The ultimate control system for research and industry

The BoomBox is an industrial-grade control platform designed to help R&D engineers to speed up their power electronic developments.
The BoomBox is not only a high-performance Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP) platform, but is also, from a software point of view, an open system that customers are welcome to self-appropriate and edit up to their own needs, while guaranteeing a safe and sound control implementation.
As a result, the BoomBox is the ultimate solution for its users to get actively involved in the control design of innovative power electronic systems.

Imagine and develop

your own power converters by taking advantage of the great flexibility offered by the BoomBox control platform.

Teach and experiment

safely by taking advantage of the software-independent protective mechanisms embedded inside the BoomBox.

Upgrade

any converter control using the BoomBox, an easy-to-use yet truly industrial-grade control platform.

High Performance Frontend

A major drawback of most rapid control prototyping systems is the relatively poor adequacy of their signal conditioning with the needs of power electronics. This forces to create application-specific interfaces in order to guarantee proper signal integrity and galvanic isolation. To obviate these shortcomings, the BoomBox embeds a configurable analog frontend, tailored for power electronics, featuring:

• 200 kHz analog bandwidth.
• Either a 3 kOhm fully differential input or 100 Ohm asymetric current-type input.
• Programmable gains and filters, including no filter.
• Programmable safety thresholds.
• Integrated ±15 V supply for the sensors.

Software-Independent Integrated Safety Mechanisms

The BoomBox features the ability to block the entire application in case of inappropriate operation, independently from the main controller operation. A fault state is triggered by analog comparators based on user-programmable threshold values. In case an overvoltage or overcurrent is detected on any of the input channels, all firing signals are instantaneously deactivated. Additionally, the source of the fault is clearly indicated, allowing for an easy back-tracing and analysis of the fault.
Apart from this entirely software-independent mechanisms, the BoomBox is also self-protected against inappropriate operating conditions such as loss of realtime (excessive computational burden) or critical algorithmic errors. Finally, the user may also trigger these protective mechanisms manually.

Flexible And Modular Design

Modular power electronic solutions are receiving an increased interest, inducing new requirements for their corresponding control systems. Versatility, scalability and redundancy are becoming key concepts. Unfortunately, existing control systems are barely capable of reproducing the same degree of modularity and flexibility that power circuits can offer. Extensive and/or strongly hierarchized control structures are still difficult to implement for non-experts.
The BoomBox fulfills this need by proposing easy means to combine elementary units in order to boost their I/Os and processing power capabilities. Several BoomBoxes can be combined in order to best adjust its capabilities to various applications. Three different kinds of combined operation can be set up:

IO Extension mode

With this mode, up to three slave BoomBoxes can be connected to one master BoomBox using the IO extension port at the back of the Box, offering up to 48 fiber outputs and 48 analog inputs.

Parallel mode

Use the CAN protocol to communicate between numerous BoomBoxes to control complex applications using multiple controllers that are coordinated between each other.

Mixed mode

Take advantage of both types of modularity to increase both the IO count and computing power of the entire control system. Practically limitless control systems become within everyone’s reach.

Tailor-Made Operation System

The BoomBox control platform embeds an ultra-light and strongly layered operating system dedicated to power electronic applications. This OS simultaneously combines a high level of safety and a very simple use for the end-user.
Apart from reinforcing software portability, the intermediate CORE layer is truly able to detect any loss of real-time during the user’s code execution and able to handle it with the same manner as hardware errors.
In order to provide an outstanding performance, the DRIVER layer provides the user with pre-written control and communication functions. These are processed by the main CPU with the help of FPGA-based peripherals specifically developed for the BoomBox by imperix. Thanks to the combination of its OS and FPGA-based peripherals, the BoomBox is hardware-idependant. In other words, the system architecture has been designed to circumvent the low lifetime of electronic components. The BoomBox is designed to last, guaranteeing a continuous user software portability and re-usablility.

Pre-Written Software Libraries

Generally, rapid prototyping systems do not fully reach their expected level of performance, partly due to the relatively poor quality of the self-generated executable codes.
Conversely, with the BoomBox control platform, the user is purposely involved the in programming procedure, but is also provided with a complete set of fully tested software control libraries. A basic project template and several examples are provided as well.
In such a way, the usual unattractiveness of C/C++ coding is compensated by very easy-to-use software libraries and the little additional programming effort is largely compensated by significantly better real-time performances.
Finally, numerous code examples and tutorials are directly available on imperix’s website in order to guide the user as much as possible in the development of control applications.

Numerous Accesories

The development of power electronic systems can be made even faster and simple by using the numerous accessories and side products that are ideally suited to operate with the BoomBox. Among them, imperix provides various kind of power electronic building blocks, the PowerTrench boards, as well as other kind of accessories, such as sensors.
In a future release of the BoomBox core system, automated recognition of the imperix sensors will be available, allowing for excellent off-the-shelf performance using simple low-cost sensors.

Swiss Made

The BoomBox control platform is designed, manufactured and assembled in Switzerland. In addition, the use of high-performance analog and digital components allows imperix to exclusively rely on high reliability and quality constitutive elements.
In a future release of the BoomBox core system, automated recognition of the imperix sensors will be available, allowing for excellent off-the-shelf performance using simple low-cost sensors.

Versions

The BoomBox control platform is available in two variants, based on the same hardware, but with different software features. In both cases, as the hardware is strictly identical, instant upgradability/downgradability is possible at all times. Additionally, several optional features are also hardware-ready with any version of the BoomBox and will become available for purchase in the near future.

Package Content

Along with the BoomBox (standard and expert versions), cables and accessories are provided. The package is as follows :

• BoomBox control platform
• User manual, quick start guide
• User credentials for the online customer area
• Power cable
• TI XDS100 programmer with cables
• USB cable
• 2 fiberoptic links
• 2 BNC-SMA cables
• 2 RJ45 cables
• Interlock-disable connector

The package of the extension unit contains :

• BoomBox slave unit
• Extension link cable
• Power cable

Availability

The BoomBox is available off-the-shelf for low order quantities and can be produced up to several tens of units within few weeks. This product is covered by a 2 years warranty and support contract.
Three acquisition options are available: