Kontron's fanless thin client Panel PC has four screen sizes from 7 to 15 inches and a resistive touch screen. They are available with a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor. See photo.

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The fanless Kontron Micro Client II Panel PCs are available with a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor in four screen sizes from 7 to 15 inches. They can serve as a universal HMI (Human Machine Interface) for various visualization tasks. Kontron made the announcement in time for the SPS/IPC/Drives show this week in Eching/Nuremburg, Germany.

The IP65-protected Kontron Micro Client IIA Panel PCs with resistive touch screen are designed for the control and monitoring of equipment, machinery, and plants. They support current thin client concepts from RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) for Microsoft Windows-based servers to Linux-based open platforms with browser-based Java clients. Operators benefit from such open concepts through the open and runtime license-free access to centralized and decentralized (web) server applications. Kontron's latest panel PCs also can be used for several visualization tasks without requiring application-specific software to be installed on the client. The Kontron Micro Clients IIA feature SATA and CompactFlash boot functionality and can be remotely booted via Ethernet. Only the software on the respective industrial server (such as the Kontron KISS server) must be administered.

The Kontron Micro Client IIA Panel PCs offer a comprehensive interface selection: 2 x 10/1000 Ethernet, 2 external USB 2.0 ports (plus additional USB port on the front for screen sizes from 10.4 -in. to 15.0-in.), 1 x RS-232 with optional RS-422/RS-485 and CAN bus interface, as well as additional field bus interfaces as an option. They also feature sophisticated embedded graphics for intuitive GUIs, as well as touch-beep for multimedia-oriented operating and monitoring applications including acoustic feedback. Fanless design enables silent operation, reduced maintenance costs, and lower total-cost-of-ownership. MTBF is more than 40,000 hours.

For versatile use, the front panel can be omitted, enabling the Kontron Micro Client IIA to be integrated into custom specific housings, including vandal-protected systems for public use. In this case, the OEM needs to integrate the optional touch screen functionality. With bolt or clip panel mount plus the optional VESA mount, the new Kontron Micro Clients IIA HMIs are easy to install. And thanks to their minimal installation depth (max. 50 mm for 15-in.) placement is easy, even for existing applications. Shock and vibration resistance, thermal stability, and compliance with the strictest EMC standards are standard features of the Kontron Micro Clients IIA, as is long term availability of at least 5 years.

The CE-certified Kontron Micro Client IIA family is available in EMEA and is expected to be available in America and APAC in late first-quarter 2010. It supports Microsoft Windows CE, Windows XP Embedded, and Embedded Linux.

Kontron is listed on the German TecDAX stock exchange under the symbol "KBC."

Also read:

- Micro Client II thin client has industrial touchscreen ;
- HMI/operator interface channel from Control Engineering ; and
- Control Engineering research on HMI .

- Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor in chief, Control Engineering www.controleng.com