It would be great if NI offered something similar to the PLC world in the form of expandable IP20 I/O slices that don't require a chassis. It could offer the same kind of functionality in the modules that the CompactDAQ line offers, but without the need to lock into a chassis. I've found myself leaning towards using PLC I/O for some projects where the end-state is a bit murky, but the programming gets really awkward when using third-party APIs like PVI.
The interface to the PC could be similar to that of a cDAQ chassis: USB or Ethernet. Given the applications of most slice I/O users, 24 VDC would be the preferred way to power such a system.
