Diamond Systems unveils PCI/104-Express single board computer

MOUNTAIN VIEW, USA: Diamond Systems, developer of compact, rugged, I/O-rich embedded computing solutions for a broad range of real-world applications, now offers Atlas, a rugged PCI/104-Express single board computer (SBC) based on Intel's dual core Cedar Trail N2800 CPU.

Offering a speed of 1.86 GHz and dual core hyperthreading technology that enables applications to run in parallel, the new SBC provides exceptionally efficient processing. The Atlas SBC combines excellent Intel Atom CPU performance, a wealth of on-board I/O and a conduction cooled thermal solution at a competitive price.

Its rugged design makes it exceptionally reliable in harsh applications including industrial, on-vehicle and military environments.

Available I/O includes USB 2.0, RS-232/422/485, Gigabit Ethernet, SATA and digital I/O. Atlas supports I/O expansion with PCI-104, PCIe/104, PCI/104-Express and PCIe MiniCard I/O modules.

Atlas uses a new miniature, cost-effective, high-speed expansion connector that supports most PCIe/104 I/O modules. This design helps keep the cost of Atlas low, while increasing the PCB area available for other I/O features.

Thanks to a dual-use PCIe MiniCard/mSATA socket, the board can accommodate newer I/O modules in the PCIe MiniCard form factor featuring WiFi, Ethernet, analog I/O, digital I/O and CAN. These modules provide compact expandability without increasing the total height of the system. For rugged applications, mSATA disk modules up to 64 GB are available in SLC and MLC technologies and with wide temperature operation.

Atlas SBCs run Linux, Windows Embedded Standard 7 and Windows Embedded CE operating systems. A Linux software development kit is available with bootable images and drivers enabling engineers to start a design project right out of the box.

The Atlas SBC was specifically designed for rugged applications. From an operating temperature of -40 degrees C to +75 degrees C and on-board DDR3 SDRAM to an integrated conduction cooling heat spreader and a high tolerance for shock and vibration, Atlas thrives in harsh environments. The bottom-mounted heat spreader provides a convenient mounting platform for the board, reduces case interior temperatures for improved system reliability, and simplifies the installation of I/O modules and cables by eliminating interference from heat sinks.