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To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Qseven computer on modules (COMs), congatec has introduced the conga-QMX8-Plus Qseven module based on the NXP i.MX 8M Plus application processor.

It has been introduced as an upgrade for all NXP i.MX 6-based Qseven applications. It brings modern machine learning and AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities as well as time sensitive networking (TSN) support for real-time Ethernet to those applications, said congatec. It will also extend their lifetime by an additional 10 to 15 years.

The i.MX 8M Plus application processor has 1.8GHz Arm Cortex-A53 quad-core performance and an additional integrated neural processing unit (NPU) with up to 2.3Tera operations per second. There is also a DSP that enables speech recognition applications.

The first i.MX processor with a machine learning accelerator, the i.MX 8M Plus provides higher performance for deep learning inference and AI at the edge. Typical power consumption is just 3.0W. The conga-QMX8-Plus module is supported by the 64-bit architecture and onboard LPDDR4 memory with up to 6Gbyte.

The i.MX 8M Plus processor is enhanced with AES encryption for higher cyber security. There is also the Arm TrustZone which integrates the resource domain controller (RDC) for isolated execution of critical software, and secure high assurance boot (HAB) mode to prevent the execution of unauthorised software during boot.

The image signal processor (ISP) for parallel real-time processing of high resolution images is another new feature. It includes H265 decoding / encoding.   

The modules can control up to three independent displays, connected via natively supported HDMI 2.0a, LVDS 2x24bit and MIPI-DSI, and provide hardware accelerated video decoding and encoding including H.265 so that high resolution camera streams delivered by two integrated MIPI-CSI interfaces can be sent directly to the network. For onboard data storage, the modules provide up to 128 GB 5.1 eMMC, which can also operate in safe pSLC mode, as well as one onboard µSD socket. Peripheral interfaces include one PCIe Gen 3, one USB 3.0, three USB 2.0, four UART as well as one CAN FD and 14 general purpose I/O ports. For real-time networking, the module offers 1Gbit with TSN support. There are also two I2S for sound. The supported operating systems include Linux, Yocto and Android.

Target market applications are industrial controls, smart robotics and factory automation to medical health care and retail, and from transportation and smart farming to smart cities and smart buildings.

https://www.congatec.com

Equipped with 11th Generation Intel Core processors, the SOM-5883 computer on module (COM) is designed by Advantech for high-performance edge computing applications.

It is a COM Express Basic Type6 Module and offers octa-core computing performance under thermal dynamic performance (TDP) 45W. It also has Intel Iris Xe graphics and an Edge AI Suite software toolkit, which make the COM suitable for medical imaging and AI applications.

To resolve the heavy workload of image processing applications, SOM-5883 has the capability to support up to 128Gbyte DDR4 3200 SODIMM, with high capacity and high frequency memory technology. The COM includes high speed I/O interfaces including PCIe Gen4 and USB3.2 Gen2 (10Gbits per second) and 2.5Gbase-T for enhanced system expansion. There is also optional NVMe SSD and TPM2.0 onboard design. Other features are -40 to +85 degrees C operating temperature and 8.5 to 20V power input. As a result, says Advantech, the SOM-5883 is reliable and secure for edge computing requirements.

The SOM-5883 offers a 1.7X computing performance growth and 1.5X 3D graphics upgrade. Advantech provides Edge AI Suite containing Intel Open VINO and more than a hundred AI models.

There are four independent displays up to 4K over three DisplayPort 1.4 / HDMI 2.1, optional eDP or LVDS, and VGAl, and the COM is configurable up to two ports 8K HDR outputs. Graphics-driven applications such as ultrasound can achieve much more accurate diagnosis with the combination of native graphics engine and external expansion for system configuration, said Advantech. At the same time, SOM-5883 supports multiple cutting-edge I/O technologies. It enables high speed data transmission with improved bandwidth of 2.5G LAN and an NVMe SSD onboard, with the capability to transfer huge data between AIoT applications. The 2.5G LAN equipped with time sensitive networking (TSN) is suitable for automation or edge applications requiring low-latency. This technology fulfils the demand of real-time traffic, prioritising critical data in the communication process, such as transferring command, actions or safety information on time, said the company. It also supplies extraordinary USB4, which can be configured as DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, USB 3.2, and USB 2.0 in a slim USB-Type-C connector. Advantech also offers USB4 reference design documents and SOM-MZ10 development board, to help partners accelerate the implementation of new I/O technology.

Advantech’s QFCS (Quadra flow cooling system) thermal technology enables the SOM-5883 to release 100 per cent CPU power. The technology is not only efficient in heat dissipation but also thin, quiet and light, sufficiently so to be integrated into a 1U height slim chassis, added Advantech.

The SOM-5883 features error code correction (ECC) memory, TPM2.0 chip onboard to prevent cyber-threats, and also supports BIOS storage protection, security boot, BIOS power-management, plus WISE-DeviceOn for remote hardware monitoring and over-the-air (OTA) software update to prevent system malfunction.

http://www.advantech.eu