milestones with engaging team-building events. Release parties are always highly anticipated, offering a chance to unwind and recharge after months of hard work. From bowling and escape rooms to classic picnics, each event has been unique and memorable in its own way.??

During the development of the first version of FlexLogger, the project was internally nicknamed Lumberjack because it was a “logger.” So naturally, we celebrated one of FlexLogger’s releases?at a sports complex with axe throwing. This was an especially unforgettable way to bond as a team.? ?

When the pandemic hit, we moved celebrations online and played Jackbox party games remotely via phones and computers. Our manager also arranged pizza deliveries for everyone to help the party feel closer to the catered events we were used to. During one party, a?spreadsheet mishap scrambled the orders, and the party chat was flooded with who got who’s pizza. The comical mix-up made for a memorable event that reflected our team’s adaptability and sense of humor.?

Shaping the Future of FlexLogger?

By working for a company that celebrates engineers, I love that my job offers so many chances to invent, tinker, and innovate. And I’m eager for what’s ahead:?

• New LabVIEW API for FlexLogger: This will let users automate data acquisition workflows directly from LabVIEW.?

• Adding support for new hardware: Continuing to add support for NI’s new hardware enables engineers to fully utilize the latest features and innovations.?

• Measurement plug-ins: These expand FlexLogger’s reach, allowing custom solutions in Python, C#, and LabVIEW. We’ve even launched a GitHub page of open-source plugins and invite the community to share their own.? ?

I’m excited to see what unique workflows test engineers create with FlexLogger and NI’s broader platform. Do you have a favorite FlexLogger plug-in? If so, let us know in the comments.?

By blending hardware and software capabilities, FlexLogger continues to evolve—helping test engineers do what they do best, quickly and efficiently. Developing these tools has been incredibly rewarding, bringing my childhood aspiration of being an inventor to life and making real-world impacts.

Related Resources:

• Learn more about NI Flexlogger
• See FlexLogger in action in the "Lab Best Practices webinar"