QNX 7 BSP for powerful Ka-Ro TX8 and QS8 modules suits mission-critical 64-bit applications

Off-the-shelf module with pre-ported feature-rich OS saves development time and cost

Oxfordshire, UK April 2021: Direct Insight, the UK-based, technical systems integrator and reseller of system-on-module (SoM) and other embedded systems, has created a QNX 7 Board Support Package (BSP) for Ka-Ro TX8 and QS8 modules. This enables industrial designers to benefit from the feature-rich OS with real-time capability and mission-critical reliability in combination with the power of the latest 64-bit ARM NXP i.MX8 processors.

Ka-Ro’s TX8 and QS8 modules are based on NXP’s i.MX8M Mini, featuring quad ARM Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at 1.6GHz. The i.MX8 is very cost-effective and offers comprehensive graphics capabilities. Ka-Ro modules include up to 2GB of DDR3L RAM and a 4GB eMMC in either a 27mm square solder-down or a 200-pin SODIMM standard pin-out system-on-module. Ka-Ro modules are extremely reliable with a typical operational life of over 12 years.

The BSP has been created by Direct Insight to provide a well-featured starting point for industrial designs. It contains all the basic features required to run the OS on the board. Included are drivers for various interfaces including Ethernet, Watchdog timer, I2C, SPI, USB, SD Card, UART. A display driver is available as an optional item. It is free to download as a binary which demonstrates a functioning system, and the source code can be licensed on a per-project basis for a modest fee. Direct Insight also offers enhancements to the BSP, including additional drivers and production-hardening and testing, as an additional services engagement.

Comments David Pashley, Direct Insight’s MD: “Using an off-the-shelf module to which QNX is already ported, and which is tried and tested with the OS, reduces project development time and cost and makes it easier to use a high performance 64-bit ARM processor. QNX is ideal for safety-critical projects and is also available in safety-certified versions, making it a perfect match for the high-quality Ka-Ro modules in demanding industrial applications.”

Direct Insight also offers a TRITON-TX8M development kit, with 10” touch screen.