What is high performance embedded computing?
High-performance embedded computing (HPEC) is computing built into a larger system, such as a vehicle, radar or industrial machine, where the processing must meet demanding performance targets. In embedded systems, developers must meet nonfunctional requirements such as execution time, memory capacity and energy consumption. They evaluate different hardware options to optimize system performance.
How HPEC systems achieve performance
HPEC systems use multi-core and many-core processors. Multiple single board computers can also work together. High-performance computing (HPC) uses supercomputers and computer clusters for advanced problems. HPEC applies similar processing power in a compact, embedded form factor. Hardware accelerators such as GPUs and FPGAs are used in both embedded and general-purpose computing.
Key specifications to compare
| Specification | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Core count | More cores run parallel workloads |
| Maximum frequency | Higher clock speed shortens execution time |
| Cache size | Larger cache reduces memory access delays |
| Main memory | Determines how much data is processed at once |
| Storage type | SSD storage gives faster data access |
Typical applications
HPEC is used in demanding applications such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and electronic warfare. Industrial automation, edge analytics and in-vehicle processing also require embedded systems that process data locally.
Thinvent products for high performance embedded computing
The Thinvent range includes Intel Core i7-1255U, i5-1240P and Core 5 120U processors, with up to 5.0 GHz maximum frequency and up to 12 MB cache. The Industrial PC IPC5 is available with 16 GB or 32 GB DDR4 RAM and 512 GB or 1 TB SSD storage. The Aero Mini PC with Intel Core i5 120U has 10 cores, and the Treo Mini PC is available with an AMD Ryzen 5 7430U processor. Thinvent products are available with Windows 11 or Ubuntu Linux. Thinvent does not include an Arm Cortex A53 model in the high-performance range; the Micro 5R Thin Client uses a 4-core Cortex A53 processor at up to 2.0 GHz with 2 GB RAM for lighter workloads.
