In a joint development between Sorion and Micro-Robotics,  the Cambridge based embedded control solutions company, the VM-1 credit-card-sized control computer, has been extended to include a high-level CAN bus driver object that can be used ‘as-is’, or to build high level CAN protocols, such as Automotive ISO14229 & 15765, Industrial CANOpen & DeviceNet.

CAN is a two-wire networking protocol used extensively in the automotive industry and is now an accepted standard for factory automation. Its main benefits are a high degree of fault-tolerance and deterministic behaviour, both of which are highly desirable attributes for real-time systems.

This latest enhancement, which will widen the VM-1 controller’s application in factory automation systems, was developed for and in conjunction with Sorion, the Birmingham based company that specialises in the design, development and manufacture of electronic systems for the aerospace and automotive industries.

Sorion uses the CAN facility of the VM-1 as the control computer in a range of application boards used to test automotive parts and systems such as fascias, doors, roofs, seats and complete vehicles.

Steve Hayes, commercial director at Sorion, said: “Sorion chose Micro-Robotics to deliver the processor core for its Rigel Family of application boards because of the flexibility of the Venom operating system. As development progressed Micro-Robotics was very responsive to Sorion’s requirements and embedded the control of our CAN interface within the Venom core. This allowed Sorion to develop more powerful CAN applications on exceptionally short lead times.”