Plextek promoted to Microsoft Windows® Embedded Silver Partner

Plextek's electronics design services include:FPGA design, ESCAN Radar, MMIC design, GPRS design, Communications product design, Microwave design Defence electronics, Electronic product design, RF design, DSP design, Telemetry system, System Integration,Communications system design, Due diligence

Press Release

Plextek develops embedded processing and communications platform for defence and homeland security applications

Design utilises Plextek's extensive experience of software integration with Microsoft Windows Embedded CE operating systems

Issued 16/04/2008

Plextek Limited, the Cambridge-based electronics design consultancy, announces EPAC, a Windows CE based commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) embedded processing and communications platform targeted at defence and homeland security applications. EPAC offers embedded designers a fast, flexible, cost effective and low risk alternative to fully bespoke designs. The design can be licensed in full or in part, and can also be customised to specific requirements. Developed from Plextek's extensive IP portfolio EPAC also utilises the company's extensive Windows Embedded CE software integration experience.

EPAC is a compact embedded processing and communications platform with power consumption typically less than 4W. The modular system integrates a common processing platform, 802.11a/b/g WLAN radio and an optional personality module to allow standard or bespoke interfaces to be added including JPEG2000 video encoding, analogue sampling and GPRS/GSM quad band communication.

The platform is ideal for defence applications and is already being used as the core component in next generation remote sensor network solutions being shipped by a major European Defence Prime Contractor. In this application, the capability of EPAC allows a distributed network of nodes to manage local video, audio, PIR and seismic sensors and perform complex processing of incoming data. The distributed nodes form an adhoc 802.11 network to allow sharing and relaying of processed data. The whole system provides a compact, highly powerful and adaptable tool for data collection and management in the field.

The flexibility of Plextek's EPAC platform means hardware and software features can be adapted to meet the specific needs of users. For example allowing the rapid implementation of changes including; functional enhancements, change of physical form factor, porting a different OS, combining functions on a single PCB or developing a limited function/lower cost/lower power system. This customisation comes with lower NRE costs and risk than embarking on a new design.

EPAC's processing module is supplied with a preloaded Windows® CE 5.0 BSP, allowing users to quickly develop and run application code on the platform. A Windows Embedded CE operating system was chosen to form the core of the platform's communications system because it is ideal for deeply embedded devices with high connectivity requirements. By using Windows CE, Plextek can easily integrate conventional Ethernet, Wireless LAN and GPRS modems with the capability to reliably deliver video, audio and sensor data back to a command and control centre. As a Microsoft® Windows® Embedded Silver Partner Plextek can also offer software design services for OS customisation or application code development.

Tim Phipps, Sales & Marketing Director, Plextek comments: "The powerful combination of integrated functionality, processing capability, expandability and low-power consumption means EPAC lends itself to a huge range of usage applications in defence and homeland security."

For further information on the EPAC platform visit http://www.plextek.co.uk/epac.htm