7 Festive Things You Didn't Know About Team Sarsen...

A little festive fun from the team. Merry Christmas!

NIGEL
1. Christmas must-see movie.   
I do love “Wizard of Oz” but “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is our family favourite. I have never seen “The Sound Of Music” and I never will.
2. What are you having for Christmas dinner?   
Free range, organic, local turkey
3. A Christmassy family tradition in your house.  
A themed Boxing Day for a big family get together. The food, costumes, drink, music, decoration are all themed – this year it’s all gone Greek.
4. Favourite Christmas song/carol.  
“In The Bleak Midwinter” & “Coventry Carol” (I was a choir boy but now I now sing bass – But I still try to sing the descant on the last verse of “O Come, All Ye Faithful”.)
5. What makes you feel festive? 
Spiced rum
6. New Year’s Resolution.  
Remember to smile when happy
7. A present you’re secretly hoping for this year.  
World Peace or a book called “David Bowie: A Life” by Dylan Jones
       
ANGELA
1. Christmas must-see movie.  
The Grinch
2. What are you having for Christmas dinner?  
Turkey, free-range of course and without the trimmings, but lots of roast potatoes, vegetables and lashings of gravy
3. A Christmassy family tradition in your house.
We always have a themed Boxing Day with our extended family.  Every year we dress up, decorate, play music and eat a menu based around a chosen country.  In recent years we have been to Mexico, Cuba, Italy, Sweden (even hired a hot tub for that one!), and Hawaii (musically challenging). This year we are off to Greece for the day – looking forward to Calamari, Sea Bass, veggie Moussaka, and Greek Salad with plenty of Feta cheese of course!
4. Favourite Christmas song/carol.
Away in a Manager – precious memories of nativity plays when the children were small.
5. What makes you feel festive?   
Marlborough High Street on Saturday mornings in December.
6. New Year’s Resolution.  
I am waiting to be told by my family – I’ll let you know!
7. A present you’re secretly hoping for this year.  
Honestly? Headway on a global scale on the use of and disposal of plastics, especially into our oceans.
       
CHRISTOS
1. Christmas must-see movie.  
Home Alone
2. What are you having for Christmas dinner?    
Thick Pork bacon slices, Sausages, Roast turkey, Salad, Roasted Potatoes, Rice, Bulgur Wheat, and possibly game of some sort. And for dessert Melomakarona and Kourabiedes
3. A Christmassy family tradition in your house.  
Getting to the church in the morning, then going to the local football club “house” to have a coffee and participate in raffle, Then go to my grandfathers named Christos, so we celebrate our nameday with the whole family and at night go out to Bouzoukia.
4. Favourite Christmas song/carol.  
White Christmas by Bing Crosby – Holiday Inn 1942
5. What makes you feel festive?   
The Christmas lights, the Christmas movies combined with bad weather outside, and the fireplace at my favourite café in the area I live in Cyprus.
6. New Year’s Resolution.  
Live a day like a lion rather 100 days like a sheep. I am kidding. To get back to exercising, learn a language, go somewhere I have never been before.
7. A present you’re secretly hoping for this year.  
I truly hope for love, well-being and peace.
       
LYNN
1. Christmas must-see movie.  
Our annual Christmas season movie is Moulin Rouge! Heavens knows why – we just love it.
2. What are you having for Christmas dinner?  
This year we are steering away from ‘traditional’ and having duck confit.
3. A Christmassy family tradition in your house.  
For the kids in the family and when I was a child we planted a ‘magic’ seed on Christmas Eve together with a Christmas Carol singalong and the magic tree grew overnight. Such great excitement on Christmas morning!
4. Favourite Christmas song/carol.  
O come all ye Faithful!
5. What makes you feel festive?  
Lovely glowing golden Christmas lights and candles.
6. New Year’s Resolution.    
Cut out biscuits, sweets and chocolates!!
7. A present you’re secretly hoping for this year. 
 A log burner!
       
LAURA
1. Christmas must-see movie.  
Love Actually. To me, it's perfect.
2. What are you having for Christmas dinner?  
Turkey, all the trimmings (including yorkshires, pigs in blankets and stuffing) and 'Delightful'. Which in our family is trifle without the revolting soggy sponge. And Angel Delight instead of blancmange. We win at desserts.
3. A Christmassy family tradition in your house.  
When we were kids we'd all open our stockings sat at the foot of Mum and Dad's bed. Now I do the same but with our cats. Yes, they have stockings too.
4. Favourite Christmas song/carol.   
All Alone on Christmas by Darlene Love. And it's not Christmas until 'The Buble' has been on at least 15 times.
5. What makes you feel festive?    
Twinkly lights and cinnamon.
6. New Year’s Resolution.  
Convince Nigel that The Sound of Music is a wonderful film.
7. A present you’re secretly hoping for this year.  
Unbelievably, socks. Big, fluffy knee length socks. With pom poms.

A Great Bustard Adventure and a Fabulous Christmas Feast

We are spoiled here at Sarsen when it comes to Christmas treats. You can see some of our previous outings here - A Christmas walk down memory lane...

This year we went Great Bustard spotting. If you know what a Great Bustard looks like you'd think this would be a straightforward activity. Not so much.

This is how big they actually are:

This is how well camouflaged they are in the wild.

Fortunately Nigel, Mike and our resident wildlife photographer Angela had their cameras with them, so expect some better photos early in the new year.

The Great Bustard (Otis tarda) is one of the heaviest flying birds alive today and can be found across Europe, sale as far south as Spain and as far north as the Russian steppes. The conservation status of the Great Bustard is listed as vulnerable, there with populations in many countries being in decline. The species became extinct in the UK in 1832. Thanks to the eagle eye of our guide, Ruth, and some binoculars, we spotted 6 birds in total, and it was amazing to see them strutting around without a care in the world. The Great Bustard Group does an amazing job working to reintroduce the species to the UK and to promote its interests throughout its range.

After a good 60 minute trek across Salisbury Plain and some time in the hide we were all very hungry so Christmas lunch at the Red Lion in East Chisenbury was a very welcome next stop. the food was delicious and six clean plates tell their own story. Even the Brussels sprouts were polished off!!

We also had a traditional Secret Santa extravaganza, with some fabulous presents given and received, but I'm sure you'll agree that this is the absolute pinnacle of Secret Santa gifts.

Although I think Nigel was pretty pleased with his after a trepidatious unwrapping!

Merry Christmas to all, and thank you to the Great Bustard Group and the Red Lion at East Chisenbury for a truly memorable day.

Sarsen Technology Christmas Bake Off - The Results!

Once again the Sarsen Technology team has been putting their artistic and creative skills to the test, this time with the Christmas staple, the chocolate Yule Log. Baking experience varies throughout the team, but everyone had a go and the results were quite spectacular.

We asked our friends at Sema4 to judge, and they assured us they were well versed in extreme cake eating, which was great news as there were 5 completely different offerings to taste.

Christos - Chocolate salami with cognac and dark chocolate
Lynn - Chocolate log with peppermint cream and gingerbread figures
Laura - Chocolate log with spiced rum and ginger buttercream
Nigel - Chocolate log with glace fruits and chocolate ganache icing
Angela - Well, we'll come to Angela later.

L-R: Lynn, Christos, Nigel & Laura (bottom)

Judged by James and Tony from Sema4, (or Mary and Paul as we like to call them) who took their roles very seriously, there were 3 awards to be won. Master of Flavours, for the person who made the most delicious cake, Expert Cake Decorator, for they who made their log look the most beautiful, and the Overall Winner, given to the person who combined both good looks and taste.

Our expert judges - Tony and James from Sema4

There was some debate between the judges about which log deserved the Master of Flavours accolade, it was a close call for Laura's boozy spiced rum filling but in the end Christos was victorious, with his traditional Greek Mosaiko, or chocolate salami. Filled with delicious biscuits and twice as much cognac as the recipe demanded, Christos knew he was on to a winner before the judging even started.

Lynn's beautifully decorated log, complete with holly and gingerbread animals took the Expert Cake Decorator award. The time and effort put into the finished cake was clear to see and the prize was well deserved.

Considering Nigel has never really baked before, his log was really tasty, even if Tony thought the icing looked like it was moving!!

Now, the Overall Winner was initially awarded to Angela, based on how beautifully put together and delicious her chocolate log was. I'm sure you'd agree, it would normally be a very worthy winner.

Angela's beautiful cake!

Then the bombshell was dropped that the cake we'd been admiring was actually bought whole, from a shop. Not lovingly baked and decorated by hand as everyone else's was. You can imagine our horror when this was revealed, and so unfortunately the whole thing had to be disqualified. In Angela's defence she did blame her daughter for putting the idea in her head and she was very busy so it's not entirely her fault.

This left the door open for Laura to swoop in and take the Overall Winner title, with the cake that was actually James' favourite from the beginning.

Thank you very much to James and Tony for their expertise today, and for (almost) everyone for putting in such a wonderful effort.

Merry Christmas to all!

A Walk Down Christmas Memory Lane...

There are only 13 sleeps to Santa, and here at Sarsen we do like to celebrate Christmas. This year we have a beautiful tree from Val and the lovely elves at Nature at Work, and Angela has planned a cracker (get it!?) of a Christmas do.

We've done a lot of different things over the last 17 years, from fancy dress parties to burlesque nights, extraordinary gastronomic experiences to cosy pub lunches. There are always plenty of photos/evidence to remember them by and there's normally a silly hat or two involved!

 This year we are taking a trip to Salisbury Plain to see the Great Bustards, which have been reintroduced back into the wild thanks to the hard work of The Great Bustard Group.

We'll be ready for a good feed after spending time in the bird hide, so we're stopping off for a festive feast at The Red Lion in East Chisenbury where all the Secret Santa fun and games will commence!

If you have any photos of your Christmas parties we'd love to see them! Ours will be posted here next Friday for your festive viewing pleasure :)

Best wishes to all friends and colleagues, old and new (especially to those who managed to avoid being in any photos!!).
Thanks for the memories!
Team Sarsen

Conflict Minerals - Our Policy

Conflict minerals are minerals mined in conditions of armed conflict and human rights abuses, and which are sold or traded by armed groups. This has for some years been a particular problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

There are four conflict minerals which are generally defined as cassiterite (tin), coltan (tantalum), wolframite (tungsten) and gold, or derivatives of these minerals. Sometimes these minerals are referred to as the ‘three Ts’ - tin, tantalum and tungsten (and gold).

On an annual basis, we request that the manufacturers we represent provide details of their Conflict Minerals Policy and the procedures they follow to ensure that they meet the requirements of the Conflict Minerals Final Rule documented in Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The Conflict Minerals Policy for each of the manufacturers we represent is available upon request.

Sarsen Technology has obtained information from our suppliers concerning the origin of the metals that are used in the manufacture of the products we supply and support. Based upon information provided by our suppliers, Sarsen Technology does not knowingly use metals derived from the Conflict Region. If we discover the use of minerals produced in facilities that are considered “non-conflict free”, in any product we procure, Sarsen Technology will take the appropriate action to transition product to be “conflict free”.

Mineral	Image	Description	Major Uses
Cassiterite		Ore from which tin is extracted	Plating and solders for joining pipes and electronic circuits
Coltan (Columbite-tantalite)		Ore from which tantalum is extracted	Electrical components (including those used in mobile phones, computers, videogame consoles), aircraft and surgical components
Gold		Rare metal found in a native (pure) form and obtained as a by-product of other mining operations	Jewellery, electronic, communications and aerospace equipment
Wolframite		Ore from which tungsten is extracted	Metal wires, electrodes and contacts in lighting, electronic, electrical, heating and welding applications

For more information please visit the guidance pages on the UK Government website - www.gov.uk

How VersaLogic's Rugged Computers are Being Used in Security and Surveillance Applications

VersaLogic designs products for use by OEMs in a variety of market applications. Anywhere that the need for superb quality and high-performance embedded computing exists, VersaLogic can provide an effective and robust solution.

More: VersaLogic

Protecting lives and property are at the heart of every security application. And VersaLogic embedded computers are designed into some of the most sophisticated and high profile security equipment used today.

Caught on Camera
A leading supplier of security and surveillance cameras is using VersaLogic single board computers in their ultra-long-range laser illumination cameras. These high performance surveillance systems are protecting airports, borders, ports, waterways and nuclear power plants around the world.

Designed to be rugged and highly reliable, the systems are employed by both the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. Unlike conventional night vision technologies that rely on moonlight, laser illumination cameras use continuous wave laser illumination, electro-optics and image processing to provide clear pictures in zero light or full daylight.

Using the high performance processing power of the VersaLogic SBC, the surveillance system is capable of producing gray scale video in which words and numbers are legible from a range of up to 3000 meters. The system also provides visibility through rain and other inclement weather. Designed to withstand extreme temperature fluctuations, VersaLogic SBCs are capable of operating smoothly under the harshest environmental conditions.

VersaLogic SBCs for Security Applications

Bengal	Fox	Blackbird
PCIe/104 OneBank format Intel Atom E38xx processor Dual gigabit Ethernet DDR3L RAM (up to 8 GB) USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports Visit Bengal Webpage	PC/104-Plus format DMP Vortex DX2 processor (933 MHz) Dual Fast Ethernet Serial I/O (4 ports) Visit Fox Webpage	COM Express Basic form factor Intel Skylake i7 or i5 processors Dual gigabit Ethernet Onboard TPM chip Visit Blackbird Webpage

Protecting lives and property are at the heart of every security application. And VersaLogic embedded computers are designed into some of the most sophisticated and high profile security equipment used today.

• Rugged solutions for operation in harsh, mobile, and/or remote environments
• SBCs with extensive on-board I/O capabilities help to minimise system size, power, complexity, and expense
• Ultra-high reliability COTS – industry leading manufacturing quality and screening programs
• IoT Ready embedded CPU and processing modules
• Customised boards in quantities as low as 100 units
• Extensive lifecycle support - guaranteed 5-year off-the-shelf availability and formal programs for 10+ year extensions
• US-based manufacturing and support

Every VersaLogic product is designed from the ground up for high reliability, manufactured and tested to the highest quality standards, and backed by world-class service, 5 year warranty, and a 5+ year production life guarantee.

Have You Got The Skills We Need?

WANTED: Sales Engineer / Business Development Manager
SKILLS REQUIRED: 
• Effective written and verbal communications skills
• The desire to take your career to the next stage and flourish in an SME environment
• Degree in Electronic Engineering, Physics, Computer Science or a related field
• FPGA and/or ARM CPU architecture experience an advantage
• The ability to work effectively as part of a small team
• The ability to build long-term and effective relationships with clients quickly
• Strong, proven analytical and problem-solving skills
• Resilience and tenacity
• Energy and drive
• Independent and creative
• A full driving licence
FULL JOB SPEC: Download pdf

Sarsen Technology is a leading distributor of embedded hardware and software solutions, and is proud to be a part of the exciting and diverse technology industry in the UK.

We are looking for a motivated and adaptable Sales Engineer or Business Development Manager to join our friendly team based in Marlborough, UK.

This role is key to the next stage of the development of Sarsen Technology. We are looking for someone with the ambition, skills and drive to work towards a significant leadership role within a well-established technology SME.

The new role is due to business growth across a number of the markets we operate in. In order to support our growth we need to add exceptional people to our fantastic team. We are looking for a dynamic and socially confident Engineer who is able to demonstrate a positive attitude to clients, suppliers and the rest of the Sarsen team.

If you have any questions or would like to apply please send your CV and covering letter to:
Nigel Norman
Managing Director
Sarsen Technology Limited
Tel: 01672 511166
Email: nigel.norman@sarsen.net

In Case You Missed It... DSEI 2017

Sarsen Technology exhibited in the dedicated Security Zone at DSEI 2017, showcasing the some of the worlds highest-performance computing hardware from some of our international manufacturers..

We were joined by Ken Sheth and Tony Barbieri from EIZO Rugged Solutions who were running a very cool interactive GPGPU CUDA demo, based on the new Condor GR3 3U VPX single board computer.

Kerry Howell and Gary Harris from VersaLogic were also with us on the stand and introduced their brand new Ethernet over Fibre mini PCIe module which was very popular. VersaLogic's family of rugged, embedded computers were on display, including a special focus on the modules with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), including the new Raven and Liger boards.

If you stopped by the stand you would have seen a number of 1553 and ARINC boards from Alta Data and a wide range of rugged SBCs from Extreme Engineering, including the XPedite8150 COM Express Module based on the Intel Atom E3800 'Bay Trail' series of processors. We also had a lot of interest in the PCIe boards from BittWare, featuring both Xilinx UltraScale and Intel Arria 10 and Stratix V FPGAs.

If you didn't make it to DSEI this year but you'd like some more info on the technology we were talking about at the event please get in touch - info@sarsen.net

 

DSEI 2017 - EIZO Rugged Solutions Tyton VS2 H.265 Video Encoder Showcase: Stand N7-185

DSEI 2017

28 days to go - are you visiting DSEI 2017? If you are we'd like to invite you to the Sarsen Technology stand, N7-185, where we will be showcasing the some of the worlds highest-performance computing hardware designed for wide range of security sectors, from UAVs and electronic countermeasures to surveillance cameras, secure storage and deep packet inspection.

We are very pleased to be welcoming our partners from EIZO Rugged Solutions, who are pioneers in high performance computer graphics hardware solutions for niche markets. Their Condor XMC/VPX video capture products offer high resolution video capture, both in raw and H.264 formats. AMD and NVIDIA GPUs supporting OpenCL and CUDA are available for GPGPU applications.


Tyton VS2 Rugged H.265 Video Encoding and Streaming Solution

Tyton VS2 from EIZO Rugged Solutions is a powerful H.265 (HEVC) / H.264 (AVC) video encoding and streaming solution that has been designed to serve video transmission needs in extreme field environments. Tyton VS2 is non-intrusive and yet feature rich, offering bypass video outputs, low latency encoding and low power consumption.

Visit Tyton VS2 Product Page

The rugged, standalone Tyton VS2 is capable of capturing two 3G-SDI, HD-SDI or SD-SDI video inputs simultaneously and encoding them using the highly versatile video encoding standard H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC), as well as the newly adopted H.265 (HEVC) standard. It can create multiple encoded video streams per input (input is split and encoded separately with unique settings per encode.


Features

Rugged Stand-Alone Solution	Multiple Encoded Streams per Input (8x Dynamic Encoding Cores)
H.265 (HEVC) / H.264 (AVC) Video Encoding and Streaming	Customisable Design Even at Low Volumes
Two 3G-SDI Video Inputs (other video formats possible on per customer basis)	Stereo Audio Input w/ AAC Audio Encoding
Two Bypass SDI Video Outputs	Low Power & Low Latency
1GB Ethernet Output (All encoded streams sent over same Ethernet port)	Small Compact Form Factor
SNMP based control API (for easy integration into existing user applications)	Rugged Design for Vibration, Shock, Humidity (MIL-STD-810G & IP67)
Web Server Configuration App for easy configuration of device	-45°C to 85°C Operating Temperature
CoT & KLV Metadata Insertion	Ideal for Rugged Applications: Including Avionics, Defense, ISR and Command & Control
Long Term Product Availability	Tyton VS2 Datasheet

For more information please get in touch with the Sarsen Technology team - info@sarsen.net

DSEI 2017 - VersaLogic Rugged Embedded Single Board Computer Showcase: Stand N7-185

DSEI 2017

The doors open at DSEI 2017 in just 39 days, and we're gearing up to make sure we provide visitors with a complete overview of the exciting new technology we supply here in the UK.

Sarsen Technology will be exhibiting in the dedicated Security Zone at DSEI 2017, showcasing the some of the worlds highest-performance computing hardware supported by a number of software options.

Our fastest growing market sector is niche computing systems for government and defence security applications, and the products we supply can be used in a wide range of security sectors, from UAVs and electronic countermeasures to surveillance cameras, secure storage and deep packet inspection.

With this in mind we've invited our long term manufacturing partner VersaLogic to introduce their very latest rugged, embedded computers at the event.

Why VersaLogic?

VersaLogic offers a wide range of complete Single Board Computers (SBCs). These self-contained computers are equivalent to a desktop computer, but in a smaller, more rugged and reliable package. Most have standard inputs and outputs such as keyboard, USB, video, Ethernet, etc.

VersaLogic's embedded computers are designed for the most demanding applications. From ultra small (credit card size) to industry-standard PC/104- and EBX-sized boards, their x86 compatible computers are used whenever reliability counts, thriving in the harshest environments including temperature extremes (-40° to +85°C) and intense shock, vibration, and humidity.

New Technology

The latest board to be announced is the Liger - a high-performance SBC combining Intel’s 7th generation Core “Kaby Lake” processor with a PC/104-Plus expansion interface to provide a rugged, backwards compatible module.

The Liger also contains a full complement of on-board I/O interfaces including USB 2.0, USB 3.0, mini PCIe expansion socket, TPM chip, multiple serial interfaces and 8-bits of digital I/O.

For more information about VersaLogic and what you can see at DSEI 2017 please get in touch!

Free Tickets for DSEI 2017 - One Week Left!

It's not too late to get your free ticket to DSEI 2017!

Event: DSEI 2017
Date: 12-15 September 2017

Stand: N7-185

Location: ExCeL, London
Visit: www.dsei.co.uk
Contact: Laura Biddiscombe - laurab@sarsen.net 

Sarsen Technology will be exhibiting in the dedicated Security Zone at DSEI 2017, showcasing  some of the worlds highest-performance computing hardware supported by a number of software options.

The DSEI Security Theatre has been expanded and enhanced for 2017 to include

• Security capability demonstrations
• The impact of international terrorism and regional instability on security decisions and humanitarian needs
• The challenges of increased mass migration on border security and civil order
• Evolving cyber technology and warfare: defensive and offensive
• Developing the next generation of ‘cyber warriors’
• Cyber intelligence and capability: the growing need for industry-government collaboration
• Emerging security trends, e.g. UAS, Internet of Things, IP enabled infrastructure, vehicles and wearable devices

Government market sectors including cyber security, intelligence, surveillance and secure communications have become increasingly important in recent times. As cyberspace becomes an ever more intrinsic component for a huge range of market sectors this reliance a has led to a significant focus on preventing a range of cyber-attacks, from malicious software to hacking. To tackle these events, both government and private organisations are looking beyond the traditional purchases of cyber security software systems.

This change makes Sarsen Technology uniquely placed to support customers in creating their own bespoke and off the shelf hardware and software solutions. Our product lines have been chosen to support applications that need to account for ambitious data bandwidths and strict security requirements, and in many cases reduce size, weight, and power (SWaP).

Our fastest growing market sector is niche computing systems for government and defence security applications, and the products we supply can be used in a wide range of security sectors, from UAVs and electronic countermeasures to surveillance cameras, secure storage and deep packet inspection.

We will be supported at the show by EIZO Rugged Solutions and VersaLogic, and you will also be able to see product demonstrations featuring Xilinx and Intel/Altera FPGA solutions from BittWare. There will be more information about which demos will be running closer to the time.

If you would like to visit the Sarsen stand at DSEI 2017 we have a number of free tickets available.

Please contact Laura Biddiscombe to request a ticket.


 

Trenton Systems Introduces New Purley Platform Skylake-SP Host Boards

Intel's next-generation Xeon Gold and Silver processors (formally known as Skylake-SP) developed under the family code name 'Purley' have now been released and Trenton Systems is pleased to be  launching a range of new products based on this architecture.

The Intel Xeon Gold and Silver processors are supported on the new SEP8253 system host board (SHB). The SEP8253 is the latest module in Trenton Systems’ HDEC Series® High Density Embedded Computing family of backplanes, host boards and rugged aluminium 19” rackmount chassis.

A drop-in replacement for the popular HEP8225, the SEP8253 brings support for dual Intel Xeon Gold and Silver processors and 8 DDR4-2666 memory DIMMs for up to 1TB of memory to the HDEC platform. 

It delivers 88 lanes of PCI Express 3.0 to an HDEC Series backplane, delivering the ultimate in flexibility when designing COTS PCIe embedded computing solutions that take advantage of FPGA and GPU co-processors, fabric interfaces like 50 or 100GbE, Infiniband or NVMe storage. 

Onboard interfaces include 4 USB 3.0, 2 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, 2, 10GbE interfaces, VGA and Serial COMM support, with 6 additional USB 3.0, 6 SATA/600 and various serial, USB 2.0, GPIO, fan speed monitoring and I²C bus signals passed to the backplane.

The SEP8253 single board computer is designed, built and integrated by Trenton Systems in the USA to exacting quality and longevity standards. All Trenton's board products with a 5-year warranty, 15 years of processor availability, and free, in-house, lifetime technical support.

Please visit the Trenton Systems website for more information: www.trentonsystems.com.

Swindon FPGA Meetup - 18th July 2017

Swindon FPGA Meetup Group

The aim of the Swindon FPGA Meetup is to provide a forum where people based in the Swindon area who have an active interest in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology can get together to discuss industry developments in hardware & software tools, verification, architectures, simulation, verification and test.

We aim to connect local Engineers and Technologists who are working in the electronics industry and using FPGAs in their projects and applications. Rather than selling solutions, we want to share our industry knowledge and experience to further our collective technical expertise.

The first meetup is scheduled for Tuesday, July 18th at The Plough on the Hill near Swindon, and the organisers will provide food and a beer.

If there are any topics you would like to discuss please join the Swindon FPGA Group on Meetup.

Swindon FPGA Meetup Group - Event Details

Please get in touch for more information. We look forward to seeing you there!

In Review: Xilinx SDSoC and Levels of Abstraction

The SDSoC development environment from Xilinx provides engineers and developers using Zynq SoC and MPSoC with a familiar C/C++ design environment, including a straightforward Eclipse IDE, expanded library, board, and design services ecosystem support.

In a recent article posted on the Xilinx blog, Part 196 of Adam Taylor's MicroZed Chronicles takes a good look at what SDSoC is, how it works and the benefits gained from using it.

Adam Taylor’s MicroZed Chronicles, Part 196: SDSoC and Levels of Abstraction

Originally posted by Xilinx Employee sleibso ‎05-22-2017 09:40 AM - edited ‎05-22-2017 10:28 AM 
Re-posted with permission.

We have looked at SDSoC several times throughout this series, however I recently organized and presented at the NMI FPGA Machine Vision event and during the coffee breaks and lunch, attendees showed considerable interest in SDSoC - not only for its use in the Xilinx reVISION acceleration stack but also its use in a range of over developments. As such, I thought it would be worth some time looking at what SDSoC is and the benefits we have previously gained using it. I also want to discuss a new use case.

SDSoC Development Environment

SDSoC is an Eclipse-based, system-optimizing compiler that allows us to develop our Zynq SoC or Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC design in its entirety using C or C++. We can then profile the application to find aspects that cause performance bottlenecks and move then into the Zynq device’s Programmable Logic (PL). SDSoC does this using HLS (High Level Synthesis) and a connectivity framework that’s transparent to the user. What this means is that we are able develop at a higher level of abstraction and hence reduce the time to market of the product or demonstration.

To do this, SDSoC needs a hardware platform, which can be pre-defined or custom. Typically, these platforms within the PL provide the basics: I/O interfaces and DMA transfers to and from Zynq device’s PS’ (Processing System’s) DDR SDRAM. This frees up most the PL resources and PL/PS interconnects to be used by SDSoC when it accelerates functions.

This ability to develop at a higher level and accelerate performance by moving functions into the PL enables us to produce very flexible and responsive systems. This blog has previously looked at acceleration examples including AES encryption, matrix multiplication, and FIR Filters. The reduction in execution time has been significant in these cases. Here’s a table of these previously discussed examples:

For more information on Xilinx Zynq MPSoC based hardware, the SDSoC environment or embedded computing in general please get in touch with the knowledgeable team at Sarsen Technology - info@sarsen.net

New 2U 19" Rackmount Modular Blade Computer from Trenton Systems

Always striving to be at the forefront of innovative technology, Trenton Systems has designed a brand new modular blade system providing a flexible solution for a wide range of projects.

The MBS2000 supports up to 4 single or dual-processor modular blade cards, and is ideal for those applications needing increased compute density while keeping system size, weight and power (SWaP) to a minimum.

More Information

This 2U modular computer installs into standard 19" racks, and the housing for each modular blade card is enclosed in either a 1U or 2U metal carrier. Each carrier slides into the MBS2000 to support quick system re-configurations that enhances system scalability and flexibility.

MBS2000 2U modular computer features include:

• Secure 4-in-1 modular computer design
• Scalable design allows you to place just the right amount of computing power to work
• Easily deploy 1, 2, 3, or 4 independent, single or dual-processor blade cards
• Single Processor - MBK8257 is a long-life, designed and Made In America single board computer featuring a choice of an embedded Intel® processor
• MBK8257 Intel® Xeon® E3-1275 v5/v6, Intel® Xeon® E3-1225 v5/v6, Intel® Core™ i3-7101E (additional Skylake/Kaby Lake-S options available) 
• Dual Processor - MSL8256 will be available later in 2017 and this single board computer will support dual embedded Intel® Xeon® processor options
• MSL8256 featuring next generation Intel® Xeon® processors (code name: Skylake)
• Built-in expandability enhances and preserves your hardware platform investment
• 2U modular blade option supports up to two PCI Express full-height plug-in cards
• Smart System Management (SSM) software enables remote monitoring
• Standard 5-year factory warranty
• Made In America

Sarsen Technology has the only demonstration unit here in the UK. If you’d like to see the system in action please get in touch with our team and we can arrange a visit.

A 1U version and a modular blade server tower are also available.
Trenton Modular Blade Server Products

New Electronics - Newly Formed TechWorks to Move UK Technology Industry into a Higher Gear

Graham Pitcher from New Electronics has been looking into the new TechWorks organisation, which has been created to support the UK’s technology sector and to make it easier for the business and technology communities to build partnerships across government, academia and industry.

http://www.techworks.org.uk/

TechWorks has been established as an umbrella organisation which is looking to give the UK’s technology sector a significant nudge in the right direction.

According to the newly formed group, it will operate ‘beyond established silos’ by creating connected technical and business communities, identifying common challenges and developing the UK tech ecosystem, and building partnerships across industry, academia and government.

The organisation is being chaired by Sir Hossein Yassaie, pictured, recently CEO of Imagination Technology. “We believe we have the last major chance to do something significant in the UK and the timing is right because there have been major changes in the industry.”

Essentially succeeding the NMI, TechWorks is recognising the role which finance plays in the technology world. “We’re bringing in financial people for the first time,” Sir Hossein continued. “They could be the missing element, but the finance sector hasn’t been involved before. They are now the focus and we believe the community is now ready for it.”

Read the full article here.

13 Years A Sarsen Technology Employee...

13 years. That's a long time in anyone's book. 2004 doesn't seem that long ago, but lots has happened since then. Britney Spears got married, divorced, married and divorced again, Marvel released 36 movies,  Roger Federer won Wimbledon 6 times and we all sat through six seasons of Lost. Was it a dream? Does anyone even care?

Here at Sarsen Technology the last 13 years have been pretty great, because we've been lucky enough to have had Lynn as part of the team.

Lynn is an integral part of the company, providing all the accounting and financial processes including invoicing and banking, but more importantly she looks after holiday administration and salaries! Lynn's input is essential to the smooth running of the office day to day.

The traditional gift for a thirteenth anniversary is lace, but we couldn't find anything suitable (or appropriate) so to celebrate this special anniversary we visited The Polly Tea Rooms for a spot of afternoon tea.

If you're ever in Marlborough we definitely recommend a visit. Their scones are some of the best we've ever had. And we eat a lot of cake...

Thank you Lynn for all your hard work and support over the last 13 years, we look forward to working with you for many more.

Best wishes,
Nigel, Angela,
Laura, Christos & Kevin.

 

ISC High Performance 2017 - Meet with BittWare and Sarsen Technology

Event: ISC 2017
Date: Sunday 18 June - Thursday 22nd June
Location: Frankfurst, Germany
Stand: A-1431

ISC High Performance is an international event for academic, industrial and commercial disciplines to come together and share ideas and knowledge across the entire high performance computing spectrum.

The 2017 conference offers 3 days of speakers and seminars based around this years focus topics:

HPC Systems	HPC Applications & Algorithms	HPC Trends & Challenges
Exascale System Developments (Architecture & Concepts)	Life Sciences	High Performance Visualization
Processor Technologies for HPC and AI	Energy Exploration	Big Data Experiments & Big Data Analysis
Memory Outlook	Turbulences & Combustion	Quantum Annealing for Combinatorial Optimization Problems
Interconnects for HPC Systems	Advanced Material Science
Programming Models (Concepts for Exascale)	Algorithms for Extreme Scale in Practice
	Large Scale Engineering & Cloud Computing

Sarsen Technology works with BittWare to provide customers with high-performance FPGA solutions based on Intel Stratix 10/Arria 10 and Xilinx UltraScale/UltraScale+ FPGAs, for data centres, network packet processing and cyber security applications.

Sarsen Technology is exhibiting at ISC 2017 alongside BittWare and EMG2, you can find us at stand A1431. BittWare’s range of Intel and Xilinx FPGA PCIe boards will be on display, along with live demos including Deep Learning with their OpenCL Board Support Package and 100 GbE packet processing with Intel’s DPDK.

For more information please contact Sarsen Technology.

New NVIDIA CUDA-based 3U VPX GPGPU Module is a Game Changer!

With the recent release of the Condor GR3 3U VPX from EIZO Rugged Solutions we are excited to be now be in a position able to offer a powerful, complete single-slot 3U VPX GPGPU solution, based on the Condor GR3 and the XPedite7501 XMC module from Extreme Engineering Solutions.

This combination offers an ideal graphics processing solution for a wide range of high performance and compute intensive project requirements. Radar, airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) applications where size, weight, and power (SWaP) and system flexibility are key considerations. This architecture allows for an easy and versatile upgrade path of both the graphics module and the SBC.

Both boards are rugged, MIL-STD-810 compliant, and support extended temperature operation (-40°C to +85°C) for use in extreme environments, providing performance-oriented GPGPU customers a complete solution that doesn’t compromise on reliability.

The Condor GR3 3U VPX GPGPU solution hosts NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX-950M processor with 640 CUDA cores and 1,271 TFLOPs of floating point performance, and supports multiple I/O interfaces including Ethernet, RS-232, USB, and SATA.

The XPedite7501 is a high-performance, low-power, XMC module based on the 5th generation Intel® Core™ i7 Broadwell-H processor. With up to three PCI Express Gen3-capable ports and two Gigabit Ethernet ports, the XPedite7501 is ideal for high-bandwidth data processing applications. The XPedite7501 also leverages Intel® Iris™ Pro graphics for graphics-intensive applications and serves as a general-purpose GPU for demanding data processing applications.

For more information please contact the Sarsen Technology team on +44 1672 511166 or send us an email with your requirements - info@sarsen.net

Condor GR3 3U VPX Features

XPedite7501 Features

3U VPX form factor (conduction cooled) Designed for SWaP constrained applications NVIDIA® Maxwell™ GPU  GeForce® GTX 950M XMC site for hosting an XMC form factor computer Two configurations currently available: - GR3-C3: 6th generation Intel® Core™ i3-6102E - GR3-X7: 5th generation Intel® Core™ i7-5700EQ Supports NVIDIA® CUDA® and OpenCL™ 1.2 640 CUDA cores, 1.271 TFLOPs shader performance 4GB GDDR5 graphics memory DirectX® 12, OpenGL® 4.5, Shader 5.0 8 or 4 lane PCI Express 2.0 DVI, VGA and DisplayPort outputs on VPX P1/P2 Two 1Gbps Ethernet, Two USB 2.0, Two RS-232 and Two SATA Long term product availability Ideal for rugged applications Windows or Linux drivers Contact us for the latest datasheet

Supports 5th generation (Broadwell-H) and 4th generation (Haswell) Intel® Core™ i7 processors XMC (VITA 42) module Conduction or air cooling Up to 8 GB of DDR3L-1600 ECC SDRAM in two channels Up to 32 GB of NAND flash Two x4 or one x8 PCI Express Gen3-capable P15 XMC interface One x4 PCI Express P16 XMC interface Two Gigabit Ethernet ports Four USB 2.0 ports Two SATA ports Two RS-232/422/485 serial ports HDMI/DVI-D or Dual-Mode DisplayPort interface Intel® vPro™/AMT support Linux BSP Microsoft Windows drivers Contact Sarsen for availability of Green Hills INTEGRITY, QNX Neutrino, Wind River VxWorks and LynuxWorks LynxOS BSPs  See Datasheet

ONYX-HD: High Performance Embedded Computing Platform for Video Imaging and Situation Awareness

Pre-Qualified Multi-Mission Rugged Computer

 
The ONYX family from Ecrin Systems is based on leading edge multi-core Intel® Core™ i7  processing capabilities to support a wide variety of mission requirements. Pre-Qualified MIL-STD-810/461/1275/DO-160 and in a lightweight, conduction cooled chassis the ONYX is an ideal choice for space constrained applications and harsh environmental conditions.

ONYX-HD is unique: instead of the traditional, expensive multi-slot VPX architecture, ONYX is built around a scalable and rugged multi-Core COM Express module operating between -40°C/+71°C.

It pairs cutting edge heterogeneous system architecture with an Intel multi-core i7 and Xilinx Kintex 7 FPGA capture engine. This set up combined with the latest generation AMD E8860 GPU, dedicated to parallel image computing, means the ONYX HD comfortably meets a wide variety of civilian and military requirements needing advanced Augmented Reality features, including video and data management, digital maps, tactical video overlays and mission management systems.

In a departure from the original ONYX system there is no XMC I/O module limited to PCIe 8Xlinks, but a high performance GPGPU dedicated MXC mezzanine with PCIe 16X Gen 2 links offering up to 8 GB/s bandwidth and a large choice of Digital and Analogic I/O video formats, from legacy STANAG up to new generation HD-SDI and 3G-SDI.
The added H.264 compression via Quick Sync from Core i7 means ONYX-HD is perfectly designed for UAVs or helicopter HD Video situation awareness missions.

See Datasheet

Details:

INTEL Multi-Core i7 + KINTEX 7 + AMD E8860 with up to 768 GFLOPS GPGPU engine	PMC and mini PCI Express sites for flexible I/O expansion and Wireless functions
2 x HD-SDI inputs SMPTE-292M, 1920x1080p30	Cable-free, Fanless, MIL-DTL-38999 connectors
2 x simultaneous HD-SDI outputs SMPTE-292M, 1920x1080p30	Real cold start at -40°C and up to +71°C Operating Temp (depends on configuration and cooling system)
2 x Analog NTSC/PAL inputs for legacy sensors	Standard BOM Qualified DO-160F and MIL-STD-810G/461F/1275D/704
1 x VGA + 1x DVI-D Single Link (Intel HD Graphic)	IP-67 Ingress
H.264/AVC video Encoding with streaming capabilities	ITAR free without Export Control
Linux Metadata Extraction/Insertion	Only 80 Watts Power consumption
Embedded EGNOS-capable GPS	High flexibility to Modified COST services

For more information please contact Sarsen Technology - +44 1672 511122

VersaLogic Releases Intel Skylake-based Rugged Embedded Computer in COM Express Basic Form Factor

Blackbird from VersaLogic is a very high performance embedded computer built around Intel's Skylake processor.

Blackbird is the latest member of the growing family of VersaLogic's EPU (Embedded Processing Unit) format computers. EPUs combine processor, memory, video, and system I/O into a compact fully functioning embedded computer. Supplied fully assembled and tested these computers are based on COM Express standards. Available in dual- and quad-core versions, the Blackbird provides extreme CPU processing and video performance for its compact size.

See Datasheet

At 95 x 125 x 37mm the Blackbird is a small, ultra-rugged embedded x86 computer, combining the new 6th generation Intel® Core "Skylake" processor, with system interfaces and I/O features, in a configuration designed to withstand extreme temperature, impact, and vibration.

Depending on the selected configuration the Blackbird provides up to six times the processing power of Intel's Bay Trail processors, while keeping power consumption as low as 15 Watts. The Blackbird provides compatibility with a broad range of standard x86 application development tools for reduced development time.


"The Blackbird's i5 and i7 Skylake processors deliver amazing compute and video performance, at power levels that are very manageable. The on-board power supply, which accepts 8 to 30 VDC, makes it an easy match for fixed or mobile 12 and 24-volt systems." said Len Crane, President of VersaLogic. "The on-board TPM security chip, USB 3.0 ports, analog inputs and output, and other I/O, make the Blackbird a perfect fit for higher-performance systems."

Built-In Security
The on-board Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security chip can be used to block unauthorised hardware and software access. Additional security support is provided through built-in AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) processor instructions.

Powerful Video Processing
Intel's HD graphics 500 system provides superior graphics performance and is capable of supporting up to two 4K UHD monitors at once. The Skylake GPU can also transcode a 4K video up to 20 percent faster than the previous generation of CPU's. It also supports other graphic technologies such as OpenCL 2.0, DirectX 12, Open GL 4.4, HEVC/H.265 encoding and decoding, and H.264 encoder.
Dual DisplayPort outputs and a single/dual-channel LVDS display output is available.

High Performance I/O Capabilities
On-board I/O includes eight channels of 12-bit programmable Analog Inputs, four channels of 12-bit Analog Output, twenty four Digital I/O lines, I2C and SPI. Also included are two Gigabit Ethernet ports with network boot capability, two USB 3.0, four USB 2.0 host ports, and four serial ports. Two SATA III interfaces support high-capacity rotating or solid-state drives.

Three Mini PCIe sockets provide easy system expansion using plug-in Wi-Fi modems, GPS receivers, MIL-STD-1553, Ethernet, Firewire, and other mini PCIe cards. These sockets, one with mSATA capabilities, also provide flexible solid-state drive (SSD) options.

Designed, Manufactured and Tested for Extreme Environments
Blackbird is designed and tested for extended temperature (-40° to +85°C) operation and meets MIL-STD-202G specifications for high impact and vibration. The Blackbird is fully compatible with 12 or 24V vehicle applications, and the on-board power regulation supports inputs of 8 to 30 volts to simplify system power supply requirements. Reverse Voltage Protection, and Over Voltage Protection enhances field durability and reliability.

Long-term Availability
The Blackbird is covered by VersaLogic's 5+ year availability guarantee and a 5-year product warranty. VersaLogic's Life Extension programs typically keep products available for 10+ years.

For more information please contact Sarsen Technology.

FPGA Event: Implementing Machine Vision with FPGA and SoC Platforms

Date: May 18, 2017
Time: 9am - 4.30pm
Location: MBDA, Six Hills Way, Stevenage, SG1 2DA

About
Machine Vision (MV) systems are ubiquitous, encompassing a wide range of applications from smart phones to ADAS and drones. Increasingly, these applications require intelligence at the edge or in the cloud, with FPGA and SoC based solutions forming the core of many MV systems.

Join NMI at MBDA facilities for the upcoming meeting of the FPGA Network to explore not only MV systems but also how FPGA and SoC can implement intensive applications including Machine Learning and Neural Networks.

Key themes will include:
OpenCV with FPGA / SoC, ADAS, Robotic Guided Vision / Drones, Industry 4.0, Defence, Machine Learning and much more.

**Non-member Early Bird Tickets are now on sale. Offer expires on 30th March**

Confirmed Speakers include:
MBDA Systems, Roke Manor Research, Dyson Robotics Lab (Imperial College), APTcore and Myrtle.


Register your interest here.

About NMI