Response Care seeks Crystal Group Industrial Server to work in the HealthCare Industry

Company

Response Care is a wireless nurse call and personal emergency system provider.

The company was founded in 2006 and is located in Rochester, New York.

Business Situation

Response Care provides a range of products from an alert system and notification systems to a wireless network. The systems can be installed in places where elders continue to enjoy living normally, but need monitoring services. Response Care looked for a business partner to provide engineering and manufacturing expertise in creating an industrial device to quickly and reliably connect patients with staff.

Solution

Response Care chose to partner with Crystal Group to provide an industrial server capable of meeting UL-1069 certification, as well as forming a long-term relationship that provides engineering and manufacturing expertise.

Benefits

• Device reliability eliminates business interruptions.
• Low maintenance appliance.
• Flexible manufacturing options provide scaling opportunities as market grows.
• Responsive customer support for changing business, engineering and manufacturing needs.
• Reinforcement of customer brand through private labeling.
• Reliable hardware combined with capable software improves profitability for the care facility

How to Build a Rugged COM Express System White Paper

Designed specifically for the MIL-AERO market this flexiblehardware platform provides you with off-the-shelf, advanced technology to satisfy a multitude of project requirements.

Getting Started

1. The processor is the starting point for your system, and the XCOM-6400 Processor Module built for performance and efficiency is an excellent choice. Type 6 interconnects and an Intel® 4th Generation Core i7/i5 CPU delivers high-performance processing for digital, signal, and image processing applications. The rugged SODIMM hold down mechanism allows up to 16GB of high-speed DDR3L memory to be securely fastened without the limitations of soldered-down memory.
2. ACEX4600 Type 6 COM Express Carrier Cards are offered in three variations, depending on how many PMC/XMC expansion sites you require. 
3. Customize and expand your system with PMC or XMC boards to meet your specific requirements. 
4. The ACEX-FP I/O front panel has MIL-DTL-38999 cylindrical connectors for interfacing to the outside world.
5. Filter incoming power with the front panel power filter ACEX-FP-PF. 
6. An Engineering Design Kit, ACEX-4600-EDK, provides an easy and quick way to go from lab development to production.

Futek Demonstrates using LEGO

Futek demonstrates three load cell applications using LEGO®!

You read that right. For the MD&M West trade show this year, Futek decided to have some interactive applications at their booth; and instead of using aluminum or stainless steel, they constructed them entirely out of LEGO bricks!

In this three part video, the first application is an infusion pump/syringe test stand. Futek has attached a motor to a crank that creates a pushing/pulling motion. This motion is applied to the plunger of the syringe, which allows it to take in and push out water (or any other fluid). In line, between the plunger and the crank, is an LSB200 Miniature S-Beam Load Cell that measures the force exerted onto the plunger. 

The next application features Futek's LCM100 Miniature In-Line Load Cell in a pulley system to measure the tension created from the crane's payload. The tensile force will be immediately visible on Futeks IHH500 Handheld Display.

And lastly, what you are seeing here is a marble loaded onto a ramp and rolling down onto a sensing platform. The sensing platform has the LLB130 Miniature Load Button centered underneath, which measures the weight of the marble as it is loaded onto it. The load cell outputs a value (mV/V), which is amplified by the IDA100 Digital Amplifier (VDC), and then fed into the Arduino. The Arduino makes the decision if the marble is classified as "heavy" or "light". Once the distinction is made, it sends a command to the LEGO motor to sort the marble into the appropriate bin.

But seeing is believing. So take a look at these videos!

Crystal Group’s Rugged Embedded Computer Selected for Rapid Imaging’s LandForm+ Mission Management System

Crystal Group Inc., a trusted manufacturer of rugged commercial-off-the-shelf

(COTS) custom-developed computers, displays, switches, and storage devices, announced today the availability of a new case study detailing how the company’s RE0412 Rugged Embedded Computer helped Rapid Imaging to offer a high reliability and low maintenance software system for manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

Rapid Imaging Software, Inc. (RIS) specializes in augmented reality used in manned and unmanned ISR missions, wildlife research, and airport obstacle management. RIS's customers operate in challenging airborne conditions. they needed hardware that would integrate easily and operate reliably and Crystal had the solution. 

The Crystal Group RE0412 is private labeled for Rapid Imaging as the LandForm+ System.

Crystal Group’s RE0412 Rugged Embedded Computer was selected for the project, customized to meet Rapid Imaging’s engineering requirements, and private labeled as Rapid Imaging Software. 

The system offers easy hardware integration, reliable hardware performance, easy-to-use interface, and enhanced situational awareness.  Crystal Group's superior SWaP performance combined with an airworthy (DO160) compliant DC power supply in a 4.5Lb package makes this an excellent selection for Rapid Imaging Systems.

Industrial Computing | Jim on Engineering, Episode 53

If you want to know what and how the products from Crystal Rugged are made. Check out Jim Shaw's, Executive Vice President of Engineering Video Blog. He explains in detail topics related to operational, deployable, and high reliability computing applications.

In this video blog Jim Shaw, EVP of Engineering talks about Crystal Group’s industrial computer product line and shows an example of how compute solutions are created with interaction from the customer, engineering and manufacturing.

If your interested in more information in video blog form by Jim shaw check it out here https://www.crystalrugged.com/video-blog/

Information on this blog has been provided by our supplier Crystal Rugged.

For further information on Crystal Rugged products in Australia and New Zealand, please contact Metromatics +61 7 3868 4255 or sales@metromatics.com.au

for outside that area please contact Crystal Rugged on +1 319-378-1636

Thermal Testing with Humidity | Jim on Engineering, Episode 52

If you want to know what and how the products from Crystal Rugged are made. Check out Jim Shaw's, Executive Vice President of Engineering Video Blog. He explains in detail topics related to operational, deployable, and high reliability computing applications.

In this video blog Jim Shaw, EVP of Engineering shows Crystal Group’s new Thermotron® chamber in action where it tests electronic equipment in temperature and humidity scenarios.

If your interested in more information in video blog form by Jim shaw check it out here https://www.crystalrugged.com/video-blog/

Information on this blog has been provided by our supplier Crystal Rugged.

For further information on Crystal Rugged products in Australia and New Zealand, please contact Metromatics +61 7 3868 4255 or sales@metromatics.com.au

for outside that area please contact Crystal Rugged on +1 319-378-1636

Alta data Real-Time Ethernet Conversion with the eNetX-MA4

Alta Data Technologies has recently released an innovative network product for rugged applications that provides real-time Ethernet conversion for MIL-STD-1553/ARINC-A429/717 interface: The eNetX-MA4. 

Alta’s ENET product family implements a FPGA thin server (no processor or IP stack) for secure, real-time Ethernet UDP connectivity for 1553 and ARINC interfaces. The eNetX product adds vehicle power, EMC and shock/vibe capability for rugged environment applications. In addition to 1553/ARINC controls, bus signals can be generated and captured remotely for protocol and electrical troubleshooting.

The eNetX-MA4 is the next step in Alta data’s very successful ENET product family. Almost every avionics or communication topology implements Ethernet, and now it is easy for you to add rugged, low-cost, real-time connectivity for one or two 1553 networks (buses) and/or four ARINC channels to the system LAN.

Alta Data has taken the product one step further with the introduction of the MIL-704F power management system. With eNetX tested to MIL-STD-704F/461F/810G and DO-160 Sec 22, customers will now have a low-power, low-cost COTS bridge solution for their vehicle network designs.

Most other products on the market are processor based with unsecure operating system IP stacks that greatly slow down Ethernet communications, but ENET’s thin server UDP interface provides secure, real-time Ethernet/1553/ARINC bridging/conversion.

ENET products provide advanced controls of traditional 1553/ARINC interfaces, and simultaneously can auto bridge/transmit PPS, IRIG, IEEE-1588 time-stamped 1553/ARINC UDP packets. There is a fast auto-boot feature where 1553/ARINC and MIL-1760 controls can be managed through straight UDP socket communications as implemented on almost every OS, even DO-178 compliant systems.

Acromag’s New Next Generation 6U VME i7 Processor Board

An FPGA Module designed for applications requiring low-power without sacrificing high performance.

Acromag’s new 6U VME 4th generation Intel® Core™ single board computer features a FPGA-based VME to PCIe-bridge that will extend the life of your VME system.

Acromag’s XVME-6510 is a high-performance 6U VME single board computer based on the 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor and utilises the Intel 8-Series QM87 PCH chipset for extensive I/O support. Two ruggedised SODIMMs offer up to 16GB of high-speed DDR3L removable memory plus 32GB of flash memory. The air-cooled XVME-6510 features dual PMC/XMC sites, DVI-D display, and programmable CPU power limits for heat sensitive applications. Expansion capabilities for further customisation is available. VxWorks® and Linux® software support, ROHS compliance and extended temperature options are available.

The XVME-6510 is a CPU module that uses an Intel® 4th Generation Core™ i7 processor (Haswell) and the 6U VME64X VMEbus form factor. The board can support either one or two DDR3L ECC SODIMMs, for a total of up to 16GB.  The SODIMMs are firmly attached to the module with screws and are surrounded by heat sink material to provide a mechanically and thermally robust mounting mechanism.  Extended temperature models are available for operating in a -40°C to +75°C range. The two PMC/XMC sites can be used in any combination. An optional P0 connector allows two Gigabit Ethernet connections. Forego one PMC/XMC module and add the optional XBRD-9060 I/O expander module and increase I/O on the front panel and add two SSD mSATA drives. Also optional is the XVME-9640 rear-transition module for easy access to all P2 connector’s I/O signals.

X-ES Announces a Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA-Based VME Bridge

Extreme Engineering Solutions, Inc. (X-ES) announces several new 6U VME SBCs featuring a Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA-based VME Bridge.

These 6U VME products are designed to be pin-compatible with the Radstone/GE/Abaco PPC7D VME IDT Tsi148-based card, providing users with a straightforward, disruption-free upgrade path for legacy systems and a solution to End-of-Life (EOL) VME products that included the now obsolete Tsi148 VME Bridge.

X-ES selects an FPGA-based VME solution enabling high performance VMEBus capability on their flagship SBCs. Offering a wide variety of valuable features beyond what the Tsi148 VME Bridge had been capable of, the Xilinx Artix-7 VME Bridge supports a x4 PCI Express 2.0 to the host interface and supports an external DDR3 SDRAM DMA buffer.

With its firmware upgradeable design and support for future portability of IP to a new chip, X-ES VME boards offer system integrators a VME Bridge solution devoid of components subject to lifecycle concerns, in an even smaller chip package than had previously been available.

XCalibur1931 & XCalibur1930 NXP 6U VME SBCs

The XCalibur1931 and XCalibur1930 both feature the NXP T2080 QorIQ communications processor alongside a Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA-based VME Bridge solution. Both are designed to address the EOL of the IDT/Tundra Tsi148. The Xilinx FPGA based VME bridge provides a means to mitigate obsolescence and ensure a long product lifetime.

The XCalibur1930 is the latest in X-ES’ line of PowerPC VME SBCs. It was designed to provide our existing customers with an upgrade path from X-ES’ previous VME offerings.

Both the XCalibur1931 and XCalibur1930 utilize the same Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA based VME bridge. The bridge supports all of the VME transfer modes from VME32 up through 2eSST320, providing drop-in compatibility or performance boost.

XCalibur4531 Intel® 6U VME SBC

The XCalibur4531 is a 5th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 6U VME SBC featuring a Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA-based VME bridging solution. By implementing an FPGA- based VME bridge, the XCalibur4531 mitigates obsolescence concerns prevalent in aging VME systems. XCalibur4531 supports VME32, VME64x, and 2eSST operation so it easily integrates into existing VME systems, making it the optimal choice to give your application a processing performance boost.

XChange4003 6U VME Carrier

The XChange4003 is a VME64x carrier card that facilitates connectivity of XMC/PMC modules to the VMEBus, by utilizing a Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA-based VME bridging solution. The FPGA-based VME bridge solution assures long production life and high performance operation.

XChange4003 supports all deployed versions of the VMEBus protocol, from the original VME32 up through VME64x and 2eVME/2eSST operation, making it an effective solution for interfacing any XMC/PMC module to any system’s VMEBus backplane.

XChange4003 supports both intelligent (Monarch PrPMC/Root Complex PrXMC) and non-intelligent (PMC/endpoint XMC) boards, and can operate in a SYSCON or non-SYSCON VMEBus slot.

Acromag’s New 6U VME Single Board Computer Features an Intel® Celeron® CPU

An FPGA Module designed for applications requiring low-power without sacrificing high performance.

Acromag’s new 6U VME 4th generation Intel® Core™ single board computer features a FPGA-based VME to PCIe-bridge that will extend the life of your VME system for cost-sensitive applications.

Acromag’s XVME-6700 is a high-performance 6U VME single board computer based on the Intel® Celeron® 2002E processor and utilises the Intel 8-Series QM87 QM87 PCH chipset for extensive I/O support. Two ruggedised SODIMMs offer 8GB or optional 16GB of high-speed DDR3L removable memory plus 8GB of flash memory. The air-cooled XVME-6700 features dual PMC/XMC sites, DVI-D display, and programmable CPU power limits for heat sensitive applications. Expansion capabilities for further customisation is available. VxWorks®, Linux® and Windows 7+ software support, ROHS compliance and extended temperature options are available.

The XVME-6700 product family is an excellent choice for new or tech refresh VME-based applications. Not only does it properly resolve the obsolescence of the TSI-148 VME interface chip, it provides the customer with an up-to-date product for at least another 7 years.

The XVME-6700 is a single board computer module that uses an Intel® Celeron® processor and the 6U VME64X VMEbus form factor. The board can support either one or two DDR3L ECC SODIMMs, for a total of up to 16GB. The SODIMMs are firmly attached to the module with screws and are surrounded by heat sink material to provide a mechanically and thermally robust mounting mechanism. Extended temperature models are available for operating in a -40°C to +75°C range. The two PMC/XMC sites can be used in any combination. An optional P0 connector allows two Gigabit Ethernet connections. Forego one PMC/XMC module and add the optional XBRD-9060 I/O expander module and increase I/O on the front panel and add two SSD mSATA drives. Also optional is the XVME-9640 rear-transition module for easy access to all P2 connector’s I/O signals.

For further information and if you are in Australia or New Zealand, please contact Metromatics on +61 7 3868 4255 or sales@metromatics.com.au

If you are outside this area, please contact Acromag directly on +1 248 295 0310 or solutions@acromag.com

USB Insertion/Extraction Motorized Test

Application Summary:

Motorised insertion and extraction test are performed to determine the durability of a USB thumb-drive. Configuring the test stand with a FUTEK load cell (the LSB200 or LRM200) allows test engineers to quantify the exact force needed to insert or extract a USB connector.

Products in Use:

Miniature S-Beam Load Cell (LSB200) or Miniature S-Beam Load Cell with Male Threads (LRM200) paired with Instrumentation (IHH500).

How it Works

1. During production, motorised test stands check for durability and insertion force of a USB connector.
2. The motorised test stand runs cycle tests on the USB to ensure that the force required to insert or extract the unit from its port meets requirements or doesn't damage the thumb-drive.
3. FUTEK’s S-Beam load cell (either the LSB200 or LRM200) can be fixed onto the horizontal test stand to repeatedly measure the push and pull forces as the USB connector enters and exits the 2.0 or 3.0 port.
4. These force measurements can be recorded and reviewed on FUTEK's IHH500 Handheld Display.

For further information on Futek and its products please contact Metromatics +61 7 3868 4255 or sales@metromatics.com.au

For outside this region please contact our supplier Futek +1 949 465 0900 or ehsan@futek.com 

Selecting the Right Server for the Right Application | Jim on Engineering, Episode 51

If you want to know what and how the products from Crystal Rugged are made. Check out Jim Shaw's, Executive Vice President of Engineering Video Blog. He explains in detail topics related to operational, deployable, and high reliability computing applications.

In this video blog Jim Shaw, EVP of Engineering at Crystal Group, explains the importance matching the right server for the right application including selecting the right server provider

If your interested in more information in video blog form by Jim shaw check it out here https://www.crystalrugged.com/video-blog/

Information on this blog has been provided by our supplier Crystal Rugged.

For further information on Crystal Rugged products in Australia and New Zealand, please contact Metromatics +61 7 3868 4255 or sales@metromatics.com.au

for outside that area please contact Crystal Rugged on +1 319-378-1636

White Paper: Electrical Ground Rules

 Best Practices for Grounding Your Electrical Equipment

The latest whitepapers from acromag are a three part series that takes an insider look at grounding electronics and its role in protecting personnel, protecting equipment, and ensuring the integrity of electrical signals. 

Part 1

In part one of this series, Acromag takes a look at the concept of grounding, the AC power system and its use of ground, and gave three main reasons why we ground electrical equipment: for safety, to stabilise electrical signals, and to limit transient voltages and current.

Part 2

In part two of this series Acromag examines the use of ground as a means of protection from ground faults. We also looked at how ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) devices operate to protect us from severe shock. 

Part 3

In part three of this series Acromag will review ground and its role as a voltage stabiliser and transient limiter. It will offer some tips on what you can do to improve your connection to ground to realize benefits to safety and signal integrity.

For further information and if you are in Australia or New Zealand, please contact Metromatics on +61 7 3868 4255 or sales@metromatics.com.au

If you are outside this area, please contact Acromag directly on +1 248 295 0310 or solutions@acromag.com

Engineering Clarity for RFPs| Jim on Engineering, Episode 50

If you want to know what and how the products from Crystal Rugged are made. Check out Jim Shaw's, Executive Vice President of Engineering Video Blog. He explains in detail topics related to operational, deployable, and high reliability computing applications.

In this video blog Jim Shaw, EVP of Engineering at Crystal Group, explains the importance of providing detailed requirements when requesting a quote for a computer server.

If your interested in more information in video blog form by Jim shaw check it out here https://www.crystalrugged.com/video-blog/

Information on this blog has been provided by our supplier Crystal Rugged.

For further information on Crystal Rugged products in Australia and New Zealand, please contact Metromatics +61 7 3868 4255 or sales@metromatics.com.au

for outside that area please contact Crystal Rugged on +1 319-378-1636