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COM
A computer-on-module (COM) is a type of single-board computer (SBC), a subtype of an embedded computer system. It is also called System on Module (SOM) as an extension of the concept of System on Chip (SoC) and lying between a full-up computer and a microcontroller in nature.
COMs vs. SBCs: Forward Thinking Helps Make the Best Embedded Choices
The end application of any design typically helps define the choice of the computing form factor used. From there, the desired level of performance and scalability can be built intoRead More...
Confused or Liberated? Take Your Pick
Walking the floor of the recent Embedded World show in Nuremberg, Germany, one was immediately struck by the vast number of small form factor computer modules on display. The advent ofRead More...
Products & Technology
CSP/BallNest Hybrid Socket for Reliable Test and Burn-in to 0.30mm Pitch A new patented CSP/BallNest hybrid socket is suitable for prototyping, test or burn-in of CSP (chipRead More...
Small but Mighty: Small Form Factors Gaining Ground
Application-specific technology and expertise are critical to any embedded design. Advantages such as 45nm technology are pervasive and long-term, impacting embedded architecturesRead More...
Interoperability Scores a Victory with Plug and Play COM Spec
Computer-on-module (COM) manufacturers are delighted that their pluggable module alternatives to conventional single board computers (SBCs) are getting attention beyond the high-volumeRead More...
Interconnect Wars? Let Peace Prevail with Interconnect Standards
Size, cost, performance, application software development and debugging tools, wired or wireless networking, power budget, time-to-market, temperature range, expansion flexibility,Read More...
New Impulse for Embedded Computer Modules
Since the appearance of the first Computer-on-Module (COM) definition in 1999, the technology has found its way into almost all embedded computer applications. Following theRead More...
Toward a Unified Framework for Embedded Modules
In April of 2008, the Small Form Factor Special Interest Group (SFF-SIG) unveiled a new modular standard for stackable expansion of single board computers. The SFF-SIG’s new standard,Read More...
Products & Technology
Extreme Rugged Methodology Comes to Mid-Range ETX As part of an initiative to extend its Extreme Rugged product lines, Adlink Technology has announced the first new Ampro byRead More...
Products & Technologies
NEMA 16-Channel Optically Isolated Input / Relay Output Modules Require No PC A pair of intelligent 16-channel wireless digital I/O units communicate directly with each other. EachRead More...
COM Express Module Sports Higher Graphics Performance
COM Express Module Sports Higher Graphics Performance A new high-performance COM Express compact module features the Intel GS45 small form factor (SFF) chipset, which enablesRead More...
Small Form Factor Special Interest Group Pushes Ambitious Standards Effort
The embedded board industry has recently experienced a rapid proliferation of standards for small form factor single board computers, I/O expansion modules and Computer-on-ModuleRead More...
“Compact” COM Express Module with Atom N270 and 945GSE Express Chipset
A “Compact” COM Express module measuring 95 mm x 95 mm is fully compatible with the Type 2 pin-out of the PICMG COM Express specification. This highly integrated Express-ATC “Compact”Read More...
Ruggedized Atom-Based COM Express Module
A low-power, long-lifecycle computer-on-module (COM) is based on the cost-effective, ultra-low-power Intel Atom N270. The Ampro by Adlink Express-ATR is specifically designed from theRead More...
Eurotech—from Sensors to Supercomputers
What kind of embedded computing company also produces Petascale supercomputers—computers running at over 1,000 Teraflops—and considers them integral to their embedded business? TheRead More...
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 Duo processors. The ETX-945 series modules from Diamond SystemsRead More...
Embedded Form Factors Harness Emerging Technologies to Enable Wireless Systems
Wireless connectivity is merging with technological advancements in silicon, signaling, mass storage and software to meet the high-performance, ultra-low-power requirements forRead More...
SM and SUMIT-ISM Specs Bring SUMIT Expansion to 90 x 96 mm Stackable Modules
The Small Form Factor Special Interest Group (SFF-SIG) has announced the availability of both revision 1.0 of the Industry Standard Module (ISM) and the SUMIT-ISM specifications forRead More...
Tiny Atom SBC Targets Power-over-Ethernet Apps
OEMs who build the tiniest, lowest-power devices tend to use RISC processors and microcontrollers at the heart of their systems. While the x86 architecture can reduce development costsRead More...
LPC Bus-Legacy Lives On
Legacy buses and I/O appear to be on the chopping block. Large pin count parallel communications buses are being replaced by faster serial architectures. Examples include Serial ATARead More...
SUMIT-ISM—Uniting Legacy and Advanced I/O in a Stackable Form Factor
In early 2008, the Small Form Factor Special Interest Group (SFF-SIG) introduced a ground-breaking new interconnect technology called Stackable Unified Module Interconnect TechnologyRead More...
Compact Atom Solution for Extreme Environments
Compact Atom Solution for Extreme Environments A COM Express pin-out type-2-compatible computer-on-module is designed for use in extreme conditions. Each component in theRead More...
Have no Fear, Embedded World is Here!
The arrival of winter reminds us to make our annual pilgrimage to Nuremberg, Germany to witness the latest small form factor product introductions at the Embedded World show during theRead More...
COM Express Module Aimed at Graphics-Intensive Embedded Apps
A new Computer-on-Module (COM) is based on Intel’s Core2 Duo processor and GS45 chipset with Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 4500MHD, and is suited for power-sensitive applicationsRead More...
Type II Compact COM Express Module with Single/Dual Core CPUs and NAND Flash
Along with a companion PCOM-C210 developer carrier board, a new compact (95 mm x 95 mm) Type II Compact COM Express Module is targeted for low power systems and handheld mobileRead More...
Core i7 / i5 COM Express Module Features Integrated Graphics and Memory Controller
A COM Express Type 2 module supports the 64-bit Intel Core i7 / i5 processor with CPU, memory controller and graphics processor on the same chip. Based on the latest Mobile IntelRead More...
COM Express Small Form Factor Module Based on Core i7
A new COM Express features the latest Intel Core i7-620M processor with a core speed of 2.66 GHz, with 4 Mbyte L2 cache and up to 8 Gbyte fast (1066 MT/s) dual channel DDR3 memory.Read More...
Compact Form Factor Computer-on-Module for Industrial Temperatures
A compact form factor COM Express Type 2 Computer-on-Module is specifically designed for use in the industrial temperature E2 range from -40° to +85°C. The new microETXexpress-XLRead More...
COM Express Module with Intel Core 2 Duo Provides Flexible Configuration
A flexible COM Express design features the Intel CPU Socket 479, which enables support for Intel Core 2 Duo, Core Duo or single core Pentium M and Celeron M processors. The MB-80070Read More...
Core i7 COM Module with Improved Graphics and Performance Plus ECC RAM
Core i7 COM Module with Improved Graphics and Performance Plus ECC RAM A COM Express Computer-on-Module offers 32nm Intel Core i7 / Core i5 processor technology, high energyRead More...
Atom XL-based ESMexpress COM Module with Extended Temperature Operation
Atom XL-based ESMexpress COM Module with Extended Temperature Operation An upgraded ESMexpress Computer-on-Module (COM) incorporates the Intel Atom XL processor to provideRead More...
Board Set Merges COM Express Cores with Triple-Play I/O
Board Set Merges COM Express Cores with Triple-Play I/O A board-level “embedded-ready subsystem” (ERS) combines the benefits of computer-on-modules (COMs) with those of stackableRead More...
Designing for Performance and Longevity: COMs With Carrier Boards
Computer-on-Modules (COMs) are uniquely positioned for scalable, space-constrained designs—particularly those that benefit both economically and competitively from customization thatRead More...
PCIe? USB? Sorting Out Two COM / SFF Design Decisions
Among all the bus types available in most COM specifications, only USB and PCI Express (PCIe) are well supported, high-level buses, with plug-and-play and excellent interoperability. ARead More...
What Do We Call the Whatchamacallit?
How is it that very smart people seem to have similar ideas at around the same time? In our industry, when such a thing happens we tend to think of a trend, or in other cases of someRead More...
nanoETXexpress Starterkit for Wind River VxWorks
A new Atom Processor-based COM Express-compatible nanoETXexpress Starterkit for the latest VxWorks platform is designed to enable easy and efficient development and validation ofRead More...
COM Express Module with Mobile Core i7 and QM57 Chipset
A new COM Express module is part of a portfolio of Type VI COM Express Basic (small footprint) modules from American Portwell. The Type VI COM Express Basic is becoming a newRead More...
LAN’s End is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Device manufacturers and OEMs have been “trained” that processor and chipset vendors determine the life cycle of single board computers (SBCs) and computer-on-modules (COMs)—typicallyRead More...
CompactPCI and PXI Enable Advanced Measurement and Control in Embedded Applications
CompactPCI and PXI have become increasingly popular standards in the industrial and test and measurement spaces. Because of the significant adoption of these standards, a wide varietyRead More...
Stackable Single Board Computers: Choosing between the Form Factors
Implementation of an application’s embedded computing feature requirements can be done using two basic stackable modular design approaches: Single Board Computer (SBC) andRead More...
COM Express Modules Sport Latest Atom CPUs
Two Compact format COM Express modules are powered by the latest Intel Atom D410/D510 processors at 1.66 GHz coupled with up to 4 Gbyte DDR2 memory. The COMX-430 and COMX-440 COMRead More...
COM Express Module Supports Multimedia
A fanless COM Express form factor module offers a complete, multimedia-capable platform for a variety of embedded applications. Available with a choice of Via C7 or Via EdenRead More...
Low-Power Processor Brings 64 Bits to COM Express
Via Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of embedded silicon and platform technologies, today announced the addition of the Via COME8X80 module to its COM ExpressRead More...
COM Express Basic Form Factor Now with the New Type 6 Pin-Out
Coinciding with the launch of the COM Express 2.0 specification by PICMG, Kontron has introduced an additional version of the Computer-on-Module ETXexpress-AI based on the new COMRead More...
New Challenges Face Even Smaller Boards
One of the primary driving forces behind the SFF revolution has been Moore’s Law. For those few of you who may not be acquainted with this little jewel, it states that transistorRead More...
COM Express versus SBC: Deciding which to Use and Where
Is Computer-On-Module (COM) the magic bullet for embedded applications? Which platform technology best serves the embedded market requirement: COM Express modules or standard SingleRead More...
COM Solution Uses Latest Atom Embedded Processor Family
A new COM Express board is based on the new Intel Atom E6xxx Series processors, formerly code named Tunnel Creek. The E6xx series is the first Intel Atom processor-basedRead More...
COM Express FPGA Starter Kit for Quick Evaluation with Flexible I/O
A new COM Express starter kit featuring the Altera Cyclone IV GX FPGA provides all the required components to evaluate board designs with open-definable I/Os. With this COM ExpressRead More...
Data Acquisition Solutions Stack Up
Data Acquisition (DAQ) systems come in as many facets and form factors as application areas. This is because system designers need to consider a number of important issues such asRead More...
Do We Really Need COM Standards?
Do we really need COM standards? COM (Computer-on-Module) products have taken the embedded market by storm over the past few years. They are becoming the mainstay of the explodingRead More...
Low Power, High Processing Combine in Compact ESMini COM Module
A new ESMini module uses a PowerPC MPC5121e or a MPC5123 processor, each based on an e300 processor core incorporating a memory management unit (MMU) and a floating point unitRead More...
Transportation Applications Find Value in Centralized Computing Platforms
Transportation markets are varied but unified in their need for flexibility, longevity, reliability and performance. Applications are characterized by extreme conditions, non-stopRead More...
COM Express Compact Atom-Based Module with Low Power, High Graphics
A new COM Express Type 2 module is based on the Atom E6xx processor series and the Intel Platform Controller Hub EG20. All components are specified for the industrial temperature rangeRead More...
Rugged Memory Spec Raises the Bar for Rugged Modular Computing
The popularity of COM Express has positioned the modular computing standard for penetration into more demanding markets such as intelligent transportation, military ground vehicles,Read More...
COM Express Module Boasts Rugged RS-DMM Memory Module
A new COM Express module boasts one of the first implementations of the rugged RS-DMM memory specification. The Toucan-QM57 from Lippert Embedded Computers is a COM Express revisionRead More...
Modules Miniaturize Medical Care
Medical computing is becoming more mobile due to an increasingly patient-centric view of health care. Whether in hospitals, clinics or at home, equipment must be small and light withRead More...
Compact COM Express Solution for Rugged Mobile I/O Applications
A new mobile compact computer baseboard is compatible with COM Express compact size standard computer modules. The A-Brain from New Embedded Technology is designed specifically forRead More...
The Right COM for the Right App: Sorting out Small Form Factors
Small form factors are not a new invention, but the need to reduce size, weight and power has boosted their demand and resulted in several design considerations. PC/104 Read More...
COM Express Modules Powered by Freescale QorIQ Processors
A family of COM Express embedded computing modules is powered by Freescale Semiconductor QorIQ processors. Three modules, the COMX-P3041, COMX-P4040 and COMX-P5020, have beenRead More...
Compact COM Express Module with Dual Core Atom and DDR3 Memory
A COM Express module in Compact form factor measures just 95 x 95 millimeters, and is fully compatible with the Type 2 pin-out of the PICMG COM Express specification. The Express-LPCRead More...
COM Express Compact Module Targets Low Power Performance Applications
A low-power COM Express compact module is powered by the Intel Atom processors 400 and 500 Series. The new SOM 6763 B1 from Advantech B1 with Intel Atom processor N455 (512K Cache,Read More...
Type 6 COM Express Module Features ECC RAM Support for New Carrier Board Designs
A new Type 6 COM Express embedded computer module uses Intel’s second-generation quad-core and dual-core Intel Core i7/i5 processors. The PCOM-B217VG-VI-ECC from American PortwellRead More...
Gamers COM Their System
Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is just around the corner, and gamers everywhere are making their annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas. Eye-popping graphics, large LCDs, multicore processors,Read More...
When did Legacy become a 4-letter word?
Once upon a time, embedded systems engineers would anxiously scan data sheets for new embedded components and boards looking for those magical words “Backward Compatible” or “UpwardRead More...
AMD vDual-Core Power on Qseven Module
A new Qseven module is based on the AMD Embedded G-Series and combines high-performance graphics, dual core processing power and low power consumption in a very small form factor. ItRead More...
Thinking (about What Goes) Inside the Box
Embedded form factors have continued to evolve and become more powerful as new bus interfaces and circuit technologies mature and graduate from mobile to embedded product sectors.Read More...
An Aerial View of COMs vs. SBCs from 30,000 Feet
System designers have several viable options for their embedded computer and I/O board architecture. While technical articles, advertisements and datasheets tend to bury designers withRead More...
Rugged PC/104-Plus Module Based on Atom E600
An extreme rugged PC/104-Plus Single Board Computer (SBC) is based on the Intel Atom Processor E600 series from 600 MHz up to 1.6 GHz . The CoreModule 720 from Adlink Technology isRead More...
COM Express Type 6 Module Extreme Rugged Solution for Mobile Environments
A COM Express Type 6 module based on the quad/dual-core second generation Intel Core i7 processor and Mobile Intel QM67 Express Chipset is targeted at mobile applications running inRead More...
The Benefits of COM-Based Single Board Computers
The benefits of the single board computer (SBC) are well established. An SBC provides a complete solution off-the-shelf. No electronic design or manufacturing are needed, makingRead More...
COM Express Type 6 Module Boasts Quad-Core Processor
A new high-performance COM Express module for future designs features the Type 6 pin-out and digital display interfaces to ensure improved display options and increase bandwidth withRead More...
ARM on COM Modules: Meeting the Needs of Mobile Devices
There is change on the way in the embedded systems arena and we are just beginning to see the outlines of what it might look like. It looks like ARM. At least two companies whoseRead More...
COM Express Reference Carrier-i Type 10 for Extended Temprature
A reference and evaluation board validated for use in the extended temperature range of -40° to +85°C, makes a suitable platform either for direct deployment in, or for carrying outRead More...
Just One More Small Change... Please.
Innovation. The lifeblood of the technology business. Just look at the last decade. iPods, iPads, smartphones, flat panels everywhere. Innovation is always good, right? It’s perhapsRead More...
Tiny ARM-Based Module Targets Intelligent Devices
An extremely compact (50 mm x 50 mm) ARM Cortex A8-based, small-footprint computer module is targeted for powering small and portable intelligent devices. The RM2 from Blue ChipRead More...
New ESMini COM Features 1.6 GHz Atom at 5 to 7W
An ultra-small computer-on-module (COM) features an application-specific carrier board and a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor. The compact size of the semi-custom MM2 from MEN Micro, onlyRead More...
COM Express Module with the Latest Atom Processor-Based Platform
A Type VI compact size COM Express Basic module measures 95 mm x 95 mm (3.74? x 3.74?). The compact PCOM-B218VG from American Portwell includes the Intel Atom processor N2000 and D2000Read More...
Atom-Based COM Express Compact Module Targets Low Power
D2700 processors based on COM.0 R2.0 type 2 pin-out. Type 2 pin-out and legacy I/O support make for easy migration, and type 2 connectors are resistant to shock and vibration whileRead More...
Introducing the EMX Form Factor—Bridging the Worlds of COM and SBC
For a number of years, the world of embedded computing has consisted of two separate camps: single board computers (SBCs) and computer-on-modules (COMs). Each product category has itsRead More...
COM Express Type 6 Module with Low-Power Intel CPUs Pushes Graphics Performance
A new, low-power COM Express module for advanced designs supports Pin-out Type 6 and provides improved display options along with increased bandwidth thanks to digital displayRead More...
ARM-Based COM Modules? Let’s Take a Step Back and Look at This
By now most people in this industry have become aware of a new trend in the form of ARM-based small form factor modules that are beginning to appear from a number of vendors. WhileRead More...
Conduction Cooled SBC in EMX Basic Form Factor Features Atom E680T
A rugged EMX Basic single board computer (SBC) is based on the Intel Atom E680T CPU running at 1.6 GHz and features dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, 4 serial ports and 4 USB 2.0 ports. TheRead More...
Pico-ITX Embedded Motherboard with Dual-Core ARM Cortex A9 Processor
A new ARM-based Pico-ITX embedded motherboard is equipped with a dual-core ARM Cortex A9. The KTT20/pITX from Kontron is based on the NVIDIA Tegra2 processor and is the first keyRead More...
COM Express Mini Computer-on-Module with Dual Core Processors
A COM Express Module with dual-core processing power is the latest addition to the family from Kontron of products formerly named nanoETXexpress modules, and is based onRead More...