Category: Know How

Embedded world 2025 – Visits, dates, innovations

Our summary of Embedded World 2025, which took place in Nuremberg from March 11 to 13, was already clear on day two of three: intense, inspiring and full of valuable encounters with new and familiar faces. The event offered us numerous opportunities for exciting discussions and a lively exchange with partners, customers and interested parties.

As every year, the trade fair was both a meeting point for long-standing partners and a place to make new contacts. Special highlights were our meetings at our partners’ stands as well as the personal discussions at our spo-comm headquarters. Despite all the hustle and bustle surrounding the event, one thing was once again clear: personal interaction remains at the heart of every business relationship and cannot be replaced by any technology.

A big thank you to everyone who enriched this week! We are already looking forward to next year and to many more inspiring discussions.

More choice for the heart of the ONE H610

Our ONE H610, a versatile entry-level PC that excels in the digital signage and industrial PC sector, is now available with three different CPUs:

• Intel® Core™ i3-14100
• Intel® Core™ i5-14400
• Intel® Core™ i7-14700

These variants offer even greater flexibility to meet different requirements. The ONE H610 impresses with its high connectivity and offers an impressive range of features: three video outputs (1x DisplayPort, 2x HDMI), nine USB ports (4x USB 2.0, 4x USB 3.2, 1x USB 3.2 Type C), a LAN port and a SIM card slot. All this makes it a powerful and versatile device that is ideal for professional use.

Coming Soon: Our RUGGED Tablet Pro series

Attentive webshop visitors will have noticed that our RUGGED tablets have undergone a small name change: they now have an “Entry” at the end of their product name. The reason for this is pretty easy to guess when we say: “no ‘Entry’ without ‘Pro'”.

We will be expanding our RUGGED tablet range not just by one product, but by an entire series. The RUGGED Tab Pro series will be even more powerful, of higher quality and as flexible as you have come to expect from spo-comm devices.

We say congratulations

After two and a half years, Patricia, our (former) trainee, successfully completed her training as a marketing communications specialist at the end of February. Since then, she has been an integral part of our marketing team and enriches it with new ideas every day.

Machine learning defined more precisely

Machine learning is an area of artificial intelligence that enables computers to learn from data and continuously improve themselves instead of being explicitly programmed. Algorithms are trained to recognize patterns and correlations in large data sets and to make the best decisions and predictions based on these analyses. This leads to automated knowledge generation, the identification of correlations and the application of these findings to unknown data sets for the optimization of processes and the prediction of future developments.

How does machine learning work?

To make machine learning effective, training by a human is required. There are various learning models that use different algorithmic techniques. A model is selected depending on the desired result and type of data, whereby a distinction is made between supervised, unsupervised, partially supervised or reinforcement learning. Within these models, specific algorithmic techniques can be applied according to the intended result. The algorithms are used individually or in combination to ensure accuracy in the processing of complex and unpredictable data. This development process is iterative and is often repeated several times until the desired quality level is achieved. Once the learning process is complete, the trained model evaluates unknown data in order to make improved decisions. The main goal is for the computer to learn autonomously and adapt its actions without human intervention.

Types of machine learning algorithms

Supervised learning uses known data, recognizes patterns and learns from a training data set. It aims to accurately predict a target variable, such as when forecasting electricity consumption or assessing the risk of investments.

Unsupervised learning visualizes large amounts of data, performs cluster analyses and independently detects hidden patterns or groups. It is not suitable for precise predictions, but requires an assessment based on more flexible factors, suitable for the desired business application.

Semi-supervised learning combines supervised and unsupervised learning, uses sample data with target variables and unknown data. It is used in areas such as image or object recognition, where a small amount of data with target variables and a larger amount of data without target variables are used.

Reinforcement learning interacts with the environment and learns a strategy for solving a problem through a cost function or reward system. In contrast to other methods, it does not require sample data, but develops an optimal action strategy in simulation steps.

Areas of application for machine learning

The areas of application of machine learning can be assigned to the individual learning methods. Unsupervised learning is therefore ideal for dimension reduction (recognizing structures, compressing information, big data visualization, etc.) and cluster analysis in the form of market and customer segmentation or recommendation systems. Supervised learning is used for classifications such as text and object recognition or forecasts (demand, weather, sales, customer values, etc.). Reinforcement learning is ideal for autonomous driving, game AI, traffic control, robotics and also for personalization and advertising.

Machine learning and spo-comm Mini-PCs

Of course, our spo-comm product portfolio also includes mini PCs that are suitable for machine learning. We are talking about our mini PCs that are equipped with a dedicated graphics card. The KUMO VI and the QUADRO P1000 are therefore suitable for machine learning, as is our new addition, the NOVA R680E. Even our new 19″ rack PC, the NINETEEN Q670E, can be used in machine learning, provided it is equipped with a suitable graphics card.

If you have any questions about our spo-comm Mini-PCs, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Integrated graphics cards (IGP)

A graphics processor – GPU for short (for “graphics processing unit”) – is referred to as integrated if it is installed in the chipset of the motherboard or in a separate die in the same chip housing. The former is referred to as an onboard graphics card.

As an integrated graphics card does not have its own memory, it uses the PC’sRAM, just like all other programs. The size of this so-called shared memory can either be set via the BIOS or is regulated dynamically by the system itself.

All our Mini PCs with an Intel CPU are equipped with the integrated Intel GMA graphics cards or the successor Intel HD Graphics or UHD Graphics.

Advantages and disadvantages of an IGP

As an integrated GPU does not have its own video memory, it only takes up a small amount of space inside a PC. Combined with its low power consumption, it is perfect for use in small devices such as notebooks or tablets. The price of systems with an integrated GPU is also lower, as there is no need for a separate cooling system. Such a graphics card is suitable for all common office applications, but also for industrial use scenarios. Due to the slower clock rate and because it shares the RAM with other applications, an IGP has a significantly lower performance than a dedicated graphics card.

Dedicated graphics cards

In contrast to an onboard graphics card, a dedicated graphics card has its own video memory, or VRAM for short. Such a GPU is connected to the mainboard via a PCI, PCIe or AGP slot.

Our product portfolio also includes systems that are equipped with a dedicated graphics card:

• The KUMO IV with an Nvidia® GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6GB DDR6 VRAM.
• The QUADRO P1000 is equipped with the eponymous Nvidia® Quadro P1000 and the RUGGED T1000 with the eponymous Nvidia® Quadro T1000.
• The NOVA R680E and the NINETEEN Q670E can optionally be equipped with three different Nvidia® graphics cards: RTX A2000 (12GB DDR6), RTX 2000 (16GB DDR6), RTX 4000 (20GB DDR6).

Advantages and disadvantages of a dedicated graphics card

Since a dedicated graphics card has its own video memory, the RAM is relieved and can be used for other tasks. Another advantage is that the peripheral devices are clocked much faster and are therefore also more powerful. A dedicated graphics card is indispensable, especially for use in workstations or in the demanding DS area, where several monitors are controlled simultaneously or programs such as Adobe Photoshop or CAD for 3D modeling are used. However, the enormous performance is also accompanied by very high power consumption and the development of heat. Therefore, a separate fan requires much more space than an integrated graphics card.

Last but not least, it can be said that a dedicated graphics card is not absolutely necessary for standard applications as mentioned above. However, they are extremely relevant for demanding applications or multi-monitor solutions in digital signage.

Our spo-comm Mini-PCs