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Arrow Electronics and Exor launch IoT edge platform for smart factories

Arrow Electronics has collaborated with Exor Embedded to create gigaSOM gS01, a full production design and an additional development kit featuring a high-performance, energy-efficient system on module (SOM) for IoT edge deployments.

The SOM combines the power and efficiency of the Intel Atom E3900 processor series with the flexibility of an Intel Cyclone 10 GX FPGA, connected with a high-bandwidth dual-lane PCIe interface to create a unified high-performing engine.

gigaSOM gS01 is a combined X86 CPU and Intel high-speed FPGA design on a single system on module.

With Intel’s time-coordinated computing (TCC) technology in the CPU, support for IEEE 802.1 time-sensitive networking (TSN) in the FPGA reference design, and loaded with a real-time IoT stack, the gigaSOM gS01 ensures determinism for managing synchronised and real-time smart-factory applications.

The board can consolidate multiple devices such as industrial PCs, HMI controllers, and PLCs in a single module.

Support for MQTT (MQ Telemetry Transport) and OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) lightweight protocols lets users connect easily with Corvina Cloud – Exor’s sensor-to-cloud platform – for collecting machine IoT data and orchestrating industrial assets.

Corvina Cloud provides resources such as machine model instances on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) basis and has features to help users derive visual trends and analytic apps leveraging collected data.

With the Intel Atom E3900 CPU series, the board delivers high performance per Watt. In addition, Intel SpeedStep technology dynamically adjusts the operating voltage and frequency to optimise efficiency at any CPU loading.

Users can take advantage of extensive graphics features including Intel HD Graphics 500, DirectX and OpenGL support, and Intel Clear Video HD Technology, and DisplayPort, eDP, HDMI, and MIPI-DSI outputs to connect up to three displays.

The board provides multiple high-speed interfaces including two USB2.0, two USB3.0, and two SATA3 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, PCIe, six 10Gb FPGA transceivers, and 34 LVDS pairs. There are also SMBus, multiple I2C, CAN, and SPI connections. Both the microprocessor and FPGA feature plentiful GPIOs.

The gS01 SOM is available with four configurations, giving developers a choice of E3930 processor with or without an 85,000 logic-element Cyclone 10 GX FPGA or E3940 processor with or without 220,000 logic-element Cyclone 10 GX. Memory options include 4GB or 8GB DDR RAM, 32GB or 64GB flash disk, and 64KB FRAM.

The module has a low profile of just 4.9mm and measures 81.6mm x 54mm, allowing creation of slim and compact products.

The FPGA and CPU are soldered directly to the board to maximise reliability and ruggedness, making the module an excellent choice for 24/7 operation and deployment in hostile environmental conditions across the temperature range -40°C to 85°C.

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