Edge Computer

A rugged edge computer is a fanless industrial grade computer that brings computation and data storage physically closer to where an application is operating in harsh usage conditions. Local IoT sensors and devices can process data through local edge computers for faster response times with lower latency instead of sending it to a distant cloud data center for off-site processing. Rugged edge computers are fortified and proven to operate reliably in extreme environments where typical computers are guaranteed to fail due to either severe hot or cold temperatures, dust or debris, humidity, widely varying voltage sources, and shock or vibration. With a higher MTBF (mean time between failure), rugged edge computers provide reliable mission critical operation for industrial IoT application systems.

Wireless Connectivity

Access to wireless data communications in Bluetooth, Wifi, cellular 4G LTE and future technologies enable rugged edge computers to integrate into modern infrastructures as the number of wireless sensors and devices grow exponentially. Industries needing machine-to-machine communication, real-time data monitoring, GPS/GNSS location tracking and autonomous systems benefit from utilizing wireless technology in edge computers.

Mobility and Remote Deployment

Rugged edge computers are designed with small form factors and rugged qualities for mobile and remote integration where applications often have space fitting constraints and harsh operating conditions. In addition, rugged edge computers feature watchdog system monitoring functions to minimize detrimental downtime out in the field due to the lack of on-site technical support.

Performance Accelerators

An increase in compute capabilities is a major driving force for rugged edge computing. Performance accelerators in the form of more powerful microchips (CPU, GPU, VPU) and faster storage drives empower IoT applications with real-time local processing through an edge computer instead of relying on the cloud for off-site computation.

Variety of I/O Ports and Expandability

The flexibility of rugged edge computers to interconnect with a wide variety of legacy and modern devices, controllers or machinery allows it to capture valuable data insights for actionable results. These ports include COM, USB, GPIO/Digital I/O, LAN/PoE, and expansion ports in PCI/mini-PCIe/PCIe.

Ruggedness and Hardware Security

What sets a rugged edge computer apart is its durability to operate in harsh environments with 24/7 mission critical reliability. Purpose-built for rugged deployments means a true fanless design, wide operating temperatures, wide voltage inputs, and shock and vibration resistance. In addition to strengthened rugged qualities, cryptographic security is essential to protect the digital data communications between devices from external attacks.

• Smart Surveillance for Transportation Services
• Data Monitoring in Extreme Environments
• High-Density IoT Gateways
• Industrial and Manufacturing Automation
• Smart Agriculture
• Autonomous Navigation and Robotics
• Solar Grid Control and Communication
• Data Acquisition for Predictive Maintenance
• Intelligent Traffic Systems and Management

Real-time Processing and Analysis

IoT applications utilize rugged edge computing to process and analyze data with faster response times and low latency due to its physical proximity.

Security

Large single attacks on data centers can wreak havoc on the wealth of private data information stored in its servers. But the distributed paradigm of edge computing is able to mitigate overall damage with sufficient security measures in place.

Deployment Flexibility

The scalability and versatility of rugged edge computers make it easier for business to integrate into their operations. The improvements of compute, storage, and analytics in a smaller footprint allows rugged edge computers to implement in a variety of spaces near the data source.

Reliability

Rugged edge computers are durable enough to provide mission critical reliability for continuous operation and are also capable of working without cloud servers.

Business Cost Savings

By leveraging the local processing at the edge, business operations don’t have to rely on sending data over networks to the cloud thus saving costs on bandwidth and data management.

Compared to current edge computing models, rugged edge computers offer added durability and rugged features to excel in extreme environments. Some edge computing models consist of mini-data centers that feature a significant increase in processing performance but aren’t able to be remotely deployed in mobile environments where rugged edge computers can be integrated.

The capabilities of edge computing solutions range from basic event filtering to complex-event processing or batch processing.

Rugged edge computers hold several advantages of typical embedded computers including its tough rugged features, increased processing performance, and wider connectivity for device communication.

Rugged edge computer excel in mobile and remote deployments by leveraging specialized software such as Windows 10 IoT with fixed purpose device features to improve usability such as long-term servicing channels to eliminate inconsequential updates from interrupting edge applications.

Edge computing is used for analyzing data that is generated from sensors and devices to produce insights or actionable results in a local environment without needing to leverage the cloud for processing. This provides real-time responses with reduced latency for time-sensitive applications such as autonomous navigation. Additionally, edge computing offers better efficiency by processing large datasets locally and packaging it before transmitting to the cloud to save on network traffic and bandwidth.