It’s common knowledge that computers are no longer confined to the office space. Or, more accurately, perhaps, the office is no longer confined to the prototypical cubicle or workstation.
The industrial sectors have carved out their own specific niches in the world of electronics, ones that demand specific factors.
These needs range greatly, depending on the type of electronics the company utilizes and the tasks that it’s required to carry out. Large scale industrial machinery that is dependent on repetitive motions or monitoring relies on automation, which requires a computer on the premises. Certain electronic components simply can’t cut it in an industrial setting, especially in the case of hard drives.
What modern industrial computing demands is a hard drive standard that can withstand the rigors of the warehouse floor while continuing to give the best performance. Luckily, a solid state flash disk fills this niche perfectly, utilizing flash memory over traditional disk drives and Continue Reading…
The time spent designing and implementing a motherboard for a product can be painstaking at best. Troubleshooting and deciding the exact specifications that an OEM’s product will require can be the lynch pins for development, and in some cases, provide the most challenges for designers.
Many of the questions surrounding this process pertain to determining what kind of board will complement the overall design. There are always choices, depending on the product’s application. One such avenue is a COM Express module.
These small footprint modules hold a unique place within the embedded systems world. They fill a certain set of applications that necessitate a powerful and expandable motherboard that can handle the main component specifications. By taking care of this aspect, designers are free to focus on making the product do all that it possibly can via a custom designed carrier board. A COM Express module helps to simplify an OEM’s design process through great tech and the addition of a starter kit.
COM Express Starter Kits: A Box of Possibilities
COM Express starter kit contains a sample ATX carrier board with a plethora of different I/O which designers can Continue Reading…
Industrial computing is a constantly growing market and one that doesn’t seem to slow down for anything, and this means that there is always a growing need for new innovations within the sector. The mantra of “small, cool running and powerful” seems to be driving some of the options behind creating new standards for embedded systems. There are tough decisions to be made on the technical specifications, but in 2004 a great breakthrough was made.
Enter the EPIC motherboard standard. A grandiose-sounding name, perhaps, for what is essentially a mid-sized embedded board. It does not have the largest board space, nor does it pump out the most processing power. It cannot match up to the larger ITX boards for I/O capabilities, but then again, it Continue Reading…
Good electronics need two things: great hardware that fully complements the user’s needs and a top notch piece of software that utilizes that hardware to the complete specifications. Both are vital in creating a great industrial device; one can’t function without the other. Most designers will look to their hardware specifications to know exactly how much they can push the software. We see this particularly with industrial GPS devices and the various factors that go into deciding what they need to function best.
Good designers look toward rugged embedded systems in an effort to make sure the device lasts and performs up to scratch in rough and demanding environments. Aerial or ground GPS systems, for example, need to be able to withstand heavy movement and harsh weather, as well as uphold their mechanical ability to Continue Reading…
When it comes to hard drives, information is only as powerful as our ability to access it. In a sense, a stockpile of data has its uses, but it is the correlation and aggregation of statistics or files that create its true worth. Getting information quickly is only half the equation. The other side of the issue is storage space. Hard drive space is relatively economical, considering how much is being offered; a terabyte can cost a pittance when stacked against other components. Traditional SATA drives are spinning discs with mountains of information. It’s when we move into the territory of flash memory drives, however, that the discussion changes.
There are a couple of different standards for flash memory; the two discussed here are solid state drives (or SSD hard drives) and disc on module SATA drives. Both approach the issue of data storage from a similar standpoint; using flash memory to store data increases write and read speeds and provides other benefits over traditional HDDs. But there are also differences worth noting. Read on to learn more!
SSD Hard Drive and Disc On Module SATA Similarities
In the sense of pure data storage, the most defining feature of these two standards is the blistering speed at which they can read and Continue Reading…
Information gathering is one of the most important aspects of the modern military. Gaining as much data as possible before making a decision needs to be standard operating procedure for all departments. Collecting information means having eyes and ears on targets, often without detection. Unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, have become the metaphorical name of the game for reconnaissance. Furthermore, fighter jets have sophisticated targeting systems that need to present a swath of information to the pilot quickly and clearly. Both of these use cases have two things in common: they are constant demands in modern military avionics and hinge on a supply of high quality display monitors.
Deciding what specifications are needed to ensure a high quality image is only the tip of the iceberg. There are multiple factors to consider when choosing the correct display monitor for avionic deployment. Whether the display is airborne or on the ground influences not only the form factor, but the technical capabilities of the display, as well. Military undertakings can be difficult and are often associated with high risk; having the best possible equipment means that the most informed decisions can be made with greater ease and efficiency.
The Many Use Cases of Display Monitors in Aviation
As noted above, much of the challenge in choosing an aviation display monitor depends on whether said screen is going to be in the air. Modern avionics has multiple needs for display monitors, including:
- Aircraft displays, targeting systems, and cockpit gauges
- Radar stations monitoring UAV drones
- Cockpits for training simulations
The list goes on, but even these three cases require Continue Reading…
Technology has a tendency to propagate across different user bases. Ten or even fifteen years ago, the idea of a touch-based interface was strictly in the realm of industrial or high end enterprise. Now, most modern consumer devices have a tactile sensitive screen and users have become accustomed to the future of touch screen gadgets. Multiple companies have tried to seize the “table” computing world through large touch screen surfaces, but this has only now begun to catch on. One market that has embraced and integrated the panel PC is the medical sector.
The industrial panel PC takes on multiple roles in this sector, ranging from industry facing applications to patient entertainment. The technology behind these machines is common and seemingly benign, taking into account the evolution of PCs. However, the specific uses that these computers fulfill necessitate some choices along a wide and variable spectrum of specifications. An industrial panel PC has some similarities to traditional computing, but is then outfitted to work and thrive in a non-standard field.
Applications of the Industrial Panel PC
Medical professionals, in almost any sector of this vast industry, come in contact with panel PCs regularly. The technology is perfectly suited to a hospital setting because of its versatility. Behind the touch screen and the user interface is usually a copy of Windows XP or another common operating system. This distinction means that an industrial panel PC can be treated almost like a desktop from a software perspective. Also, the coding language is Continue Reading…
The way we interact with technology has changed drastically in the last decade. The idea of having tactile buttons means that a special keyboard or input device needs to be connected to a PC, which increases the cost of manufacturing. Furthermore, adding a bulky input device increases the size of the kiosk that houses the PC, taking up valuable space within the retail, gaming or museum venue. The market has demanded a change from larger enclosures that house a traditional industrial PC and screen to something much more compact. The goal is a reliable system that doesn’t take up too much space, but is also powerful enough to handle visualizing all of the necessary information. It is a tough line to toe, but manufacturers have come up with a solution.
The modern flat panel PC fills this void, allowing for a single LCD screen in a compact yet cooled system that can be conveniently placed in a small kiosk enclosure. When narrowing down what kind of system to use, a number of factors need to be considered. Fortunately, manufacturers of these systems understand the multiple use cases that drive the technology, creating versions that run the gamut from high powered 23-inch screens to smaller, more easily mountable PCs.
Flat Panel PC Processing Needs
When sourcing a specific model for a flat panel PC, one must take into account the exact needs that the system will fulfill. Does the retail space need Continue Reading…
Creativity is not only necessary for innovation in the technological field, but it also helps greatly when growing a company. A truly successful business will look at an opportunity or problem with the same analytical eye to best spin the situation into a gain. This approach applies to OEMs, as well; these companies make deals regularly with suppliers that grant them many opportunities to think outside the box. OEMs and the whole industrial computing business are actually in a great position because of the open-ended nature of the sector. Consumer electronics generally has pretty rigid standards for their components, and very few retailers will let users be choosy with the makeup of something as central as a motherboard.
Creative embedded system design allows OEMs to break out of the “factory default” nature of industrial components and look toward customization. Every OEM is different, and their products will vary; all the more reason to take a hard look at the components being ordered and think about how to resourcefully cut cost.
Creative Embedded System Design on the Board Level
Engineers spend months, sometimes even years, coming up with the proper specifications for a company’s product. They meticulously determine exactly how an item needs to function at peak performance. At this point, Continue Reading…
Companies involved in creating industrial computer systems move in one of two directions. Depending on the use case of the buyer, computers will push for the cutting edge of power, which necessitates considerable power and space demands. A range of motherboards fulfill these demands; ranging from Pico-ITX to the almost gargantuan EATX, they utilize the newest processors, graphics cards and additional modules to allow users the most power possible. Technology, and by extension the buyer’s interest, can also move in the opposite direction.
Various sectors, such as the medical or military fields, have a need for low power solutions that can be mobile. Handheld computing or the shrinking of existing systems that allows them be used in the field represents the ultimate goal. The need to push computer systems to a smaller form factor presents a challenge, but manufacturers have essentially solved the issue with computer on modules.
The Popular Embedded Boards
OEMs are in the tough position of deciding which motherboard standard can be used to fit the need for smaller computing. Manufacturers present a number of different types; the two most popular and smallest board standards are Qseven and COM Express. There are a number of differences between the two, most notable is Continue Reading…
