Building Ruggedized Embedded Computers

Today, computers are ubiquitous devices used in all kinds of different applications. Many of those applications require that the computer can withstand adverse environmental conditions. These demanding conditions include heavy shock and vibration, extreme temperatures and quite a lot of similarly tough conditions that are not usually handled very well by electronic devices. There are several ways to tackle these requirements.

Selecting a Processor for a PC/104-based Embedded PC

by Peter Kannegießer

Designers of embedded PC’s need to select a suitable processor for their designs with good con-sideration. This can be a quite complex task, considering that there are several competing proc-essor families on the market, each with their own distinctive features. This article shows some of the key issues to check.

Where are Embedded PCs Heading?

by Peter Kannegießer

What is the difference between an embedded PC and a desktop PC? Functionally speaking, there is no difference at all - a PC is a PC is a PC. However, the definition that an embedded PC is one that cannot be seen from the outside as being a PC gives a very important criterion to discern the two: Reliability. If a standard desktop PC crashes, the normal reaction is to simply accept this incident and to reset the system using control-alt-delete or, in rare cases, even cycle the power.