Kunal Patel
About Kunal Patel
Kunal Patel is a Distinguished Engineer at National Instruments in Austin, Texas, specializing in software and hardware development for digitizers and synchronization systems.
Kunal Patel at National Instruments
Kunal Patel serves as a Distinguished Engineer at National Instruments (NI) in Austin, Texas, United States. His role involves advanced technical development and leadership within the company, contributing in significant ways to product innovation and support. He has been essential in developing software and driver support for complex instrumentation hardware at NI.
Educational Background
Kunal Patel studied Electrical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, earning his Bachelor of Science (BS) from 1998 to 2002. Before attending university, he completed his high school education at Plano Senior High School from 1996 to 1998. His academic foundation laid the groundwork for his career in engineering and technology.
Technical Contributions at NI
Kunal Patel has developed a Windows driver for the NI-5114 digitizer, integrating HDTV triggering features and multiple programming language support, including LabVIEW, CVI, .NET, C, C++, and Visual Basic. He took ownership of TClk software, an infrastructure synchronization tool actively used by numerous groups within NI. Key contributions also include driver support for SMC hardware, featuring EEPROM access, continuous DMA of data to the host, and PLL clocking calibration. Additionally, he played a role in the development of the NI 5122 driver.
Software Development and Support
Kunal Patel has been instrumental in software development and support at NI, particularly with the NI-Scope measurement library, which aids users in data processing through various functions such as FFTs, windows, histograms, and RMS power. He also built, ran, and maintained an automated test suite leveraging Teststand, LabVIEW, and PXI Modular Instruments to ensure product quality and reliability.
Mentoring and Customer Support at NI
Kunal Patel has taken an active role in mentoring numerous interns and new hires at National Instruments, helping to develop the next generation of engineers. He has also collaborated with product support staff on dozens of opportunities annually to address and resolve customer issues, showcasing his commitment to both internal team development and customer satisfaction.