SolidRun Ltd. yesterday announced its iMX i.MX 8XLite system-on-module (SOM) line engineered for a variety of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and robotics applications. The Acre, Israel-based company said the new SOM is available in single-core and dual-core configurations in a 30 by 47 mm (1.18 by 1.85 in.) form factor. It is intended to facilitate the development of vehicle, smart city, Internet of Things, and robotics applications.
“Smart cities and V2X communications will not only dramatically improve the efficiency of our roadways, but it will also play a significant role in reducing collision-related traffic deaths and make it easier for emergency vehicles to cut through congested areas,” stated Dr. Atai Ziv, CEO of SolidRun. “However, none of this can take shape without reliable hardware, like our i.MX 8XLite SOM connecting the infrastructure and vehicles.”
SolidRun develops and manufactures edge network and embedded systems based on ARM and x86 architecture. The company offers platforms including SOMs, single-board computers (SBCs), and industrial mini-PCs. SolidRun said it also provides services from hardware customization to software support, as well as product branding and enclosure design.
SolidRun uses new NXP processor for V2X communications
Targeting vehicle telematics, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications, plus road infrastructure connectivity and industrial equipment, SolidRun said its i.MX 8XLite Mini SOM provides a foundation for secure V2X applications. It includes real-time synchronization and control for a variety of smart-city uses.
The system combines the high-performance application processing from NXP’s new i.MX 8X processor with V2X acceleration and its RoadLINK SAF5400 single-chip Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) modem for next-generation telematics, said SolidRun.
“In order to accelerate the adoption of autonomous vehicle technology, we need to build a digital infrastructure that supports it,” said Andres Lopez de Vegara Lemos, product manager for the edge processing business at NXP Semiconductors. “Our new i.MX 8XLite applications processor was designed specifically for that purpose. Working with SolidRun helps us jumpstart and reduce the development time of V2X hardware solutions by providing engineers a turnkey development tool based on our SoC [system on a chip] that serves variety of applications.”
The i.MX 8XLite SOM also features an array of high-speed interfaces – including Ethernet, PCIe Gen 3, USB 2.0, and CAN-FD. As part of the NXP longevity program, SolidRun said it guarantees that the SOM will be manufactured for at least 15 years, “making it the optimal solution for long-term, vehicle-based communications infrastructure applications.”
SolidRun also offers a Hummingboard carrier board that is perfect for prototyping with the i.MX 8XLite SOM. While not much larger than the SOM at just 30 x 55mm (1.1 x 2.1 in.), the Hummingboard i.MX 8XLite carrier supports up to 2GB of LPDDR4 memory, and features expansion and communications options, including 100BASE-T1 automotive Ethernet, USB 2.0 ports, and UART, SPI, SDIO, and 12C I/O pins.
i.MX 8XLite SOM and robotics
Beyond serving as a building block for autonomous vehicles and V2X infrastructure, the i.MX 8XLite SOM is also suitable for industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), building control, and robotics applications requiring time-sensitive networking (TSN) Ethernet or controller area network (CAN) connectivity. The integrated SoC’s A35 cores and CAN-FD interface provide low-latency data transmission for advanced industrial processes that require reliable, accurate synchronization and real-time control, said SolidRun.
“Our new SOM is well suited for robotic applications like robotic vacuum cleaners, autonomous lawn mowers, smart industrial equipment, and more,” Ziv told Robotics 24/7. “These applications generally require zone mapping and computer vision, precise motor control, and automatic setting adjustments.”
“On top of that, they must have lasting battery life, reliable wireless communications, powerful machine learning capabilities, and robustness to a range of environmental conditions,” he added. “These are all things our new i.MX 8XLite SOMs were engineered to excel at.”
Engineered to serve a variety of application environments, ranging from commercial and industrial vehicles to roadside communications hubs and even robotics, the i.MX 8XLite SOM supports an operating temperature range of -40°C to 105°C (-157°F) with up to 90% humidity.
Its efficient design maintains a low operating temperature without a fan and reduces the potential of heat and dust-related failures, resulting in reliable long-term operation and performance, said SolidRun.
The i.MX 8XLite SOMs and Hummingboard carrier boards are available through SolidRun. To help expedite the development process, customers can get an optimized board support package, stable long-term support for select software distributions, access to SolidRun’s support tools, and sample source code.
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