Silica has released its first board level development platform for the Intel Atom processor Z5xx series and the Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor Product Line. The platform, called “Megrez” has been developed in conjunction with Padova-based embedded solutions specialist M31. The Megrez base board is a modular solution to support daughter cards featuring both the Intel Atom processors and Intel EP80579 Integrated Processors, giving developers the freedom to evaluate these processors without breaking the bank. It allows engineers to design their own base board, using the features and integrate the daughter cards for the Intel Atom processor (Mirach) and the Intel EP80579 Integrated Processor (Mizar) as separate modules.

Silica is targeting the platform at embedded engineers, system architects, hardware design, and software engineers in the medical, industrial, transportation, kiosk, security, test and measurement, defense, and instrumentation sectors. The kit comes ready to use, equipped with LCD display, PCI-Express graphic adapter, Power supplies and a USB pen drive containing Windows and Linux demo images. The Megrez base board is available for 1250 Euro. The Mirach and Mizar modules are priced between 185 and 260 Euros.