Advantech's ARK-4180 IPC is one of the most powerful yet cost effective PCI-104-based solutions on the market, with high vibration/shock resistance and wide temperature capability. Powered by Intel Celeron M 1GHz processor, the ARK-4180 can operate in temperatures from -40°C to 75°C, and provide higher processing performance than similar products on the market.
Taiwan’s Taipei City Government recently encouraged the trend toward a better and greener urban lifestyle by working with Advantech and Giant Bicycles to set up a convenient, user-friendly "YouBike" public bicycle rental system. In addition to promoting pleasure cycling, YouBike is intended to help span the "last mile" in public transportation systems.
YouBike uses automated electronic management to allow bicycles to be rented and returned to kiosks at any YouBike center. While Taipei is not a remote location, high seasonal heat and humidity do offer real challenges to outdoor equipment installations. This is where the reliability and stability of Advantech’s fanless ARK-4180 come to the fore.
As the brain of the YouBike kiosk, the ARK-4180 manages a user interface with video and audio, EasyCard sensor, credit card reader, Internet transmission, and bicycle release mechanism. Currently there are eleven YouBike rental centers in operation, with a fleet of 500 bicycles. Plans are underway to roll out the program over the next several years to include surrounding cities, with 300 rental centers and 15,000 bicycles.
The ARK-4180 is developed from PCI-104 stackable modules that are designed and qualified for the most demanding of applications. The PCI-104 form factor allows modules to stack vertically together to provide a naturally rugged architecture. Each system is housed in a specially cast and milled solid aluminum block with thermal fins which help dissipate heat. Another unique feature is the specially designed fanless thermal solution with embedded heat pipes which allow wide temperature operation without active cooling. Special brackets on the aluminum enclosure itself allow additional enclosures to be stacked to add I/O and other functionality.
The ARK-4180 is an all-in-one Box IPC supporting six USB 2.0 and two RS-232 connectors, 10/100Mbps Ethernet LAN and VGA for versatile connectivity. ARK-4180 itself supports one PCI-104 connector for expansion, and by adding another enclosure layer, two more PCI-104 modules can be stacked.
Advantech
