A status page including the latest working group activity progress, in addition to a VITA standards Activity Chart listing all VITA standards - past and present - and their status.
As standardization of high-speed interconnect systems converges with the increased demands of military and aerospace applications, the need for more advanced technology in a ruggedized package has been highlighted. To meet this technology gap, VITA 60 (Alternative Connector on VPX) was launched to define a new interconnect platform consistent with the evolving VITA 46 (VPX) form factor yet designed and tested for more ruggedized environments.
Editorís note: Telecom-rooted Emerson Network Power is branching out and showing up in more places than one might expect, as our interview with James Doyle, the companyís congressional affairs liaison, reveals. From the companyís telecom beginnings to its VME-inspiring Motorola acquisition to its support of OpenVPX, the technology roadmap never stands still. But where will it end up? Edited excerpts follow.
Benjamin Nakache (Nolam Embedded Systems); Antoine Deschamps (Nolam Embedded Systems)
One of the technical challenges for hardware designers is to bring standardized technologies to applications with heterogeneous characteristics. The embedded computer industry developed modular standards long ago, but now is the time to bring modularity to FPGA boards and systems. The enabler: The VITA 57 FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC), providing flexible yet modular I/O for interfacing FPGAs to external devices and systems. But this flexibility also ... [read more]
Steve Edwards (Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing)
VPX is the future of VME for aerospace and defense deployed systems. VPX increases the capability of todayís systems versus previous standards and provides for future enhancements. And several new VPX specifications are defining the future of military embedded computing.
With the geometric growth in software size and complexity, avionics manufacturers are losing control of project schedules and budgets. Consequently, the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) hopes to address software development challenges through DO-178C ñ a new standard that embraces contemporary technologies and methodologies necessary to achieve these aims.
The new DO-178C and Safety-Critical Java (JSR-302) development standards encourage formal methods in support of high-integrity, object-oriented development to improve software modularity, reuse, and generality.
Security is fast becoming a prerequisite in todayís software systems and nowhere more so than when dealing with software reuse. A challenge for the software designer is how to integrate modern military-grade software programs into legacy software designed long before security standards were predominant in system requirements. The panacea: virtualization and particularly the secure separation kernel.
VITA 65 (OpenVPX) aims to solve VPX's (VITA 46's) interoperability dilemmas, but an understanding of the new OpenVPX and how to mix and match modules and backplanes is an important first step in using this ANSI-ratified standard.
The military has been attempting to utilize Small Form Factor (SFF) cards in SWaP-constrained applications for years now. And the 100-plus existing SFF specifications just muddy the waters with their plethora of technical, reliability, and performance issues. However, VITA's two new VITA standards - micro.VPX and NanoATR - aim to solve these snafus.
A three-month VITA survey says VPX is going to do well, though VME isnít going away anytime soon. [Editor's note: For further study, check out VMEnow (www.vmenow.com) and our VPX microsite (http://channels.opensystemsmedia.com/VPX)].
Markets for high-speed A/D converters are significant in size and many are growing rapidly. Commercial users include wireless mobile communication systems, airline radar, air traffic control towers, ship communications, and wireless networks. Industrial uses include medical imaging systems and process control systems. Government is another significant user: military radar, global military radio networks, unmanned aerial vehicles, and intelligence... [read more]
Suddenly space is the place, where most people think of space ships, the Space Shuttle, and Star Trek. But the reality is that most of the worldís efforts in space tech are invested in only one area: Satellite Communications (SATCOM). Interestingly, both Mentor Graphics and Xilinx recently introduced new FPGAs and EDA tools intended for radiation-hardened designs in SATCOM, yet they are taking wildly different approaches.
The year 2009 was a tough year in some board and system market segments, but it was a good year for other segments. The U.S. DoD budget contained some surprises, too. At least for a while, though, we are done with most of the major reactions to the economic, financial, and technology turmoil of 2009. It is now time to continue to plan for 2010 and beyond.
FPGAs are truly an integral part of the latest generation of software radio products. Not only are they being used with traditional digital signal processing algorithms but also in the management of data acquisition, buffering, triggering and timing aspects of high-performance real time systems.
Anne Mascarin (Mercury Computer Systems); Greg Rocco (Mercury Computer Systems)
The OpenVPX standard's interoperability and Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) support features allow it to quickly resolve issues and reduce time to integration.
Mentor Graphics is targeting aerospace and defense applications with design tools for hardware, software, and systems, including a requirements management tool.
The critical nature of military electronic and other critical systems demands that fielded products are as reliable as possible. Highly Accelerated Life Testing and Stress Screening (HALT/HASS) can quickly uncover problems associated with design and production capabilities. This early problem discovery results in more reliable products, reduced life-cycle support costs, and shorter time to market. Understanding this test environment, the applicat... [read more]
Adopting new technologies like VPX (VITA 46) doesn't have to mean abandoning previous solutions like VME. Smart product development strategies and use of XMC (VITA 42) modules enable the option to use both VME and VPX.
While some industry pundits still predict the eventual demise of VME, wares like Extreme Engineering Solutions’ XCalibur1531 6U VME single board computer just go to show that old faithful is still alive and kicking. And even thriving: This SBC is souped up for today’s high-perfor...
On one hand, there are the classic technologies like VME that have been around for years. On the other, there are new processors and technologies such as Intel’s Core i7. Though the latest technologies quickly gain more notoriety than the tried-and-true technologies, it doesn’t h...
VPX has inspired the VME industry with its small form factor and extreme ruggedness, even serving as the catalyst for the OpenVPX (VITA 65) movement. But one thing that has been less than inspiring with VPX – or at least proven itself quite a challenge – is that of testing VPX de...
Avionics technology’s depth and breadth has risen to an all-time high, leaving Orville and Wilbur Wright’s comparatively basic flying machine technology in the proverbial dust. Though the brothers’ 1903 flight made history and serves as the basis of modern flight, that histo...
VME and VPX apps are known for their durable packaging as the harsh environments they typically traverse are par for the course. But what about the processor that powers the application? High reliability is not an option. It's mandatory. To the rescue: e2v's PC8640/8641D and PC8640/8641 "e...
In today's "instant everything" world, expectations exist for everything from fast food to a fast car wash to a fast lane on the freeway with no delays and no slow drivers. And, of course, computers are no exception to these expectations. In fact, computers might have the most expectations...
While some developers are sticking with the tried-and-true Ada programming language, others are modernizing their systems by converting to the C and C++ languages. Though programming language conversions can strike fear in the hearts of many, MapuSoft's new Ada-C/C++ Changer tool can make...
If one could walk through a store with shelves lined with military embedded systems and their respective “ingredients,” what would set one SBC or backplane apart from the rest? It’d be power and processor type for sure, or serial fabric accommodation and speed, but what else...
Are the engineers at Altera perfectionists? We don’t know, but considering their latest attempt to improve upon a good thing, perfectionism could be a distinct possibility. And their most recent FPGA incarnation (or perhaps iteration) proves this point: the newest member of the 40 nm...
Why stick with just one when you can explore two ... or three ... or six different designs? Now, engineers – whether designing a VME, VPX, or other form factor system – can use CFdesign 2010, an upgraded version of Blue Ridge Numerics, Inc.’s design study environment, to do...
Though the OpenVPX Industry Working Group propelled VPX (VITA 46) and OpenVPX (VITA 65) into the limelight with unprecedented momentum, sister standard VXS (VITA 41) is still getting its share of attention. Case in point: Concurrent Technologies’ VXZ 541/06x, a dual VXS/VME PMC/XMC pr...
Though sticking to a double standard is typically thought of as negative, it’s definitely a positive if we’re talking about Themis Computer’s new T2VPX board-level computer – which supports both the VITA 65 (OpenVPX) and VITA 46 (VPX) standards. One thing that sets the...
Sometimes keeping a low profile (literally) can be a good thing, when considering the nooks and crannies of today’s space-constrained military and aerospace systems into which components must sometimes be shoehorned. These systems might be 3U VPX or even OpenVPX, but regardless of the...
And speaking of OpenVPX ... we chose BittWare’s new GT-3U-VPX (GT3X) hybrid signal processing board for an Editor’s Choice award because it offers just so darn many intriguing combinations: The board is fashioned in a 3U VPX form factor – yet also supports several OpenVPX sl...
Those who design enclosures, systems, and components for military apps complete their work in a safe, clean, temperature-controlled environment. So ensuring proper operation of said technology is easy. But what happens when their deployed wares are used by soldiers in the harsh desert envi...
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While some industry pundits still predict the eventual demise of VME, wares like Extreme Engineering Solutions’ XCalibur1531 6U VME single board computer just go to show that old faithful is still alive and kicking. And even thriving: This SBC is souped up for today’s high-perfor...
On one hand, there are the classic technologies like VME that have been around for years. On the other, there are new processors and technologies such as Intel’s Core i7. Though the latest technologies quickly gain more notoriety than the tried-and-true technologies, it doesn’t h...
VPX has inspired the VME industry with its small form factor and extreme ruggedness, even serving as the catalyst for the OpenVPX (VITA 65) movement. But one thing that has been less than inspiring with VPX – or at least proven itself quite a challenge – is that of testing VPX de...
Avionics technology’s depth and breadth has risen to an all-time high, leaving Orville and Wilbur Wright’s comparatively basic flying machine technology in the proverbial dust. Though the brothers’ 1903 flight made history and serves as the basis of modern flight, that histo...
VME and VPX apps are known for their durable packaging as the harsh environments they typically traverse are par for the course. But what about the processor that powers the application? High reliability is not an option. It's mandatory. To the rescue: e2v's PC8640/8641D and PC8640/8641 "e...
In today's "instant everything" world, expectations exist for everything from fast food to a fast car wash to a fast lane on the freeway with no delays and no slow drivers. And, of course, computers are no exception to these expectations. In fact, computers might have the most expectations...
While some developers are sticking with the tried-and-true Ada programming language, others are modernizing their systems by converting to the C and C++ languages. Though programming language conversions can strike fear in the hearts of many, MapuSoft's new Ada-C/C++ Changer tool can make...
If one could walk through a store with shelves lined with military embedded systems and their respective “ingredients,” what would set one SBC or backplane apart from the rest? It’d be power and processor type for sure, or serial fabric accommodation and speed, but what else...
Are the engineers at Altera perfectionists? We don’t know, but considering their latest attempt to improve upon a good thing, perfectionism could be a distinct possibility. And their most recent FPGA incarnation (or perhaps iteration) proves this point: the newest member of the 40 nm...
Why stick with just one when you can explore two ... or three ... or six different designs? Now, engineers – whether designing a VME, VPX, or other form factor system – can use CFdesign 2010, an upgraded version of Blue Ridge Numerics, Inc.’s design study environment, to do...
Though the OpenVPX Industry Working Group propelled VPX (VITA 46) and OpenVPX (VITA 65) into the limelight with unprecedented momentum, sister standard VXS (VITA 41) is still getting its share of attention. Case in point: Concurrent Technologies’ VXZ 541/06x, a dual VXS/VME PMC/XMC pr...
Though sticking to a double standard is typically thought of as negative, it’s definitely a positive if we’re talking about Themis Computer’s new T2VPX board-level computer – which supports both the VITA 65 (OpenVPX) and VITA 46 (VPX) standards. One thing that sets the...
Sometimes keeping a low profile (literally) can be a good thing, when considering the nooks and crannies of today’s space-constrained military and aerospace systems into which components must sometimes be shoehorned. These systems might be 3U VPX or even OpenVPX, but regardless of the...
And speaking of OpenVPX ... we chose BittWare’s new GT-3U-VPX (GT3X) hybrid signal processing board for an Editor’s Choice award because it offers just so darn many intriguing combinations: The board is fashioned in a 3U VPX form factor – yet also supports several OpenVPX sl...
Those who design enclosures, systems, and components for military apps complete their work in a safe, clean, temperature-controlled environment. So ensuring proper operation of said technology is easy. But what happens when their deployed wares are used by soldiers in the harsh desert envi...