dSPACE offers FPGA board, more I/O in new rapid prototyping systems

dSPACE is launching two new variants of its MicroAutoBox II rapid control prototyping platform. Its new-generation MicroAutoBoxes have increased computing power and standard Ethernet interfaces. The two latest additions to the family offer more I/O (input/output) interfaces, and one of the two has an FPGA board for extra extension options. All the variants of MicroAutoBox II will support live data recording (with a flight recorder) via USB mass storage devices.

MicroAutoBox II is the new generation of a compact real-time system for fast function prototyping in fullpass and bypass scenarios. It can be used for numerous rapid control prototyping applications such as driver assistance systems, body control, powertrains (with conventional, hybrid or electric drives), and x-by-wire applications. MATLAB^®/Simulink^®/Stateflow^® modeling tools are seamlessly integrated into the dSPACE prototyping environment. Developers can quickly implement Simulink^® models on the MicroAutoBox II automatically with dSPACE’s Real-Time Interface (RTI) software, the connection between dSPACE hardware and the modeling tool.

Integrated FPGA board for extensions  

The FPGA board integrated into MicroAutoBox II variant 1401/1511/1512 gives users a flexibly extendable platform they can easily adapt. dSPACE will soon offer extension modules that can be mounted on the FPGA board to provide I/O interfaces for current application fields such as controlling electric motors. It is already possible to implement customer-specific extensions via the dSPACE Engineering Service.

 More Powerful I/O Interfaces

 New I/O interfaces of the new MicroAutoBox II variants make it easier to develop applications like cylinder pressure-based motor controls. For example, the analog interfaces have 16-bit resolution and a sampling rate of 1 MSample/s for precise capture of dynamic cylinder pressure signals. A new bus controller enhances performance in applications with a high volume of CAN, LIN and FlexRay bus traffic.

Other posts you may be interested in reading:

1. dSPACE releases in-vehicle rapid-prototyping platform, MicroAutoBox II
2. dSPACE MicroAutoBox computes larger models faster
3. dSPACE link board adds flexibility for real-time systems design