Embedded Single Board Computers

Single-board computers (SBCs) serve as the central components of various applications and can be likened to the brains powering the hardware of a solution. These computers come in a variety of forms, ranging from those with embedded processors the size of a credit card to larger, heavy-duty boards designed to run extremely intensive workloads.

Different single-board computers are better suited to specific projects, with developers, systems integrators, and end clients often seeking particular features to optimize application performance for the best price. Just as the computing performance required for applications like smart cities, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and smart manufacturing varies from more entry-level options such as kiosk and digital signage solutions, single-board computers also differ significantly based on processor sophistication, ruggedness, and size.

When it comes to single-board computers, AAEON utilizes its close ties to premier chip providers such as Intel and AMD to bring boards featuring the latest technology to market. With over 30 years of experience, AAEON can manufacture single-board computers while considering the specific advantages that a CPU or board interface design may offer over others. An example of this is AAEON’s flexible thermal dissipation engineering, which allows for the integration of more complex and demanding processors into smaller boards. This, in turn, offers customers generational improvements in performance without requiring substantial changes to board specifications.

Given this broad range, there are a number of form factors that have become standard across the industry, such as 4" EPIC boards, which measure 115mm x 165mm and are an essential part of the single-board computer ecosystem, hosting socket-type CPUs, wider voltage inputs, and a wide range of physical ports.

Another instance of standardization is the PICO-ITX form factor, measuring 100mm x 72mm. Introduced as a compact alternative to Mini-ITX motherboards, it is ideal for applications requiring efficient computing, fanless operation, and expandability in constrained deployment spaces.

More flexible still is the 3.5” SubCompact Board, commonly known as AAEON’s GENE product line, which utilizes a larger board space of 146mm x 101.7mm for reliable deployment in harsh environments, along with versatile features such as efficient processing support, wide temperature operation, and the accommodation of multiple expansion cards.

AAEON’s dedication to innovation has recently led to the production of the brand new, even smaller ‘de next’ product line, which supports powerful embedded processors from both Intel and AMD on a board measuring in at just 86mm x 55mm. This allows users to harness industrial-level computing for sophisticated applications that would previously have required a much larger platform, such as edge computing, robotics, and smart healthcare imaging.