Authored by Neil Tyler of New Electronics Magazine
The growing deployment of single board computers in military systems brings with it a number of engineering challenges.
When it comes to the design and deployment of single board computers (SBCs) for use in high-performance military systems, there are a number of engineering issues and challenges that need to be addressed.
There has been significant growth in the number of form factors that are available to design engineers looking to develop SBC based military computing systems. Described by some as a 'renaissance', these latest SBCs are able to offer greater system architecture flexibility and greater compute density as a result of enhanced processor power and capabilities.
These new boards are being designed for demanding military environments with harsh, size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints, such as manned and unmanned vehicles; and signal processing in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), sonar, radar, and command/control.
"Ruggedisation is something that requires an understanding of the entire sub-system, from the electronic components to the metalwork and how those elements perform at extreme temperatures," explains Aaron Frank, senior product manager, Intel SBC, at Curtiss-Wright.
A number of factors have to be taken into account when selecting an SBC, he believes. One of the most important is managing the power requirements of a specific application. As a result, designers have to think about which form factor will make the most sense for a particular application.
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