Systems inDesign: Intelligent by Design - June 2013 by Avnet EPublications

SYSTEMS

06.2013

INTELLIGENT Lorem ipsum... BY DESIGN dolor sit amet, consectetur

INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS BRING THE FUTURE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS Donec posuere vehicula risus, vel luctus sapien pretium

in. Proin vel mauris non elit dapibus. p # 11

Intel

Emerson Network power

Microsoft

Intelligent Systems: Connecting Data, Devices & People

Expanding OpenVPX Portfolio for Complete Solutions

Intelligent Systems: Connecting Data, Devices & People

AMD

AMD Embedded G-Series SOC Platform

microsoft

What Are Your Devices Telling You?

Advantech

Blood Lab Information System Increases Hospital Efficiency

ATP

Removable NAND Storage in Industrial Applications

Avnet, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, is one of the world’s largest industrial distributors of electronic components, enterprise computing and storage products and embedded subsystems, creating a vital link in the technology supply chain. Avnet connects over 300 of the world’s leading electronic component and computer product manufacturers and software developers with a global customer base of more than 100,000 customers.

About Avnet In addition to its core distribution services, Avnet markets, adds value and creates demand for the products of the world’s leading electronic component suppliers, enterprise computing manufacturers and embedded subsystem providers. The company brings a breadth and depth of service capabilities, such as supply-chain and design-chain services, logistics solutions, product assembly, device programming, and computer system configuration and integration. From adding an asset tag all the way to the assembly, integration, configuration and test of complex computing solutions, Avnet offers a complete menu of services to support customer requirements. Avnet has two primary operating groups – Electronics Marketing and Technology Solutions. Both groups have operations in each of the three major economic regions of the world: the Americas; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and Asia/Pacific (consisting of Asia, Australia and New Zealand). With a line card that features more than 300,000 unique parts for sale, Electronics Marketing markets and distributes a broad array of components, including semiconductors, interconnect, passive and electromechanical (IP&E) devices; embedded processing platforms, related peripherals and operating systems and embedded subsystems. Technology Solutions markets enterprise and embedded technology products and services from the world’s premier computer manufacturers and software suppliers. In an effort to leverage the combined embedded technology product and service offerings of Electronics Marketing and Technology Solutions, Avnet created a new Avnet Embedded division. Avnet Embedded integrates the Electronics Marketing and Technology Solutions Americas Embedded Solutions’ offerings, along with the acquired embedded business in North America of Bell Microproducts Inc. This division focuses on providing the most comprehensive suite of embedded solutions available from a distribution partner – from storage, computing, software and networking products, to disk drives, flat panels and embedded boards. It also exemplifies Avnet’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, and a passion for customer service, assuring customers and suppliers that they have chosen the right partner to accelerate their success. For more information about Avnet Embedded, visit www.em.avnet.com/embedded. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Avnet has been in business since 1921 and was incorporated in 1955. Visit www.avnet.com for more information.

ABOUT SYSTEMS INDESIGN This quarterly publication offers insight into the embedded computing industry’s latest technologies, advancements, events and practices. Each issue will feature an informative theme article high-lighting Avnet Embedded’s go-to-market strategy as well as feature articles from our top suppliers and present them in an engaging and interactive online magazine.

SYSTEMS

12.2011

Peace of mind... for you and your customers Avnet helps you develop unmatched security, surveillance and military solutions. p.6 16

ADVANTECH

INTEL

KONTRON

Reliability Performance Under Various Conditions

Digital Security and Surveillance Solution Options

Scalable Platforms Fuel Military Surveillance Applications

MICRON

Replace Your Hard Drive with an Encrypted SSD

SEAGATE

Storage Trends in Video Surveillance

STEC

Fast, Secure and Rugged Storage Solutions

Cover Story

Intelligent by Design

Bringing the Future to Your Customers

Features 4

Appetite for Apps grows among OEMs and ISVs

Intelligent Systems: Connecting Data, Devices & People

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Avnet Embedded

Removable NAND Storage in Industrial Applications

Intelligent by Design â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Intelligent Systems Bring the Future to Your Customers

AMD Embedded G-Series SOC Platform

What Are Your Devices Telling You?

Blood Lab Information System Increases Hospital Efficiency

11 15

Intelligent Systems Framework Provides Foundation for Innovative Shopping Solution Expanding OpenVPX Portfolio for Complete Solutions

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

Avnet Spotlight

Appetite for Apps grows among OEMs and ISVs Jon Parks, Business Development Manager, Embedded Software and Services Group (ESSG) After almost two months of working with OEMs and ISVs to understand how we can help bring their solutions to market faster with software services, one area of surprisingly strong need stands out amongst service requirements — apps. It would be an understatement to say that apps are everywhere these days. Apps have become the single most important key to new device and operating system adoption amongst consumers. You can have the best OS on the planet, but if you don’t have the apps, you’re toast! I was surprised to see such a strong demand from customers in the embedded server, storage and appliance space beginning to crave what we consumer now cannot live without. I wrote previously about how the make vs. buy question is affecting OEMs preference to buy off the shelf all-in-one devices such as Windows, Android or iOS tablets rather than having a device custom built with a display, touch screen, single board computer, power supply, enclosure, etc. The cost advantage to leveraging off-theshelf devices can be very attractive IF the OEM/ISV can get their application to run on such platforms and operating systems. The result has been strong demand for app services in a couple of major areas:

Application Development Many ISVs have engineering teams that are experts in x86 architecture but face the proposition of learning new platforms and operating systems OR hiring new engineers that are familiar with these platforms. This can slow time to market

and prove very costly. Outsourcing to a trusted partner who is already has expertise in this area.

Application Porting Companies who have already invested in in-house or outsourced app development often only support one or two common platforms (usually iOS and/or Android). Avnet’s Software Services experts can port applications from one OS to another to increase adoption of the application and associated hardware from the OEM.

Complimentary Devices Often when thinking about a company selling an appliance running a dedicated application, we don’t think about mobile apps for smart phones or tablets (at least I didn’t until recently). However, we have seen an influx of OEMs and ISVs looking for complimentary or second-screens as a way to interact with their appliances. For example, think of an application that allows doctors to show patients images of their scans or medical records. The tablet is not the primary device but provides an additional value-add feature that in turn can increase demand for the OEMs primary server or storage and software solution.

Input and Control Devices Similar to complimentary devices, input and control touch screens make remove management and access to applications simpler. Many OEMs are leveraging touch screen tablets in industrial automation environments versus old tired bulky, button-controlled device.

Example: The nest thermostat is used to control your air conditioner/heater and is an excellent example. The nest not only uses an LCD screen with a simple one button action to control an appliance (in this case, an air conditioner), but also features a smart phone app for iOS and Android. Now, if only they supported Windows Phone (wait, I know a guy!)… It is for these reasons that OEMs and ISVs are turning to Avnet’s Embedded Software & Services group to reduce time to market while eliminating the fixed costs of adding new headcount. Avnet allows our customers to stay focused on their core solutions while leveraging expert resources to speed time to market for iOS, Windows and Android apps. Read more articles by Jon Parks www.intelligentsystem.com To learn more about Avnet's Embedded Software and Services offering please visit: www.em.avnet.com/essg

Systems inDesign | June 2013

What’s New Avnet Embedded

American Portwell Solutions for Medical Applications American Portwell provides a great selection of embedded computing boards and systems dedicated to a variety of medical applications, including: medical modality instruments; clinical diagnostic instruments; surgical imaging management systems; pharmacy automation; point-of-care devices; ultrasound systems; computer-aided diagnosis and therapy, and healthcare self-service kiosks.

Learn More: em.avnet.com/sid_jun1

SanDisk Enterprise Hardware and Software Solutions Different workloads demand different solutions. The key to achieving increased data and system performance is in understanding the specific application workload. SanDisk now offers a product portfolio of hardware and software enterprise solutions designed to alleviate bottlenecks and maximize performance for traditional and virtualized environments. Learn More: em.avnet.com/sid_jun2

HGST Ultrastar Enterprise Storage Drives TM

Storage architectures that are optimized for performance, capacity, reliability, power, cooling, and tiering can significantly lower a company's TCO even in an environment that's generating more data than ever before. Learning how best to tier, pool, deploy and secure data will enable you to deliver optimal performance and efficiency with reduced system and energy costs. Learn More: em.avnet.com/sid_jun3

HP 3PAR StoreServ 7000 – The only storage architecture you will ever need! The world’s most advanced storage platform has extended its midrange offerings, delivering effortless, efficient, bulletproof, and future proof storage to the entire midrange. With two models and a range of options including support for solid state drives (SSDs) and an all-SSD configuration, HP 3PAR StoreServ 7000 Storage is effortless to install, own, and upgrade. It’s storage that offers the performance and flexibility needed to accelerate new application deployment. Learn More: em.avnet.com/sid_jun4

Advantech Interactive Digital Signage Advantech Ubiquitous Touch Computer (UTC) 5 Series is the solution offers consumer-grade appeal with industrial grade durability. From retail point-of-sale to factory automation, this series of all-in-one computers ensures the successful delivery of dynamic content in any application. Learn More: em.avnet.com/sid_jun5

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

Cover story

Intelligent by Design

Intelligent systems bring the future to your customers According to IDC, intelligent systems are computer-based products that run dedicated applications and autonomously connect to the Internet or other devices, execute native or cloud-based applications, and analyze data collected in real time. Enabled by high-performance and highly programmable microprocessors, graphic processors and Internet connectivity, these systems link objects, processes, information, and people to make an unbelievable difference in the world. Developing products and services that incorporate intelligent systems presents unprecedented opportunities.

Cover story

IDC research indicates that:

Driver's ed

The intelligent systems market of 1.5 billion units in 2012 is already 68% larger than the PC, mobile phone, server, and tablet markets combined.

Intelligent systems will be a $1.4 trillion industry and will ship 2.6 billion units in 2016.

Currently undergoing a trial in Newcastle, UK, is the Compass4D project, a sat-nav system that tells drivers what speed they should travel at to make a series of green lights, as well as divert traffic away from congested roads, construction and accidents. The project aims to increase traffic flow and reduce pollution.

The overall industry is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16 % through 2016.

Disaster clean-up

The most active industries in the intelligent systems market worldwide will be the energy and utilities industry and the healthcare industry, growing respectively at 55% and 45% year on year until 2016.

Some incredible and future-embracing work has been done with intelligent systems recently! Here are some highlights.

Mitsubishi recently introduced a radiation-resistant robot aimed at cleaning up the meltdown-stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant. The MEISTeR (Maintenance Equipment Integrated System of Telecontrol Robot) tankbot is equipped with an array of tools and has electronics that are designed to withstand radiation. Purpose-designed and stripped of all unnecessary items to alleviate maintenance challenges, the tankbot is unique in the fact that it is programmed to improvise rather than to follow a precise series of actions.

Self-driving vehicle

Personal flight

The Robot for Personal Intelligent Transport System — or Ropits — is a self-driving vehicle equipped with sensors and guidance systems that let it traverse sidewalks, paths and roads, avoiding hills, potholes and pedestrians. A touch-screen map linked to a GPS device provides the overall route, which is fine-tuned using 3D laser distance sensors and stereo cameras fixed to the minicar’s front.

Terrafugia Inc., the developer of the Transition® street-legal airplane, has just announced its vision for the future of personal transportation. Aimed for release in the next three years, the TF-X will be a four-seat, vertical takeoff and landing plug-in hybridelectric flying car that incorporates state-of-the-art intelligent systems and fly-by-wire controls to deliver safe, simple and convenient personal aviation.

Exciting recent developments

Personal trainer With sensor-laden, washable socks that can measure basic absolute and shear pressure, you can get information about your stride length and when and where your foot lands when you run. That data can be sent from your socks into the cloud for analysis. Why would you want this? It‘s so you can be notified in real time if you’re running in a manner that would make you prone to injury. You can also access your exercise info later with your smartphone, tablet or PC to see what distance you travelled, how many calories you burned and more!

Early warning For the last three years, the Community Seismic Network has been developing Crowdshake, a system that uses smartphone accelerometers and barometers to provide an earthquake earlywarning system. Sadly, the person with the shaking phone will not be the one who’ll benefit here, but people 100 kilometers away could be given 10 or 20 seconds to find a safe spot to ride out the disaster.

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

Industry expert Jim Pinto believes that this is the next huge leap in productivity because there are major advantages to be derived from the acquisition and organization of previously unthinkable amounts of data. New Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence software (EMI) brings manufacturing-related data together from many sources for reporting, analysis, visual summaries and passing data between enterprise-level and plant-floor systems. Glen Allmendinger has been preaching the technology for more than a decade. He believes that "the biggest challenge will be finding enough new technology and industry players to develop all the applications required for this expanding opportunity. "Application development in this arena is a huge growth opportunity." Particularly hot areas of research and development include intelligent transportation systems, adaptive control technologies, embedded decision systems, evolvable systems, intelligent robotics, adjustable autonomy, distributed and multi-agent systems, goal-level commanding, and planning and scheduling.

Cover story

Vendor partners in this issue Offering the most comprehensive line card in the distribution industry, Avnet Embedded delivers a host of products designed to optimize your intelligent systems solutions, including:

AMD AMD's Embedded G-Series platform now supports Windows Embedded Compact 7, the next generation of the Windows Embedded CE real-time operating system. Windows Embedded Compact 7, paired with AMD Embedded G-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APU), is optimized to deliver feature-rich applications on small, specialized devices for industries such as medical, retail and industrial automation. This enables board, module and system OEMs, among others, to develop a wide range of applications requiring high performance and integrated graphics processing with minimal size, power and cooling constraints.

ATP Electronics Inc. ATP is a leading manufacturer of highperformance, quality memory and storage solutions for the industrial/embedded applications and markets. These include mission-critical applications such as industrial/automation, telecom, medical and enterprise computing where high levels of technical support/expertise, consistency of performance and manufacturing quality are required.

Advantech To meet a range of diverse requirements and certification needs, Advantech provides application-specialized solutions. The company’s industrial-certified products meet unique requirements in a wide range of demanding applications. Advantech’s commitment to enabling an intelligent planet shows not only in outstanding hardware designs but also in software and firmware support.

Emerson Network Power Emerson Network Power is a leading global provider of embedded computing solutions based on open standards. Emerson's expertise enables OEMs in a wide range of industries to develop better products quickly, cost effectively and with less risk. The company's suite of services for embedded computing and power products allows the delivery of critical services and support when and where they are needed.

Intel Together with strategic partnerships and dedicated research and engineering teams, Intel solutions provide a foundation for success for intelligent systems vendors and service providers in the retail, automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, communications, and energy market segments. The Intel Embedded Design Center provides qualified developers direct access to Intel technical content, tools, design support, and community resources in a comprehensive online format.

Microsoft Microsoft's Windows Embedded 8 Standard is a modular operating system that provides enterprises and device manufacturers the freedom to choose which capabilities will be part of their industry devices and intelligent system solutions. Based on Windows 8, Windows Embedded 8 Standard features technologies to create rich, multi-touch experiences that keep customers engaged and employees informed and productive, as well as lockdown tools to ensure it's targeted, secure and consistent.

About Avnet Embedded Software & Services Group Helping OEMs and ISVs build intelligent systems through the magic of embedded software, the Avnet ESSG team mission is to enable its customers around the key attributes of an Intelligent System (security, identity, manageability, connectivity, data analytics and user experience).

Intelligent Systems represents the next era of computing and the ESSG team is committed to taking a leadership position within the Intelligent Systems ecosystem.

Your innovation, backed by the best With Avnet working as your trusted advisor, you can invest in those strengths that set your business apart in the marketplace and turn to us for the rest. Our comprehensive suite of services means that Avnet can support you and address all of your challenges throughout the solution development and sales cycle. We have the tools, training, resources and guidance necessary to bring your innovations to market faster and with increased success.

Avnet design zones Avnet wants to help you become an innovative leader in your industry. Our Design Zones help you stay on top of leading technologies and markets. We created the Design Zones with engineers in mind. Gain quick access to rich product details, selector guides, technical resources and up-to-date industry trends.

Avnet services Our services help grow your revenue by expanding your offerings and enhancing customer service. Click here to find out how to access new markets, new customers, new partners, new technologies and new programs.

We're here to help you succeed Avnet Embedded can ensure that you are ideally placed to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities available in the intelligent systems space. Our many services will help you develop and deliver innovative solutions that will increase the profits and productivity of both you and your customers.

Systems inDesign | June 2013

Design Zones

Instant Access to the Materials & Information You Need As an engineer, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your job to bring innovative products and solutions to market quickly. To help make this happen, Avnet Electronics Marketing has created new Design Zones that bring you instant access to rich product details, selector guides, technical resources and up-todate industry trends in key market areas such as:

Discover the endless possibilities of designing with Avnet!

www.em.avnet.com/designzones

Say hello to the newest advertising medium. It might just say hello back. Say goodbye to the static sign. And say hello to something that can not only be seen, but also touched and experienced. Introducing Intel® Core™ processor-based digital signage solutions. With advanced features like interactivity, rich media and high-definition graphics, it’s an innovative, new medium that engages customers like never before. Watch it change traditional advertising right before your eyes.

Learn more at intel.com/go/digitalsignage.

2011 Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, and the Intel Sponsors of Tomorrow logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

FEATURE

Intelligent Systems Framework Provides Foundation for Innovative Shopping Solution Intel architecture helps retailers to connect and seamlessly manage online and in-store consumer experiences Challenges ``

Retail stores strive to carry diverse product inventories while managing the costs and limitations of physical inventory.

Brick-and-mortar business competes with smartphone comparison shopping in-store.

Connecting and managing disparate in-store devices puts pressure on retail staff and can result in inconsistent consumer experiences.

Solutions

This virtual shopping solution, using the Intel Intelligent Systems Framework-based platform and Intel’s software solution, provides a new and highly engaging in-store experience for shoppers that cannot be equaled on the smaller screens of home PCs or tablets.

Intelligent Systems Framework-based solution provides connection and remote manageability, allowing retailers to focus on providing new experiences.

Analytics give an inside view to customer preferences.

Interactive and connected displays engage customers and amplify brands through social media applications on mobile devices.

Customers experience the products firsthand — virtually through managed displays.

Stores without any physical inventory can sell a variety of readily available major appliances.

When customers are looking for the right refrigerator, washer, or TV, they typically want to see it firsthand, and compare models. For retailers, stocking the right appliances in the right quantities can be extremely challenging. To add to the challenge for retailers, many consumers visit stores to see products, then look up online prices on a smartphone, and make their purchases elsewhere. Intel, working closely with augmented reality specialist YDreams, developed an innovative solution that bridges the gap between online and in-store shopping. With an initial focus on major appliances, this solution, based on the Intel® Intelligent Systems Framework and Intel’s software solution, brings products to life via

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

Intel Intelligent Systems Framework Innovates Retail

interactive in-store signage systems with full-size images on multiple interactive high-definition displays. The powerful display performance, built-in security, and remote manageability, empower retailers to manage multiple devices across multiple locations, enabling consistent messaging to customers. These large interactive visual retail displays eliminate the need for onsite inventory, give customers the hands-on experience they expect, and help keep the sales on premise with in-the-moment social media campaigns that incent purchases with in-store promotions, coupon, and other premiums.

Intel® Intelligent Systems Framework Innovates Retail Empowering Salespeople, Increasing Sales The virtual kiosk does not replace sales associates. Armed with a tablet that mirrors the information on the kiosk, a salesperson has instant access to a wealth of detailed product information, pricing, and up-to-the-minute inventory details. For the customer, the experience provides an engaging way to examine products and compare features. Shoppers can virtually look inside refrigerators, learn about TV controls, and evaluate product features. Customers can easily make side-by-side product comparisons and filter selections based on price, capacity data, energy ratings, and other parameters. Plus, the interface includes an optional “virtual assistant,” designed to provide consumers the assistance they need and make the shopping experience fun.

Intel

Seamlessly Connected and Secured with Powerful Manageability and Analytics With easy and secure integration with existing back office systems, this virtual shopping solution consists of a series of stacks of three 55-inch interactive highdefinition video displays, powered by the Intel® Core™ i5 processor. Each column is connected via the store’s Ethernet network to the retailer’s inventory management system for order fulfillment, inventory management, and customer information. Intel Clear Video HD Technology provides rich, high-resolution, 3D performance that meets the requirements of graphicsintensive signage applications. And Intel® Audience Impression Metrics Suite (Intel® AIM Suite) harnesses the power of anonymous analytics to measure the effectiveness of visual retail messages. The solution adds data collection and audience measurement tools to the visual retail signage network, with privacy protection built in. ®

A significant benefit, this Intel® Intelligent Systems Framework-based virtual shopping solution lets retailers use collected data to better understand how customers interact with products, helping to decide where to place displays, what to stock, and when — all in response to consumer behaviors and demands. This simplifies software updates and enables energy savings.

Inventory Management This solution is revolutionizing inventory logistics and management. Without floor inventory at a store, products can ship either directly from central storage or from the point of manufacture, removing overhead associated with floor space, product damage, staff training costs, and transportation, all of which can lead to higher margins for retailers.

Keeping Sales on Site Intel worked with Betapond to develop a social media component to the kiosk that incents a customer to purchase the product at the retail location. The in-store display amplifies brand messages and retail promotions using social media tools like QR codes, text messages, and short URLs with incentives like loyalty points, discount coupons, and prize drawings for using smartphones in the store.

RETAIL INNOVATION The retail industry is in the midst of a dramatic information revolution that is laying the groundwork for new consumer experiences, enhanced productivity, reduced inventory distortion, and brand optimization. Intel is addressing this transformation with the Intel® Intelligent Systems Framework, which enables retail OEMs to shift their investments from achieving interoperability to unlocking the value of data. The framework features fundamental capabilities, delivered by components that address connectivity, manageability, and security.

A SOLUTION BASED ON INTEL INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS FRAMEWORK The virtual display solution developed for retailers of major appliances was built with the Intel® Intelligent Systems Framework and other Intel® technologies, including the following: ``

Intel® Core™ i5 processor

Intel® Audience Impression Metrics Suite (Intel® AIM Suite)

Intel® Active Management Technology

McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator Agent*

Systems inDesign | June 2013

Intel Intelligent Systems Framework Innovates Retail

This virtual shopping solution, using an Intel® Intelligent Systems Framework-based platform and Intel’s software solution, provides a highly engaging in-store experience for shoppers that cannot be equaled on the smaller screens of home PCs or tablets. The immersive shopping experience helps retailers combine the instant information and product comparisons provided by web-based shopping with the impact and realism of an in-store shopping experience aided by a knowledgeable and serviceoriented sales consultant.

Intel

To learn more about using the Intel® Intelligent Systems Framework, visit www.intel.com/intelligentsystemsframework To learn more about using the Intel® Intelligent Systems Framework to develop solutions for retail, visit www.intel.com/retail

INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH INTEL PRODUCTS. NO LICENSE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, BY ESTOPPEL OR OTHERWISE, TO ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IS GRANTED BY THIS DOCUMENT. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN INTEL’S TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE FOR SUCH PRODUCTS, INTEL ASSUMES NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER, AND INTEL DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY, RELATING TO SALE AND/OR USE OF INTEL PRODUCTS INCLUDING LIABILITY OR WARRANTIES RELATING TO FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR INFRINGEMENT OF ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT. UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED IN WRITING BY INTEL, THE INTEL PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED NOR INTENDED FOR ANY APPLICATION IN WHICH THE FAILURE OF THE INTEL PRODUCT COULD CREATE A SITUATION WHERE PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH MAY OCCUR. Intel may make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time, without notice. Designers must not rely on the absence or characteristics of any features or instructions marked “reserved” or “undefined.” Intel reserves these for future definition and shall have no responsibility whatsoever for conflicts or incompatibilities arising from future changes to them. The information here is subject to change without notice. Do not finalize a design with this information. The products described in this document may contain design defects or errors known as errata which may cause the product to deviate from published specifications. Current characterized errata are available on request. Contact your local Intel sales office or your distributor to obtain the latest specifications and before placing your product order. Copies of documents which have an order number and are referenced in this document, or other Intel literature, may be obtained by calling 1-800-548-4725, or by visiting Intel’s Web site at www.intel.com. Copyright © 2013 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, and Xeon are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

Emerson_VME_Superhero_Ad_pdfx1a.pdf

4/26/13

1:54 PM

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www.Emerson.com/EmbeddedComputing ÂŠ2013 Emerson Electric Co. All names herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

FEATURE

Expanding OpenVPX Portfolio for Complete Solutions VME technology is everywhere, or so it seems. Industrial controls, military and aerospace systems, control systems for theme park rides, a voting system in the parliament of China and a text overlay system for television. VME has even been on Mars with the rovers, one of which is still gathering scientific observations and reporting back to Earth — now for over 37 times its designed lifespan! A relatively new open computing standard is VPX, which brings support for switched fabric technologies to the 3U and 6U Eurocard formats that are most popular with VME users. Like VMEbus, VPX is managed by the VITA industry association — however VPX uses a new high speed connector known as the MultiGig RT2.

While the VMEbus itself has substantial bandwidth, designers have sought faster, dedicated channels for tasks with intensive data movement. Technology roadmap image courtesy of VITA.

This means that VPX boards cannot be used in a standard VMEbus chassis, although the use of hybrid chassis is foreseen by the VPX standard. It maintains support for existing PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC) and XMC mezzanines (PMC with high-speed serial fabric interconnect). Radar and sonar are two major application areas being considered by prime contractors for the adoption of VPX technology along with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensor-based applications. The flexibility provided by VPX allows products to be designed that meet specification requirements yet are incompatible with one another. This makes it difficult for systems integrators to choose products from different companies and get them to interoperate.

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

OpenVPX is the architecture framework that defines system level VPX interoperability for multi-vendor, multi-module, integrated system environments. The OpenVPX framework defines clear interoperability points necessary for integration between module to module, module to backplane and chassis.

First OpenVPX System Emerson Network Power recently announced its first systemlevel OpenVPX fanless enclosure — including power, storage and processor elements — designed to minimize size, weight and power (SWaP) for military, aerospace, commercial and other High Performance Embedded Computing (HPEC) applications.

In the Emerson Network Power VPX3000, two data plane Fat Pipes from each slot are connected in a full mesh configuration. Two control plane Ultra Thin Pipes from each slot are routed to the I/O Adapter Board (IAB) as 1000Base-T interfaces. USB 2.0 and Display Port interfaces are also routed to the IAB.

The Emerson Network Power VPX3000 includes a configurable I/O Adapter Board (IAB) that routes I/O from the payload blades to the front of the enclosure. The VPX3000 accepts up to three 3U conduction cooled OpenVPX modules and includes a VITA-62 compliant AC or DC power supply with a MIL-38999 power input connector and a front panel switch. Eric Gauthier, vice president of product marketing for Emerson Network Power’s Embedded Computing business, commented, “As OpenVPX technology becomes more widely adopted, Emerson Network Power remains committed to providing innovative solutions for OEMs. This is a complex market that demands customization and integrated platforms, and the VPX3000 system enclosure is one of the building blocks in a growing portfolio that enables Emerson Network Power to deliver complete solutions.”

Expanding OpenVPX Portfolio for Complete Solutions

Emerson Network Power

A rugged variant of the VPX300, targeted at military, aerospace and government applications includes three MIL-38999 connectors for I/O from each slot. An alternative variant includes commercial connectors on the IAB and is targeted towards industrial and development applications.

VPX Development Platform Announced at the DesignWest 2013 event in April, in Emerson Network Power’s latest VPX system chassis is designed primarily for development, testing and lab duties. The KR8-VPX-3-6-1 can also be deployed in ground benign installations as it meets Emerson’s standard safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and environmental requirements.

The Emerson Network Power KR8-VPX-3-6-1 backplane features one inch slot pitch and complies with the VITA 65 backplane profile.

Emerson Network Power’s new VPX system chassis accommodates up to five 3U VPX payload blades and associated rear transition modules (RTMs). It is designed to simplify the development of next-generation applications with a range of features including removable side panels for module debugging, AC power input with standard IEC inlet and a top mounted handle that makes it easier for users to move the enclosure. Eric Gauthier continues, “The new VPX-based KR8 chassis is designed to make it as easy as possible for developers to get ahead with their application development.”

New OpenVPX Board for Intelligent Systems Emerson Network Power’s new 3U OpenVPX processor board is designed to provide high compute performance, flexibility, and high speed fabric connectivity for a range of industrial, communication and military/aerospace applications. The iVPX7225 is based on the dual-core third generation Intel® Core™ i7 2.5 GHz processor, featuring the new Intel Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) floating point instructions, with integrated graphics and memory controller and the mobile Intel® QM77 PCH chipset with leading edge I/O functionality.

The Emerson Network Power iVPX7225 combines the significantly improved floating-point performance of the Intel Core i7 processor with the substantial bandwidth and system-enabling features of the 3U OpenVPX form factor.

The Emerson Network Power iVPX7225 is designed to operate in a wide range of OpenVPX enclosures, including the company’s VPX3000 and KR8-VPX-3-6-1 mentioned earlier. On-board memory includes up to 16 GB DDR3L-1600 memory, embedded USB flash, and 1 MByte nonvolatile Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (F-RAM). The iVPX7225 offers both PCI Express high speed data plane fabric connectivity and Gigabit Ethernet control plane connectivity with data transfer rates up to 5 Gbps. Additional connectivity includes three USB 2.0 ports, two serial ports, three SATA ports, eight GPIO, DisplayPort, VGA and one XMC site for maximum flexibility. Eric Gauthier commented, “Many of our customers are developing demanding applications for highly constrained environments in terms of size, weight and power and Emerson Network Power’s iVPX7225 provides an outstanding solution. Available as a fully rugged single board computer for extreme environments with extended shock, vibration, temperatures and conduction or air cooling, it provides an exceptionally versatile platform for a wide range of HPEC applications.” These new VPX and OpenVPX building blocks underline Emerson Network Power’s commitment to having the building blocks in place to be a leading provider of custom and complete integrated solutions in this market.” For more information on Emerson Network Power’s solutions for High Performance Embedded Computing, military, aerospace and industrial applications please contact your local Avnet representative. www.emersonnetworkpower.com

Systems inDesign | June 2013

integRAteD. eMbeDDeD SOlUtiOnS FROM AVnet Design, source, integrate, test, deploy – Avnet does it all. When your core competence is system and software design and time to market is critical, you don’t have time to worry about the make or buy question. Relax. Avnet Embedded offers expert support and a full suite of highly integrated solutions – from storage, computing, software and networking products to disk drives, flat panels and embedded boards. So, before you start pondering that question again, get in touch with the experts at Avnet first. You’ll be glad you did. What can we do for you? www.avnetembedded.com

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FEATURE

Intelligent Systems: Connecting Data, Devices & People An excerpt from a Windows Embedded white paper The planet is growing a central nervous system. Humans, natural systems and physical objects have always generated vast amounts of data. But until recently, even if that data was captured, it was difficult and time-consuming to use and analyze it in an intelligent and useful way.

Gaining Competitive Advantage in IT There are now more things on the Internet than people. The “Internet of Things” means physical objects are seamlessly integrated into the information network, becoming active participants in business processes while still protecting security and privacy. That is one of the major trends in information technology that can drive competitive advantage for enterprises. For modern enterprises, it is no longer adequate to have individual technology solutions for various aspects of their businesses — back-end processing, business applications, data capture and others — that can’t “talk” to one another. Those solutions need to be connected in an intelligent way. The pressure for intelligent connection is also coming from a second major trend — the “consumerization of IT,” in which customers, collaborators, suppliers and employees are all demanding integration of their multiple smart devices onto a uniform platform.

Start with Embedded Systems The route to an intelligent system starts with connecting “embedded systems” that are now well established in both the business and consumer world. IDC forecasts that the volume for embedded systems will outpace any other mainstream system type, reaching 8.9 billion unit shipments by 2015. Indeed, 98 percent of computing devices are now embedded in electronic equipment and machines, vastly outnumbering those on the desktop. They include credit and debit card readers, security and energy systems in homes, sensors for traffic, cars that communicate their location in the event of a crash or theft, and multiple “smart” devices that people use in their business and personal lives. For enterprises, just a partial list includes the mobile devices used by employees, radio tags on products sold to consumers, 18

the registers used to record sales, the sensors that can do everything from tracking shipments to making buildings operate more efficiently, and all the multiple devices that serve as interfaces between a business process and a user, from digital signs to ATMs, manufacturing controllers or X-ray machines.

Data is the New Currency for Business The data generated by those systems can significantly impact business success, but only if it can be accessed, understood, shared, and then acted upon — in a timely fashion and from anywhere. “Data is really the new currency for enterprises,” says Barb Edson, senior director of marketing and business development for Microsoft’s Windows Embedded. “And connectivity is what makes an intelligent system possible.”

Key Attributes of an Intelligent System That kind of data flow and analysis is enabled by Microsoft’s Windows Embedded, a comprehensive suite of operating systems and tools that can help solution providers reduce time to market and improve intelligent system capabilities. Its technology powers embedded systems that enable organizations to increase business process efficiencies and improve customer satisfaction. Microsoft says the kind of intelligent system that delivers sustainable competitive advantage will have six key attributes, which it classifies into two groups: ``

Foundational attributes are identity, security and connectivity. They already exist in current systems, but they must change and improve as intelligent systems evolve.

Advanced attributes are manageability, user experience and analytics. They occur when business adds new capabilities to its devices. While elements of these are still in the early Systems inDesign | June 2013

Intelligent Systems: Connecting Data, Devices & People

stage of the innovation cycle, they are the ultimate goal of an intelligent system. The ability to collect data from the user experience and then analyze it leads to improved products and competitive advantage.

Business Intelligence The benefit of intelligent connectivity is business intelligence: smarter, timely decision making, yielding better productivity and therefore competitive advantage. The value of â&#x20AC;&#x201D; indeed, the necessity for â&#x20AC;&#x201D; intelligent systems can be summed up in a single statistic: The first Internet experience for the next billion users will not be primarily on a PC. They will use mobile devices to browse, social network, entertain and conduct commerce. This means mobile apps will continue to explode. Consumers will have them on multiple devices, and will expect to have the same rich experience on every device they own.

Windows Embedded

Capturing and holding that advantage will take evolution and adaptation of the foundational attributes of identity, security and connectivity. It will take an aggressive pursuit of the advanced attributes of manageability, better user experience and analytics. The benefits of such systems are just beginning to be realized, but they all flow from the ability to collect, communicate and analyze data in ways that will predict customer preferences and behavior, giving the enterprise an ability to be proactive instead of reactive. Windows Embedded makes that possibility a reality. Download the full Windows Embedded Intelligent Systems IDG Whitepaper To read more articles related to Windows Embedded Intelligent Systems, visit www.IntelligentSystem.com

It takes intelligent systems to deliver that experience, and those who do so will gain significant competitive advantage.

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

FEATURE

Removable NAND Storage in Industrial Applications Reliability Concerns and Risk Aversion Tactics Samina Subedar, Marketing Manager, ATP Electronics Removable NAND flash is widely used as digital data storage in both consumer and industrial applications, and SD memory cards as well as SSDs (Solid State Drives) are reliable, high performing form factors. Industrial applications include healthcare, automotive, transportation, and telecommunications where durability and data integrity become crucial in adverse environments. Given the wide usage of removable NAND storage, reliability concerns need to be well understood and the risk aversion tactics must be examined to maximize the ROI of each application.

Challenges

in the firmware level risks controller operations of NAND flash management and thus affects reliability. Furthermore, a controlled ATP BOM provides long product life cycles with buffer inventory support and advance end of line notices. Given that the NAND industry is dynamic, regular forward-looking roadmaps and BOM plan updates are required from the NAND product supplier. Updated roadmaps become critical during the qualification process of the product since they are very likely to change due to market influences and process yield/maturity from the initial qualification.

Most SD memory cards are used in consumer electronics and mobile or digital imaging markets. Products are sold through the retail channel and typically use MLC/TLC technology with inferior endurance, reliability, and sample life. The retail channel is mainly driven by cost, inventory turn, and volume. In this channel scenario, product and supply chain management strategies place little or no importance on BOM control/longevity planning and the basic requirements of industrial applications. Conversely, in industrial applications, wide operating temperature ranges, BOM control, endurance, and sample life are critical features needed for successful implementations and durability. NAND industry trends reflect the importance of SLC industrial requirements through increased longevity and quality with longer transition times between die revisions. Recently, “specialty” MLC (eMLC) products introduced by NAND suppliers focus on extended endurance for enterprise applications. However, these eMLC products can only sustain commercial temperatures ranges (0°C to +70°C) and are not suitable for industrial applications with wide operating range requirements (-40°C to +85°C).

Another risk aversion tactic to consider is NAND die change. Although die shrinks are of benefit for the end user with decreased use of power, space, and cost, the reliability of the NAND flash can decrease (Figure 1-1).

Supply Chain Risk Aversion Tactics

Figure 1-1 illustrates the change from the 34 nm (nanometer) architecture to subsequent 25 nm and 20 nm designs, which have decreased the reliability of flash devices. Given this trend, it is imperative to work closely with NAND product suppliers to determine how changes to architecture can impact the long-term usage model. Attention to this area is key to smooth qualifications and thus smooth transitions in supply chain.

Controlled BOM, Die Changes Several factors must be examined in order to mitigate the risks associated with the supply chain. A controlled Bill of Materials (BOM) is a critical requirement needed for industrial applications. BOM control ensures that the NAND product is controlled to the controller firmware and the firmware setting level. A variation

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

FIGURE 1-1 Reliability and Die Change

Removable NAND Storage in Industrial Applications

Reliability Concerns and Risk Aversion Tactics Read Disturb, Data Retention Read disturb causes data corruption due to accumulated 100K read cycles of MLC or 1M read cycles of SLC on the same page without a rewrite of those cells. Over time, uncorrectable ECC (Error Correcting Code) errors may occur with data loss. This error is very common in read-only applications without regular wear-leveled write operations. In order to circumvent this error, the NAND flash product controller must utilize read disturb detection and avoidance technologies which automatically refresh the NAND before data corruption occurs. ATP NAND flash products execute Static Data Refresh and Auto Refresh technologies to nullify these read disturb concerns. With ATP Static Data Refresh technology, the controller actively monitors the ECC and refreshes the data once a certain threshold is exceeded. With ATP Auto Refresh, the controller automatically refreshes a portion of data blocks during power on. Furthermore, a percentage of write operations can be implemented into the host device usage model for additional risk aversion. Data retention also causes reliability concerns in NAND flash. Inevitably, charge loss occurs over time in the flash memory cell (Figure1-2).

ATP Electronics

incidence of charge loss, a four-prong strategy can be applied for risk aversion. First, a percentage of write operations should be implemented into the host device usage model given that the pre-condition of write/erase cycles is inversely proportional to data retention. Second, an auto power on algorithm should be implemented into the host device to the SD card for controller ECC handling. Also, the susceptibility of corruption due to data retention of the NAND IC utilized should be quantified, including the variance over temperature and in some cases, NAND preconditioning. Lastly, the incidence of charge loss can be reduced by avoiding prolonged storage of the flash device at higher ambient temperatures. ATP fully understands the challenges and risks associated with removable NAND flash storage for industrial use and focuses on mission critical applications. With these risks in mind, ATP employs a full range of risk aversion tactics based on each application usage model to ensure an optimal total cost of ownership.

About ATP ATP Electronics is a leading manufacturer of high performance, high quality and durable NAND flash memory solutions and DRAM memory modules. With over twenty years of experience in service based memory products, ATP continues to focus on mission critical applications such as industrial, telecom, medical and enterprise computing where high levels of technical support, performance consistency and wide operating temperature ranges are required. ATP offers unique flash technologies such as Power Protector, Secure Erase, and the Elevated Temperature Burn In Testing system to screen for SMT related assembly issues and IC infant mortality. ATP also offers extensive supply chain support with controlled/fixed BOMs and long product life cycles, with components sourced from the Micron’s Product Longevity Program with a guaranteed life cycle of up to ten years.

Figure 1-2 Charge Loss in a Flash Cell

As illustrated in figure 1-2, NAND flash storage is comprised of a small building unit, a “cell”, which consists of a single transistor, “control gate” (CG), and lastly a “floating gate” (FG), to store electrons. A strong voltage field is formed by the voltage difference between the drain and the source. The strong electric field enables the electrons to flow between the source and the drain of the cell, made of semi-conductor materials. A large voltage is applied to the control gate, which creates another electric field and causes a proportion of electrons to be stored in the floating gate. Over time, the number of electrons will decrease in the floating gate, causing a charge loss and consequently, data corruption/data loss. To decrease the

For more information please visit the ATP Electronics Web site www.atpinc.com

Systems inDesign | June 2013

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*For details on claim substantiation, visit hp.com/go/proliantgen8_proactive © Copyright 2013 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. Intel, the Intel logo, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

FEATURE

AMD Embedded G-Series SOC Platform Excellent Performance in an Ultra Compact Footprint with Enterprise-class ECC Craig Bryant, Product Marketing Manager, AMD Embedded Solutions Support With the introduction of AMD Embedded G-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) in 2011, AMD set a new bar for multimedia and parallel processing performance, energy efficiency and silicon integration optimized for a new generation of small form factor x86 embedded systems. The combination of a low-power CPU and a discrete-class GPU into a single APU yielded an elegant two-chip platform — comprised of the APU and a companion I/O controller hub — that defied the form factor and performance-per-watt constraints that had previously limited design flexibility for embedded applications spanning digital signage, digital gaming, industrial control and automation, and beyond. With the introduction of the new AMD Embedded G-Series System-on-Chip (SOC) platform, AMD is building on the strength of the G-Series processor architecture to deliver multimedia- and heterogeneous processing capabilities that promise superior performance-per-watt in the low-power x86-capable microprocessor class of products when running multiple industry standard benchmarksi. Designed with breakthrough innovation from CPU to GPU, hardware acceleration and advanced capabilities including enterprise-class errorcorrection code (ECC) memory support, AMD Embedded G-Series SOCs again raise the bar for power-efficient x86 processing agility. Additionally, with the silicon-level integration of the I/O controller hub, AMD G-Series SOCs reduce the two-chip G-Series APU architecture to one single die, yielding a staggering 33% footprint reductionii.

SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE PER WATT AND ENHANCED MULTIMEDIA CAPABILITIES Featuring AMD’s next-generation “Jaguar” CPU core and an enhanced integrated AMD Radeon™ GPU core with frequency increase and instructions per cycle (IPC) improvement, AMD G-Series SOCs — available in dual and quad-core variants — deliver up to a 113% CPU performance improvement compared to AMD G-Series APUs, and a 125% CPU improvement versus Intel Atom when running multiple industry-standard compute-intensive benchmarksiii. New features include enhanced Universal Video Decode (UVD) hardware acceleration (H.264, VC-1, MPEG 2 and June 2013 | Systems inDesign

moreiv) and new video encode capabilities, with enhanced clock gating and C6 ‘deep power down’ capabilities that lower overall power consumption. AMD G-Series SOCs also support remote wireless display capabilities with minimal latencyv. The integrated GPU supports DirectX® 11.1, OpenGL 4.2 and OpenCL™ 1.2vi, enabling high-speed parallel processing and high-performance graphics processing that provides up to 20% improvement over AMD G-Series APUs and 5X improvement versus Intel Atomvii. Support for these computing frameworks affords a host of software development options with advanced graphics APIs, while extending application lifetime thereby helping minimize software development costs and maximize ROI. OpenCL-enabled CPU/GPU parallel processing can be especially beneficial to high-precision applications such as industrial control and automation, security and surveillance, and communications infrastructure, allowing OpenCL APIs to access the integrated GPU with 256 GFLOPS per clock compute power. Meanwhile, seamless DirectX 11 and OpenGL support complements AMD G-Series SOCs’ DisplayPort 1.2-enabled dual independent display capability, providing high-resolution multi-display support that yields stunningly crisp visual experiences for graphicsdriven applications spanning digital signage, digital gaming, thin client and human machine interface (HMI).

SMALLER FOOTPRINT, LOWER POWER, LOWER SYSTEM COSTS With integrated low-power AMD “Jaguar” CPUs and a 33% footprint reduction versus AMD G-Series APUsii, AMD G-Series SOCs are optimized for power and space-constrained applications and can contribute to greater design and cost efficiencies. The reduction of the two-chip APU platform architecture to a single chip streamlines design cycles and can help lower BOM costs with a potential to reduce board layers and simplify power supply design. The low power attributes of the AMD G-Series SOC can also enable fan-less designs, further driving down system costs, helping reduce system noise, and boosting system reliability by eliminating the failure points inherent to moving parts. 25

AMD Embedded G-Series SOC Platform

Offering an array of dual and quad-core performance options and SKUs spanning from 9W to 25W with uniform pin compatibility across the product family, the AMD G-Series SOC platform allows OEMs to utilize a single board design to enable solution scalability from entry level to high end product offerings. This ‘common platform’ design approach may simplify OEMs’ product development business on both the supply and the production sides, which could result in significant cost savings. The AMD G-Series SOCs’ platform design makes possible new levels of performance in small SBC and COMs form factors, enabled in part by the reduction in board layers via the single-chip SOC architecture. This helps designers to more easily and cost-effectively implement the AMD G-Series SOC platform into innovative, small form factor designs such as Pico-ITX, Qseven, PCIe/104, ETX and COM Express. Additionally, the I/O controller integrated within AMD G-Series SOCs offers expansion capabilities to address a wide range of market needs, supporting PCIe®, SATA and other mainstream I/O interfaces.

x86 AGILITY AND ENTERPRISECLASS ERRORCORRECTION CODE Traditionally, ECC support has been limited to power-hungry processor platforms, however, the evolution of a new class of ultra energy-efficient, compute-intensive x86 IT infrastructure and precision control systems makes ECC an increasingly important requirement. The ability of the AMD G-Series SOC platform to support enterprise-class ECC memory distinguishes it as an excellent fit for applications requiring high levels of data integrity without compromising energy efficiency. The rich ecosystem of industry-standard, x86-optimized software, applications, operating systems and development environments readily available to embedded designers contributes to a low total cost of ownership, multi-generation product 26

AMD

The low-power x86 microprocessor class includes: GX-420CA @ 25 W TDP (scored 19); GX-415GA @ 15 W (25), GX-217GA @ 15 W (17), GX-210HA @ 9 W (20), G-T56N @ 18 W (12), G-T52R @ 18 W (7), G-T40N @9 W (14), G-T16R @ 4.5 W (19), Intel Atom N270 @2.5 W (20), Intel Atom D525 @ 13 W (9), Intel Atom D2700 @ 10 W (12) & Intel Celeron G440 @ 35 W (5). Performance score based on an average of scores from the following benchmarks: Sandra Engineering 2011 Dhrystone ALU, Sandra Engineering 2011 Whetstone iSSE3, 3DMark 06 (1280 x 1024), PassMark Performance Test 7.0 2D Graphics Mark, and EEMBC CoreMark Multi-thread. All systems running Windows 7 Ultimate for Sandra Engineering, 3DMark 06 and PassMark. All systems running Ubuntu version 11.10 for EEMBC CoreMark. All configurations used DirectX 11.0. AMD G-Series APU system configurations used iBase MI958 motherboards with 4GB DDR3 and integrated graphics. All AMD G-Series SOC systems used AMD "Larne" Reference Design Board with 4GB DDR3 and integrated graphics. Intel Atom D2700 was tested with Jetway NC9KDL-2700 motherboard, 4GB DDR3 and integrated graphics. Intel Celeron system configuration used MSI H61M-P23 motherboard with 4GB DDR3 and integrated graphics. Intel Atom N270 system configuration used MSI MS-9830 motherboard with maximum supported configuration of 1GB DDR2 (per http://download.intel. com/design/intarch/manuals/320436.pdf,) and Intel GM945 Intel Atom D525 used MSI MS-A923 motherboard with platform integrated 1GB DDR3 and integrated graphics. EMB-36

longevity and greater investment protection for systems based on AMD G-Series SOCs. Providing x86 computing agility with enterprise-class features like ECC, AMD G-Series SOCs help provide tight integration with enterprise IT networks, Internet backbone infrastructure and x86based distributed control systems, which introduces additional benefits for the myriad applications hosted on these networks.

DESIGNED FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE AT LOW POWER AMD Embedded G-Series SOCs build on the strength of the AMD G-Series APU architecture to provide an array of performance and power options and enhanced multimedia capabilities via a single scalable architecture — in 33% less space as compared to the AMD G-Series two chip platformii. This improvement is made possible by the seamless single chip integration of CPU, GPU and I/O controller. Delivering up to a 113% performance improvement compared to AMD G-Series APUs when running multiple industrystandard compute-intensive benchmarksiii, with ECC support and available dual and quad-core configurations, AMD Embedded G-Series SOCs liberate embedded designers to achieve new levels of system performance and HD multimedia versatility in ultra compact form factors.

AMD G-Series SOC FT3 BGA package dimension 24.5mm x 24.5mm = 600.25mm2 SOC; AMD G-Series APU FT1 and Controller Hub two chip platform: 19 mm x 19 mm + 23 mm x 23 mm = 890 mm2; 33% improvement. EMB-40

iii AMD GX-415GA scored 209, AMD G-T56N scored 98, and Intel Atom D525 scored 93, based on an average of Sandra Engineering 2011 Dhyrstone, Sandra Engineering 2011 Whetstone and EEMBC CoreMark Multi-thread benchmark results. AMD G-T56N system configuration used iBase MI958 motherboard with 4GB DDR3 and integrated graphics. AMD GX-415GA system configuration used AMD "Larne" Reference Design Board with 4GB DDR3 and integrated graphics. Intel Atom D525 system configuration used MSI MS-A923 motherboard with platform integrated 1GB DDR3 and integrated graphics. All systems running Windows 7 Ultimate for Sandra Engineering and Ubuntu version 11.10 for EEMBC CoreMark. EMB-37 iv AMD does not necessarily provide a license to the intellectual property relating to H.264, MPEG and other related technology. v Remote display capability refers to Wireless Display which can be over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. vi OpenCL 1.2 currently supported in the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows 7; Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 7; Microsoft Windows 8; Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 8; Linux (AMD Catalyst drivers). OpenGL 4.2 currently supported in the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows 7; Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 7; Microsoft Windows 8; Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 8; Linux (AMD Catalyst drivers). Ongoing support options TBA. vii Based on performance evaluation of AMD G-Series SOC model GX-415GA vs. AMD G-Series APU model G-T56N; and vs. Intel Atom model D525 and D2700 while running Sandra Engineering 2011 Dhrystone benchmark. EMB-38

For more information about AMD Embedded G-Series SOCs visit www.amd.com/g-series

The AMD Embedded G-Series System-onChip combines low-power CPU, advanced GPU and I/O controller into a single device. You can find an introductory video about this exciting new addition to the embedded marketplace at http://youtu.be/ LCFLqBgX4Ac. Systems inDesign | June 2013

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FEATURE

What Are Your Devices Telling You? How to Leverage Your Intelligent Systems to Improve Customer Service & Increase Sales An excerpt from a Windows Embedded white paper Keeping customers satisfied and coming back to do more business has never been more challenging for companies. Consumers expect fast, efficient and high-quality service, whether they are buying a new home appliance, opening a bank account, getting a checkup at the doctor’s office or purchasing a new insurance policy. A 2012 survey by Accenture Global queried 10,000 consumers in 27 countries, two-thirds of respondents said they switched companies as a result of poor customer service. Imagine if six out of every 10 of your customers left you for a competitor. What sort of impact would that have on your business?

Demands of Today’s Business Environment Clearly, companies have to go out of their way today to ensure that they’re doing all they can to best serve their customers. That includes easing the process of buying goods and services, making returns and getting answers to questions. Consumers in today’s fast-paced environment are often in a hurry, and they are likely to be happier when they get quality service quickly and effectively. Anyone who has gone shopping during a busy time such as the holiday season knows what it’s like to have to wait in a long line to buy an item or to search in vain for a salesperson to get information about a certain product. Emerging technology trends such as intelligent systems can drive improved service and experiences and help companies strengthen their relationships

with customers so they will want to come back to do more business. A multitude of smart, connected devices are already having a big impact on consumers’ lives, and there is a shift under way from smart devices to this new trend of intelligent systems.

Intelligent Systems: A Smart Way to Leverage Data These devices, and many others like them, are increasingly becoming connected to other devices, servers and analytics software to become the new intelligent systems that create richer and more valuable insights than ever for organizations. Technology such as Windows Embedded extends the power of the Windows operating system and the cloud to these sophisticated devices that fuel intelligent systems. Consisting of operating systems, tools, and systems and services, the Windows Embedded family of solutions allows organizations to improve the services they are delivering to customers and realize tangible, realtime benefits through anytime, anywhere access to executable data. Much of this intelligent systems technology is not new; Microsoft has been providing these types of embedded solutions for several years. But for many enterprises, the deployment of intelligent systems is a new concept, and the emergence of the cloud and more powerful processors in recent years has greatly helped to enhance the capabilities and business value of these systems.

In January 2012, Microsoft commissioned Forrester Research to examine the total economic impact and potential return on investment (ROI) that enterprise retailers might realize by deploying Windows Embedded operating systems in their front-of-store retail devices as well as their back-of-store operations and management devices. These include point-of-sale systems, informational kiosks, self-service checkouts, digital signage, handheld terminals, and other related devices and systems.

Overall, the study found that the investment in Windows Embedded provided a positive ROI of 48%, with a payback in about 17 months. “For enterprise retailers, the inherent value of an intelligent system that uses Windows Embedded technology is that it can capture, track and manage the data that is collected on the devices,” the Forrester report notes. “They can then use that data to make better decisions as well as to glean deep insight and business intelligence. Intelligent systems represent what many expect will be the future of business.”

IT Must Take the Lead, With Support from Business Leaders Intelligent systems are technology solutions, so IT leaders must drive the move toward their implementation within their organizations. Gartner has noted that the changing shape of IT is causing CIOs to question the role of IT in the organization and the part they will play in it. This is especially true as enterprises

Systems inDesign | June 2013

What Are Your Devices Telling You?

confront global economic uncertainty, changing market dynamics and cultural discontinuities created by technological innovation, the research firm said. We are seeing “the emergence of a new generation of CIOs, one that aims not so much to ‘run’ IT as to ensure that the business achieves strategic value from the use of technology,” Gartner has said. “Although this isn’t an entirely new development, the extent of the change is growing, and a tipping point will be reached in the next five years.” Because intelligent systems have such a direct impact on the business, IT executives need to work closely with business leaders in areas such as marketing, sales, customer service, distribution, purchasing, product development, human resources and other disciplines to determine how intelligent systems can best be deployed and used in their organizations. To get started with an intelligent systems strategy, IT executives should thoroughly research the opportunities and available

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

Microsoft

technology solutions — leveraging resources such as case studies and white papers — and share this knowledge with other decision-makers. They should then work with business leaders to develop a formal plan outlining their organization’s goals for deploying intelligent systems wherever it makes business sense to do so.

Become the Market Leaders of Tomorrow Intelligent systems offer boundless possibilities for enterprises to gather and use information to better understand customer behavior and as a result better serve their customers. Embedded solutions such as intelligent systems can extend enterprise software and cloud services out to commonly used devices.

For organizations looking to gain an edge in a fiercely competitive market, intelligent systems offer much potential. Companies that don’t take advantage of the technology risk squandering a huge opportunity. Those that deploy intelligent systems in new and innovative ways give themselves an opportunity to be highly relevant to customers and to become the market leaders of tomorrow. Download the complete Windows Embedded Intelligent Systems whitepaper to read success stories for the Retail, Hospitality and Healthcare industries. To read more articles related to Windows Embedded Intelligent System, visit www.intelligentsystem.com

There are two main ways organizations can innovate via intelligent systems. One is by using the systems to gather and harness data in new ways, and the other is by delivering exciting new experiences for customers, employees and business partners.

FEATURE

Blood Lab Information System Increases Hospital Efficiency Introduction The Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan was founded by missionaries in 1954. It has 539 beds, 990 employees, and offers a full-range of services to the community. The hospital is bordered by the Pacific on one side and mountains on the other, and its reputation spans the entire east coast. It is a premier healthcare provider for Taiwan’s eastern communities with patients coming from the city, from far away villages, and from other more distant cities in the region. The reason for this is due in part to the hospital’s core ethics: it values community and providing caring service more than profit and turnover rates. People often travel a great distance to get to the hospital and cannot return for a second visit. So, the hospital goes out of its way to serve those patients on the spot in a single visit. For the hospital, efficiency and quality are key concerns, and medical personnel were looking for a way to improve response while enhancing accuracy for patients in the hospital’s blood laboratories.

Solution A software integrator has developed an intuitive, touch-based laboratory information system for the blood lab that works flawlessly with Advantech’s HIT-W151 healthcare terminal. Five of the touch-based systems have been installed in the lab. They are equipped with barcode scanner, IC card reader and camera. A staff member can access the system after positive identification is confirmed with a swipe of an ID card. The patient uses a checkin slip issued by the doctor which is scanned with the barcode reader. This gives lab personnel access to the patient’s record, blood work ordered, doctor’s instructions, and other vital data. HIT-W151 was chosen because it offers an all-in-one solution; it has a slim profile with cable management system that minimizes its space on the desk; and the touchscreen and software application are easy for lab technicians to use. What’s more, HIT-W151 is UL60601-1/EN60601-1 and IP65-certified; it is easy to clean, dust and water-resistant, and conforms to medical standards.

System HIT-W151 is a fanless all-in-one system powered by an Intel® Atom™ D510 processor that uses low-power while delivering high performance. The full-flat 15.6” touchscreen offers a 16:9 natural viewing area. HIT-W151 was attached to a desktop stand at the Mennonite Christian Hospital using standard VESA mounts; both 75 x 75 mm and 100 x 100 mm are available. The cables, conveniently tucked away, kept the desktops clean, and connected the systems via Ethernet to the hospital’s LAN network and HIS system. Options available for HIT-W151 include an RFID reader, a Smart card reader, a barcode scanner, camera, and magnetic stripe reader. The system is used to access patient information, blood testing data, and also has access to the queuing system at the lab’s entrance to keep track of patients in the hospital waiting area.

Systems inDesign | June 2013

Blood Lab Information System Increases Hospital Efficiency

Advantech

` `Unique,

space-saving design with clutter-free cable management

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total solution with hardware, software and ongoing support

The hospital is happy with HIT-W151 in their blood lab. In the near future they will begin using the integrated camera to create a video record of patient/staff interactions to assist in dispute resolution or insurance claim requests. In addition, the hospital is looking at other Advantech digital healthcare solutions for the future, including computerized mobile nursing carts and digital signage systems.

Benefits The result of Mennonite Christian Hospital’s project has been good. Many benefits have been realized including: ``

Increased efficiency for hospital staff

Faster and more in-depth analysis available to patients

Increased safety and reduction in errors

Real-time access to hospital information systems and patient data

Creation of an electronic medical record (EMR) which is fast becoming a regulatory norm

June 2013 | Systems inDesign

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