BOHEMIA, NY – October 2025 -- North Atlantic Industries (NAI), a leader in rugged embedded computing solutions, announces the release of its EC1 Encoder smart function module, a four-channel, isolated encoder interface designed to provide precise position and motion feedback on noise-prone, mission-critical platforms. Each channel is independently programmable for SSI, Incremental, Quadrature (A-QUAD-B), or General-Purpose Counter operation -- allowing one module to cover absolute or relative position, speed, and direction measurements without re-spinning hardware or cabling.

Built for electrically harsh environments, the EC1 electrically isolates all four channels (minimum 250 V isolation, ±15 V max signal), helping contain faults and reduce cross-talk, while input filtering improves noise immunity. Incremental/Quadrature inputs support TTL and RS-422/485 signaling; SSI uses differential RS-422.

“Modern control systems demand precision, resilience, and adaptability in the harshest conditions,” said Lino Massafra, VP of Sales and Marketing at NAI. “The EC1 provides the configurability you expect in the lab - without surprises in the field. SSI supports up to 32-bit data words with binary or Gray code and selectable parity, plus programmable clock rate (1–32 µs, edge-selectable) and a watchdog. Quadrature adds A/B with optional Index and 1×/2×/4× decoding. Debounce is programmable (0 to ~1.311 ms, 40 ns LSB), and counters are pre-loadable with compare capability; typical count rate is 10 MHz (62.5 MHz max).”

To aid fault isolation at the system level, EC1 implements continuous Built-In Test (BIT) and per-signal health checks (A/B/C): open/short detection on RS-422 and voltage-range monitoring on RS-232/RS-422 inputs. The function module supports multi-event interrupts for low-latency servicing within the broader Configurable Open Systems Architecture™ COSA® product family.

The result is a single function module that can be assigned per-channel to SSI for absolute position, to Quadrature (A-QUAD-B) for high-rate incremental motion, or to a general-purpose counter -- giving programs flexibility to adapt to encoder mix changes during integration while keeping software and spares common. For example, on an autonomous ground vehicle, one channel can use SSI for absolute steering angle, a second runs Quadrature for wheel-tach speed and direction, and a third serves as a general-purpose counter for GPS 1 PPS or LiDAR sync (integration-dependent) -- leaving the fourth channel available for backup, additional sensor interfaces or growth. The module is available as part of NAI’s COSA® products family for rapid board- or system-level configuration, integration, and deployment.

For more information about the EC1 Encoder Module, visit www.naii.com or contact NAI at 631-567-1100.