Aaeon’s compact, $475 “Boxer-8222AI” embedded box runs Linux on a Jetson Nano along with 4x USB 3.1 Gen2, HDMI 2.0, RS-232, M.2, mini-PCIe, 40-pin GPIO, and 2x GbE ports, one with PoE/PD.

In April, Aaeon unveiled two compact systems: the Nvidia Jetson Xavier NX-based Boxer-8251AI and similar Jetson Nano based Boxer-8221AI. At the time, the company mentioned an upcoming Boxer-8222AI, but without offering details. It has now launched the system, which runs the Ubuntu 18.04 based ACLinux 4.9 on the Jetson Nano.

Boxer-8222AI, front and back
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Despite the similarity in names, there are a few major differences compared to the Boxer-8221AI. Its larger, 175.8 x 100 x 39mm size makes room for a second Gigabit Ethernet port that is equipped with 802.3at Power-over-Ethernet Power Delivery (PoE/PD).

The system can be powered at up to 25.6W from a remote PSE (Power Supply Equipment) gateway, which is “more than enough to power the system and connected devices such as USB cameras and sensors,” says Aaeon. There is also a 12-24V terminal block input compared to the 12V input on the Boxer-8221AI.

Other Nano-based, PoE-enabled embedded boxes based on the Nano include Axiomtek’s AIE100-903-FL. That system, however, has the more typical PoE for powering external devices from the system.

Nvidia’s 70 x 45mm Jetson Nano module has a CPU complex of 4x 1.43GHz Cortex-A57 cores that falls in between the Jetson TX1 and TX2. Its 128-core Maxwell GPU is less powerful than the TX1, but it still offers CUDA-X AI and [email protected] support. The Nano integrates 4GB LPDDR4.

Boxer-8222AI (left) and Jetson Nano
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The Boxer-8222AI uses the “B” version of the Jetson Nano, which replaces the 16GB eMMC with support for an external microSD slot that supports up to 32GB cards. Like the Boxer-8221AI, the system provides HDMI 2.0, micro-USB (for flashing) and 4x USB 3.2 Gen1 (USB 3.0) ports.

The Boxer-8222AI is further equipped with an M.2 E-key 2230 slot for a WiFi module plus antenna mounts. Unlike the Boxer-8221AI there is also a full-size mini-PCIe slot with support for PCIe, SATA, and USB.

Boxer-8222AI detail views
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For additional expansion, the Boxer-8222AI also adds a 40-pin GPIO header with GPIO, I2S, I2C, audio, SPI, and UART interfaces. On the other hand, there is only one RS-232 port instead of two on the earlier model.

The Boxer-8222AI has a wider -10 to 70°C operating range compared to the earlier model. The wall-mountable system offers 3.5Grm vibration resistance.

 
Further information

The Boxer-8222AI is available for $475 at this Aaeon shopping page. More information may be found in the announcement and product page.