With all its new HMI and haptics potential, Windows 8 has begun its journey into automation. Advantech announced yesterday that it is supporting Windows 8:
Advantech Announces Full Support for Microsoft® Windows 8
(Cincinnati, OH –January 2013) – Advantech’s Industrial Automation Group is pleased to announce their full support of Microsoft Windows 8. There are several powerful functions added into this release, including Natural User Interface (NUI), cloud connectivity, Windows-to-Go, and Secure Boot. Windows 8 gives power to different kinds of devices with advanced technologies that deliver premium user experiences—all on a solid and more secure platform.
As a long-term Gold Partner with Microsoft, Advantech offers a complete product lineup which fully supports Windows 8. The application of Microsoft Windows Embedded software products on Advantech platforms offers the most effective support to the embedded computing community, in scenarios such as environmental monitoring & facility management, power and energy, machine automation, and building automation.
Microsoft extensively designed the User Interface on Windows 8 with optimizations for touchscreens as well as keyboards and mouse. The new “Start Screen” is similar to Windows phone family of mobile operating systems and includes application tiles. The start menu has been replaced by the start screen and is triggered by a Windows key.
Walt Boyes is the editor-in-chief for Control. Email him at [email protected] or check out his Google+ profile.