Single-board computers (SBCs) are complete computers built on a single circuit board. The design is centered on a single or dual microprocessor with RAM, IO and all other features needed to be a functional computer on the one board. The first true single-board computer (see the May 1976 issue of Radio-Electronics) called the "dyna-micro" was based on the Intel C8080A, and also used Intel's first EPROM, the C1702A. The dyna-micro was re-branded by E&L Instruments of Derby, CT in 1976 as the "MMD-1" (Mini-Micro Designer 1) and was made famous as the example microcomputer in the very popular 8080 "BugBook" series of the time. SBCs also figured heavily in the early history of home computers, for example in the Acorn Electron and the BBC Micro. Other typical early single board computers were often shipped without enclosure, which had to be added by the owner, examples are the Ferguson Big Board and the Nascom. With the development of PCs there was a sharp shift away from SBC, with computers being constructed from a motherboard, with functions like serial ports, disk drive controller and graphics being provided on daughterboards. The recent availability of advanced chip sets providing most of the I/O features as embedded components allows motherboard manufacturers to offer motherboards with I/O traditionally provided by daughterboards. Most PC motherboards now offer on-board support for disk drives including IDE and SATA with RAID, graphics, Ethernet, and traditional I/O such as serial and parallel ports, USB, and keyboard/mouse support. Plug-in cards are now more commonly high performance graphics cards (really graphic co-processors), high end RAID controllers, and specialized I/O cards such as data acquisition and DSP (Digital Signal Processor) boards.
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Recorder and Signal Conditioner Team for Rugged Duties When you can integrate any technology down to a significantly smaller size and weight, sometimes that opens up a wholeRead More...
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Next-Gen Processor Technology Redefines Compute Density
The demands of today's advanced military applications require system architects to constantly push the design envelope. These demands are coming from multiple fronts. The militaryRead More...

Gigabit Ethernet Switch Rides 3U CompactPCI
Ethernet is now firmly entrenched in the mindshare of military system developers. It’s useful both as a networking technology and as a high-speed data plane interconnect fabric.Read More...

Stand-Alone Rugged Boxes Fine-Tune their Feature Sets
A trend has been building in the past couple of years where traditional embedded board vendors are adding stand-alone rugged box-level systems to their military market offerings. TheseRead More...

COTS Products
3U cPCI Board and Rack Family Satisfies Extreme Thermal Needs CompactPCI, particularly in its 3U flavor, is no longer the new kid on the block in the military market. It’s paidRead More...

FPGA Implementations Sometimes Need a Coprocessor
FPGAs are the de facto choice for military algorithm processing in land- , sea- and air-based platforms. They’ve increasingly replaced stand-alone DSPs because FPGAs offerRead More...

Fabric-Based Strategy Doubles Up on UAV Payload Functions
In recent years, the aerospace industry, particularly in the military market, has seen the proliferation of UAV in a variety of end-use applications. The applications now includeRead More...

PCI/104-Express, PC/104 and EPIC SBCs Roundup
SBC Provides Right-Sized PC/104 Solution PC/104 has always shined in defense applications that need a modest amount of computer power. Adlink Technology has released the AmproRead More...

COTS Products
Controller Adds Graphics to StackableUSB USB for years went underutilized in military embedded applications. That’s starting to change as uses from the technology presentRead More...

Rugged Boards Push the Performance/Power Envelope
Compute-density has become the watchword in many segments of military system design. More and more programs are pushing for as much computer processing muscle as can possibility fitRead More...

OpenVPX Boards Roundup
FPGA and TigerSHARC Share 3U VPX Board FPGAs and DSPs have different strengths when it comes to the signal processing muscle they provide. BittWare has brought together the bestRead More...

Conduction Cooling Arms Stackable SBCs for Small UAV Duty
A significant challenge facing Ultra-Small UAV and Light Vehicle military system designers is the removal of heat from embedded computers. Fanless, sealed enclosures are usuallyRead More...

Caged Cards versus Rugged Box-Level Systems
Companies in the military and aerospace industries compete for business, but they are united in the goal of providing our warfighters the best possible advantage. In aircraft andRead More...

PC/104 Camp Ropes in Multiple Interconnect Schemes
PC/104 and all of its follow-on variants continue to hold an established position in military embedded systems. Now, as PCI Express and USB make their way into the PC/104 universe,Read More...

COTS Products
Quad-Core Intel Xeon-Based VME SBC The multicore trend has swept through the military embedded computing industry, and military system developers are embracing it with open arms.Read More...

VPX Trade-Offs: Getting to Common Backplanes
The first wave of “beachhead” innovators and early adopter customers for VPX (VITA 46) boards and subsystems quickly established the preeminence of the architecture. They wereRead More...

Multicore Boards Roundup
6U CompactPCI Boards Sport Quad Core Xeons The multicore trend has hit all levels of processor families, and the Xeon is no exception. Concurrent Technologies has released theRead More...

Small Form Factor Boards Roundup
COM Express Module Targets Graphics-Intensive Apps COM Express is rapidly becoming the non-backplane standard of choice for new military system designs. A new Computer-on-ModuleRead More...

VME Tech Refresh Programs Abound
Often filling the role as the “cash cow” of the military embedded computer business, slot-card technology upgrade programs are continuing to do brisk business. That ability to insertRead More...

The Customer Shall Judge
As a member of the trade press I can’t hide a little bit of glee when controversies erupt in the standards-based embedded computer industry. That stuff never fails to provide juicyRead More...

FPGA Processing Boards Roundup
PMC Uses Virtex 5 FPGA for Speedy I/O Processing At one time FPGAs served merely as glue logic interfaces. Now they function as complete processing engines. Acromag’s PMC-VFXRead More...

COTS Products
Advanced Low-Power PMC Supports Dual Graphics Heads A blend of graphics and video performance is vital for advanced sensor fusion, image/frame capture and recording inRead More...

COTS Products
BGA Adapters Adapt 0.50 mm Devices to 1.00 mm Boards Keeping up with and mitigating the impact of component obsolescence is a constant challenge in the military industry. ICs oftenRead More...

EPIC-sized SBC features Core 2 Duo and SUMIT
EPIC-Sized SBC features Core 2 Duo and SUMIT connector New performance levels in an EPIC-sized SBC have been achieved with the integration of the new Intel Core2 Duo (model P8400) 45Read More...

Technology Focus: Conduction-Cooled cPCI Boards
Rad-Tolerant SBC Boasts Low Operating Power Space-based applications require a level beyond the typical definition of ruggedness. Aitech Defense Systems offers aRead More...

CompactPCI Embedded Board Supports DisplayPort Standard
A variety of military applications have stepped up their demand for sophisticated graphics as net-centric information sharing has become a priority. Kontron offers a 3U CompactPCIRead More...

Small Form Factor Realm Churns out Boards and Standards
Small embedded computers—in both standard and non-standard form factors—are in high demand for military applications that are extremely space- or weight-constrained or whereRead More...

Space-Qualified Boards and ICs Satisfy Rad Hard Needs
Electronic systems designed for space face unique requirements over and above those of any typical military application. Satellites designed for space missions, for example, have toRead More...

AMCs Expand MicroTCA's Military Potential
Modern warfare systems must expertly blend issues of ruggedness, flexibility, mobility and high-end processing with the need for standards-based solutions that can be developed andRead More...

SUMIT Interconnect Spec Revamps Small Form Factor Landscape
Designers of high-performance embedded systems need to incorporate growing numbers and types of I/O in smaller and smaller off-the-shelf and semi-custom boards, while keeping theirRead More...

1U Rackmount Boards Serve Up a Diverse Array of Solutions
1U Blade Server computing solutions and other 1U rackmount boards are rapidly finding a niche in a variety of military applications such as SATCOM-On-the-Move systems. Now thatRead More...

1U Rackmount Servers Feed High-Density Computing Needs
Government organizations deploy a vast array of servers for mission-critical applications in a wide variety of networks—including enterprise computing, field operations, command andRead More...

Small UAV Tap the Rich Variety of Embedded Options
UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) were originally developed to take the soldier out of harm's way and have come a long way since the days of "large" surveillance drones like the PredatorRead More...

VPX, VXS and VME SBCs Roundup
VME SBC Boasts Latest Low-Power Core2 Duo Processor Perhaps the greatest triumph of VME is its capability to maintain backward compatibility while remaining suited to incorporatingRead More...

COM Express Sports 2 GHz i7 Processor
Gone are the days of a long gap between when a mainstream processor emerged and when it made its way into the military embedded board realm. Exemplifying that trend, several vendorsRead More...

Rugged Stand-Alone Box System Roundup
Rugged System Features Military Connectors The stand-alone rugged box trend has touched nearly every corner of the military embedded computer market. ADLINK Technology, for its part,Read More...

XMC and PrXMC Roundup
Rugged 10 Gbit Ethernet XMC Sports Dual Front-Panel Interfaces The military has completely embraced Ethernet both as a network technology and as a fabric interconnect scheme. WithRead More...

Systems Issues Drive VME, VXS and VPX SBC Trends
The military is hungry to put VPX to work in both new and legacy/upgrade programs. System developers are attracted to the increased potential bandwidth, level-2 maintenance features,Read More...

Atom-Based Series of Fanless, Cable-Free Rugged I/O Platforms
Atom-Based Series of Fanless, Cable-Free Rugged I/O Platforms A series of rugged and fanless I/O platforms based on the Intel Atom N270 are targeted for providing rugged I/O solutionsRead More...

ETX 3.0 Module Combines Core 2 Duo Performance with Legacy I/O
ETX 3.0 Module Combines Core 2 Duo Performance with Legacy I/O A series of ETX 3.0-compliant computer-on-module (COM) products is based on Intel’s LV and ULV Core 2 Duo and Core DuoRead More...

Technology Focus: Rugged Box-Level Systems Roundup
Small Core Duo Box Has PC/104 I/O Expansion The concept of the “stand-alone rugged” box has infiltrated the military embedded market in a big way. The latest example is ACCES I/ORead More...

Energy-Efficient Processor Family Targets 1-Watt Video-Enabled Devices
Small electronic devices are in the mix of the most advanced military devices under development. A product family of energy-efficient embedded processors provides a small form factorRead More...

Type II Compact COM Express Has Dual Core CPU
A new (95 mm x 95 mm) Type II Compact COM Express is based on Intel Atom processor N450 (single core), D410 (single core) and D510 (dual core). Called the PCOM-B215VG from AmericanRead More...

Evaluating Tech Upgrade Paths: OpenVPX vs. RACE++
Many designers and developers of deployed military embedded systems require a significant leap in embedded computing performance to support rapidly advanced sensing and imagingRead More...

Intel Architecture Invades Embedded DSP Arena
Floating point processors are an essential component of military digital signal processing (DSP) systems. For approximately the last ten years, the evolving series of PowerRead More...

1.4 GHz Freescale 7448 VME Board Addresses Radar/Sonar Needs
1.4 GHz Freescale 7448 VME Board Addresses Radar/Sonar Needs Demanding applications such as radar, sonar, image processing and communications all have something in common: they have aRead More...

Fanless Pico-ITX Board Sports VIA Nano Processor
Fanless Pico-ITX Board Sports VIA Nano Processor Compact, low-power, fanless SBCs are just what the doctor ordered in deployed military systems. VIA Technologies offers the VIARead More...

VPX and VXS Strike a Balance of Choices for Designers
Developers of high-performance embedded computing systems for defense must satisfy both tactical and technical requirements of the programs they serve. Since the life cycle of mostRead More...

1U Rackmount Appliance Serve Core2 Quad Processor
1U Rackmount Appliance Serve Core2 Quad Processor The 1U server form factor has secured a key niche among military system designers. It provides a compact computing solutionRead More...

First UltraSPARC T2-Based VPX Board Rolls
First UltraSPARC T2-Based VPX Board Rolls This is truly becoming the year of VPX as vendors roll out many types of VPX products for military applications. Themis Computer hasRead More...

3U OpenVPX Systems Available as Air- and Conduction-Cooled
3U OpenVPX Systems Available as Air- and Conduction-Cooled Two OpenVPX-compliant 3U development systems cover both air- and conduction-cooled projects. Just announced by ExtremeRead More...

COTS Products
0.3 mm Pitch Sockets Support Devices Up to 6.5 mm2 Keeping up with the fast moving pace of IC packaging technology is a tough challenge for the military market. FortunatelyRead More...

OpenVPX Development System Comes Preconfigured
OpenVPX has turned VPX technology into a more well-defined embedded computing architecture suited for military applications. Concurrent Technologies announces two low-cost,Read More...

SBC Offers A/D Channels, PC/104 Expansion
Board-level functionality that used to require a box full of slot-cards is now possible in a board the size of a napkin. Along such lines, Diamond Systems offers a series ofRead More...

Rugged Single Slot Graphics Solution Rides VME
Applications such as digital mapping need to render significant amounts of graphics data in close to real time. And distributed aperture sensors need to acquire and process substantialRead More...

Quad-Core Blade Server Boasts Thermal Shell Enclosure
The principle barrier to higher compute density in modular electronic packaging is the cooling and mechanical stabilization of high dissipation devices, most notably the new breed ofRead More...

OpenVPX Flourishes as it Readies for Prime Time
The goal of bringing together advanced switch fabric interconnects and all the features of a modern, rugged embedded computer architecture, is finally happening in the form of OpenVPX.Read More...

PC/104 and PC/104-Family Boards Roundup
Rugged EPIC SBC Features SUMIT Expansion The SUMIT interconnect scheme provides an innovative way to aggregate a variety of I/O types onto a compact connector. Marrying that ideaRead More...

COTS Products
3U VPX SBC Sports Freescale MPC 8640D Processor There have been only a handful of SBC vendors so far that have rolled out VPX products. The ones that jumped on board haveRead More...

3.5-Inch SBC Sports New Generation Atom Processor
The Atom processor has caught on like wildfire in military embedded applications where size, weight and power top the list of requirements. Feeding those needs, WINRead More...

StackableUSB Carrier Boards Support SUMIT Spec
The SUMIT connector interface ranks as one of the most innovative approaches to maximized small form factor board space. Micro/sys has added to the growing line of StackableUSBRead More...

3.5-Inch Embedded Board Marries Atom and 2 Gbyte DRAM
The popular Atom CPU, now in its second generation, is finding its way into a variety of embedded board level platforms. Along such lines, American Portwell Technology hasRead More...

MicroTCA Connectors Tested Extreme Conditions
MicroTCA connectors are extremely robust and therefore suitable for use in applications beyond telecommunications. In every situation, the connectors have to guarantee secureRead More...

3U cPCI Card Serves Up FPGA and Atom CPU
FPGAs are now powerful enough to be used alongside general-purpose CPUs as coprocessors. MEN Micro offers a 3U CompactPCI SBC that combines low-power Intel Atom XL processors withRead More...

OpenVPX Module Sports Eight-Core P4080 Processor
Extreme Engineering Solutions has announced the XPedite5470, a high-performance 3U OpenVPX single board computer with Freescale QorIQ P4080 processor. XPedite5470 provides a newRead More...

HALT/HASS Testing Goes Beyond the Norm
The increased focus on network-centric warfare in today's military operations has expanded the use of embedded systems in the deployment of mobile, mission-computing andRead More...

OpenVPX: Cards Dealt, Ready to Play
Hailed as the next-generation fabric-based slot card standard, VPX has had a few rocky years getting started. But over the last year and a half, the goal of bringing together advancedRead More...

Multiple Vendor Fairy Tale
Even the military is following the trend of consumer electronics—more functionality, smaller, less power and cheaper. The only problem is that the military can’t accept a “use it forRead More...

“V” is Going and Coming
So here we go. Vacation time is over and we can once again get more than two people at the same time in a room or on a conference call. That also means that business travel willRead More...

6U VME SBC Sports Freescale MPC8572E Processor
VME remains the most prevalent computing technology in today's legacy military systems. Extreme Engineering Solutions has announced the availability of XCalibur1531, a high-performanceRead More...

The Inside Track
Air Force Reserve Contracts SDS for F-16 Trainer Upgrade SDS International (SDS) has been awarded a multiyear contract to provide a full range of specialized operational and technicalRead More...

Rugged Boxes Step Up to Higher Pre-Integration
The rugged stand-alone box—a term coined by COTS Journal a couple years ago—is now a prominent fixture in the embedded computing industry. These box-level systems often resemble theRead More...

The Case for Blending COM Express and VPX
Many military system developers are starting to transition designs from VME architecture to the VPX standard as next-generation Mil/Aero computing systems require the performance ofRead More...

COM Express vs. PC/104 for Small UAV Systems
With the growing scope of today’s military, UAVs are performing a wider range of functions. Whether designed for reconnaissance, research, armed attacks or search and rescue, theseRead More...

6U Open VPX Intel Quad-Core-based SBC Sports 24-port Ethernet
This year has turned out to be the year of OpenVPX with more new products rolling out than ever before. For its part, Dynatem is now shipping the VPQ, a 6U SBC based on the 6U VPXRead More...

ATX Motherboard Sports Core i5/i7 Processors, Low Power
Aimed at customers who seek significant computing performance and lower power consumption improvements, an industrial ATX form factor motherboard is based on Intel’s Mobile QM57Read More...

Intel Architecture Ups its Appeal for Military Embedded Apps
There used to be a delay-numbered in years-between when the latest and greatest computer microprocessors first rolled out and when they made their way into the embedded computerRead More...

PCIe/104 SBC Leverages New Configurable Atom CPU
Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) are top priorities for today’s military system designer. Low-power processors like the Item Atom are smoothing the way. Kontron has introduced the firstRead More...

OpenVPX Strengthens Its Hand for Military Embedded Designs
Military system developers have long faced a conflicting desire to harness the latest and greatest computing technologies versus the need to mitigate the risks inherent in banking onRead More...

COTS Journal’s OpenVPX Solutions Center
Rugged 6U VPX SBC Has Integrated Onboard I/O Resources Aitech Defense Systems has introduced a rugged 6U VPX SBC that offers the selection between PCI Express and Serial RapidIO.Read More...

Hurdles Fall for Doing Intel x86 DSP on OpenVPX
With Intel’s introduction this month of its new Intel Core i7-2715QE next-generation quad-core processor, the design of x86-based embedded military digital signal processing (DSP)Read More...

COM Express Brings Its Multimedia Muscle to Defense
The Computer-on-Module (COM) concept has found a solid and growing foothold in military embedded systems. COM Express adds high-speed fabric interconnects to the mix. COM boardsRead More...

COM Express Boards Roundup
COM Express Sports 2 GHz i7 Processor Gone are the days of a long gap between when a mainstream processor emerged and when it made its way into the military embedded board realm.Read More...

Mini-ITX Embedded Motherboards Sport Second Gen Intel Core Processors
Emerson Network Power’s latest series of Mini-ITX form factor embedded motherboards supports the new second generation Intel Core i7-2710QE and Intel Core i5-2510E processors, launchedRead More...

Space Qualified ICs and Systems Leap New Hurdles
With the Space Shuttle program over and the commercial space industry taking the baton, the space electronics industry is certainly in a period of transition. Feeding those needs,Read More...

Carrier Landing Modeling System Leverages GPGPU Advantages
Since Intel introduced the 8088 microprocessor and Motorola released their 68000 over 30 years ago, CPUs have been at the forefront of discussions related to computing power. UsersRead More...

SWaP Challenges Drive Small Form Factor SBC Needs
Once playing on the peripheral of military system needs, small form factor boards are now at the center of many key defense applications. The programs include small UAVs, robotics,Read More...

Small Form Factor Boards Roundup
COM Express Sports 2 GHz i7 Processor Gone are the days of a long gap between when a mainstream processor emerged and when it made its way into the military embedded board realm.Read More...

Atom-Based 3.5-inch SBC Provides Dual LVDS
Atom-Based 3.5-inch SBC Provides Dual LVDS The Atom processor has caught on like wildfire in military applications—especially where Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) is a priority.Read More...

6U OpenVPX Board Provides GPU-Based Rugged Solution
OpenVPX has seen probably the faster rate of new product roll outs in the last 12 months. The latest from Mercury is a high-performance 6U OpenVPX, dual GPU-based conduction-cooledRead More...

PC/104 and PC/104 Family Boards Roundup
Extreme Rugged PC/104-Plus SBC Sports Atom Processor Supporting a range of Intel Atom processors from the power-efficient N450 running at 1.66 GHz to the performance orientedRead More...