Kontron plays man vs machine peacekeeper

Vendor launches new version of human machine interface technology

Specialist motherboard maker Kontron has moved to improve the fractious relations between humans and computers on the factory floor, with the latest version of its human machine interface (HMI) related technology, Micro Client II.

Humans and machines have never worked together in harmony, said Kontron, especially not on the factory floor, where some humans worry that intelligent machines are not helping as much as they could.

A human machine interface improves understanding between the two warring factions, and helps the human work better with the computer. Kontron’s Micro Client broke new ground by helping to provide an industrial thin client that offered touch-screen functionality for operating and monitoring machinery.

Last week Kontron announced Micro Client II, which it claimed is a cost-optimised design that includes a modular IP65 protected front panel with touch screen. Designed for Serial ATA, CompactFlash or Ethernet boot functionality, system builders could fit this into any server-oriented HMI client technologies. The boards come with embedded processors ranging from the AMD LX 800 processor with 500MHz up to the 1.0GHz Intel Celeron processor.

“It is a cost effective, turnkey solution for high volume projects where man meets machine,” said a Kontron representative.