AAEON, a leading manufacturer of AI Edge hardware solutions, and The Embedded Kit, a Witekio brand renowned for its innovative embedded systems software products, are thrilled to announce their strategic partnership this week at SIDO Lyon. This collaboration aims to streamline the development process for industrial companies by providing a fully integrated hardware and software bundle.
Traditionally, industrial companies must invest significant time and resources in researching, sourcing, and integrating specific hardware and software solutions separately to build their products. After that, they must maintain their systems throughout the product lifecycle, including securing them against cyber threats. As frequent updates and modifications in processor chips require industrial computers to continually upgrade their hardware to stay ahead of their competitors, these industrial companies constantly face the challenges of integration, maintenance, and cybersecurity. Overcoming these challenges and quickly getting products to market calls for streamlined processes and flexible systems that can keep pace with the speed of innovation.
The partnership between AAEON and The Embedded Kit offers a comprehensive solution to these challenges. By simplifying the complexities of software and hardware integration, this collaboration provides a seamless and efficient development experience. It enables faster development cycles and ultimately accelerates the time-to-market for cutting-edge solutions.
The Embedded Kit is a tooling ecosystem for embedded systems running on Linux. It offers out-of-the-box software products, including a Linux distribution, a device management platform, an embedded testing tool and a CVE Scanner, to streamline development and maintenance processes. Including security features like minimal Yocto image, secure boot, OTA update, and vulnerability monitoring, The Embedded Kit ensures the longevity of embedded systems. Delivered as source code, it eliminates vendor lock-in, providing developers with full control. Now that The Embedded Kit is tailored for AAEON’s de next-RAP8 hardware, device makers can concentrate on innovation rather than integration.
AAEON’s de next-RAP8 is a powerful and versatile solution for AI edge computing applications. It is the world’s first card-size single board computer powered by the newest 13th Generation Intel Core Processors (formerly Raptor Lake). It delivers upgraded performance, with multiple CPU cores and up to 16GB LPDDR5 memory. Measuring just 3.38” x 2.17” (86 mm x 55 mm), the de next-RAP8 offers impressive flexible expansion options to add on 4G Connectivity, Wi-Fi Modules, and AI Accelerators. The product is engineered to handle demanding workloads like real-time image and video processing, machine learning, and industrial automation, all while maintaining a compact form factor that seamlessly integrates into diverse environments and applications.
The Embedded Kit and AAEON package eliminates the time and effort required for equipment manufacturers to go to production and maintain their product’s security during its lifecycle. By providing a comprehensive solution, it not only enhances development efficiency but also guarantees cybersecurity compliance and long-term viability of systems, offering ongoing updates and maintenance tools to adapt to evolving security threats and technological advancements. This ensures that products remain secure, efficient, and relevant for years to come.
“By combining our cutting-edge AI edge hardware with The Embedded Kit’s robust embedded systems software, we’re providing equipment manufacturers with a seamless, secure, and efficient solution. This collaboration not only accelerates time-to-market but also ensures our customers can focus on innovation, knowing they have a reliable and secure foundation,” said Victor Lai, Managing Director at AAEON.
“We are proud to partner with AAEON to integrate their powerful de next-RAP8 hardware into our Linux distribution for AI edge computing applications. This collaboration highlights our mutual commitment to delivering industrial-grade quality and security right out of the box, allowing device manufacturers to accelerate their software development while ensuring robust system protection. We look forward to further strengthening this partnership to empower an increasing number of device makers using x86 boards in their industrial products,” said Pierre GAL, Head of Product Development at The Embedded Kit.
The partnership will officially launch during SIDO Lyon, the leading event for the convergence of IoT, AI, XR, and Robotics technologies, which takes place on 18 and 19 September 2024. Visit AAEON at Booth O205 and The Embedded Kit at Booth O422 to learn more about this exciting collaboration.
