HABEY USA announces HIO Project

Summary

April 7, 2014 - HABEY USAX announces The HIO Project, an open hardware project to enable developers and users to have access to an affordable Freescale i.MX6 ARM Cortex A9 Processor based open architecture platform.   The core component of the HIO Project is the HIO Mainboard, model HIO-EMB-1200. It is a Post-it sized, Lego-like ARM based open modular platform for rapid prototyping, quick application module development and fast time to market. Unlike the traditional Computer-on-Module (COM) or PC/104 standard, the HIO Mainboard is a fully functional ARM computer board with on-board Freescale i.MX6 ARM processor, RAM, iNAND flash, HDMI, USB and power input from mainboard or add-on boards.

Measuring just 72mm x 80mm, the HIO-EMB-1200 is based on HIoTX, a newly developed form factor by HABEY USA for the HIO Project.  It is 80% smaller than the mini-ITX form factor and 20% smaller than the tiny PICO-ITX standard. The HIoTX form factor leverages the Freescale i.MX application processor's rich I/O feature and flexibility. The HIO Mainboard's unique low-profile modular design allows it to fit into space-restrictive applications while still allowing 3-dimensional expansion utilizing its 200-pin female header on the top and bottom of the board.  It provides an fresh platform for the latest generation of small, smart, interactive and connected devices in the new Internet of Things. The HIO Project was created to unlock the traditional restraints seen in the embedded hardware industry, enable developers at any level to participate in hardware development much like we have seen in the open source software realm. Reminiscent of  the popular Raspberry Pi, the HIO Mainboard has greater expandability and four times the processing ability. In addition to providing the open source Linux and Android SDK for the HIO Mainboard, HABEY is also planning to open the hardware designs of the its IO boards, Panel boards, POE boards and other daughter boards, add-on modules developed for the HIO Project.  This open hardware project will also help to form a community of like and open-minded developers and makers to share knowledge and designs to benefit the community.   Features: Thin - thinnest i.MX6 full feature board The HIO Mainboard is the thinnest computer running on the Freescale i.MX 6 processor. The height is just under 10mm which is roughly the same as a fresh stack of Post-It notes. Stackable - 200 pin top and bottom 3 dimensional expansion Offers 3 directions of expansion, up and down. side to side, and front and back. In addition to its low-profile design, the HIO board is 3D expandable. The mainboard can be equipped with a variety of daughter boards in a vertical top and bottom fashion, or with wing-type modules or a carrier board. The 200 female headers make this board more expandable than any open architecture board. Flexible - configurations to bring out most of the I.MX6 ARM I/O resources 200-pin top and bottom female headers offer: 24bit Parallel Display Port, dual channel 24bit LVDS, MIPI DSI up to 24bit, MIPI CSI up to 4 lane, 8bit parallel camera interface, GbE PHY, x1 PCIe PHY, 2x USB2.0, I2S audio codec output with Line-out/detect, Line-out, Mic-in/detect, speaker out (1W), 4bit SDIO, IOMUX outputs: up to 5x UART, 2x CAN, 3x SPI, 3x I2C, 34 configurable GPIO   Small Footprint - about the size of a post-it. HIoTX form factor is only 72mm x 80mm and only 10mm tall,  allowing compatible system to fit space-restrictive environment like a standard 2-Gang Electrical Box. Adaptable (power) - can be power from mainboard, daughter board or POE add-on module Multiple ways to power the system, including  POE, 12DC RJ45, 12DC Terminal block, 5VDC Power adaptor or other supported wide voltage range add-on modules. Open - Open architecture of both hardware and software Reference design schematics for daughter boards available. Open source Linux and Android SDK available.   Specifications Form Factor: HIoTX Dimensions: 72x 80mm Processor: Freescale i.MX6 DL/Q Display: 1x HDMI RAM: 1GB DDR3 Storage: 1x micro SD socket, 4G on-board iNAND flash, up to 32G USB: 2x USB2.0, 1x OTG (Device) Program: 1x UART Console, 1x JTAG Audio: 1x on-board audio codec with 1W Amplifier built-in to I/O expansion headers Ethernet: 1x GbE PHY to I/O expansion headers PCIe: x1 PCIe PHY to I/O expansion headers I/O Expansion: 8x 50-pin female header Power: 5VDC Power In