UK technical systems integrator Direct Insight has created a board support package (BSP) for high-reliability IoT and embedded systems.

The QNX 8 BSP (board support package) is for Ka-Ro’s QS93 solder-down module with NXP’s i.MX93 processor.

The combination of a real-time OS allied to a processor with dual Arm Cortex-A55 cores suits industrial automation, smart homes and cities, building control, smart energy, automotive, mass transportation, medical devices, robotics and more, including safety-critical applications requiring IEC 61508 or IEC 62304 certification.

The QS93 is a 27 by 27mmQFN-style solder-down SoM (system-on-module) featuring NXP’s i.MX93 low power, high performance processor. Dual Arm Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.7GHz deliver performance comparable with earlier quad-core processors.

The energy-efficient processor uses less than 1W under normal load conditions, and its optional low-drive mode can reduce that to sub-500mW. An industrial operating temperature range of -25 to +85˚C is supported, and the solder-down SoM format restricts EMI and provides efficient thermal characteristics, meaning that usually no heatsink is required, suitable for space-constrained applications.

QNX BSPs provide an abstraction layer of hardware-specific software that facilitates implementing QNX software in a system. Architecture- and board-specific BSPs look after initialisations and other hardware-specific tasks needed to prepare an environment in which an embedded system can run, serving as a delivery mechanism for the components that define start-up behaviour.

“Our in-house developed BSP unlocks the full benefits of the QNX OS for the power-efficient Ka-Ro QS93 modules,” said David Pashley, managing director of Direct Insight. “QNX is ideal for real-time mission-critical, cyber-security-conscious and safety-certified applications, and the BSP created by Direct Insight provides an ideal starting point for designing secure, high-availability industrial or medical embedded systems, lowering project risk and shortening time to market.”

The BSP provides a complete platform that allows users to have their own module in a QNX embedded design project. Included are drivers for various connectivity interfaces such as dual Ethernet, watchdog timer, I²C, SPI, USB, SD card, uart and GPIO. A display driver is also in development. The BSP is free to download as a demo system, and the source code can be licensed on a per-project basis.

Direct Insight also offers enhancements to the BSP, including additional drivers and production-hardening and testing, on an additional services engagement basis.

Learn more and download the BSP at: www.directinsight.co.uk/qnx-8-bsp-for-ka-ro-qs93-i-mx93-module.

Founded in 1992, UK value-added reseller, systems integrator and compliance specialist Direct Insight (www.directinsight.co.uk) has helped hundreds of development teams upgrade to the latest SoC, FPGA and OS technology by choosing the right off-the-shelf hardware, software and tools, by providing the required support and services to fill the gaps, and by allowing customer development teams to focus on their differentiating core skills to deliver products.