Founded September, 2007 | Members 16 | |
Type Professional Organization Focus Standards for small, low power computers, building blocks, and accessories Method Industry Standards, Conferences, Publications Key people Colin McCracken (president) | ||
The Small Form Factor Special Interest Group or SFF-SIG (pronounced ess-eff-eff-sig) is an international non-profit standards body focused on modular computer hardware technologies used in embedded and small form factor computers and controllers. Members are mainly computer board and component manufacturers.
Operations
SFF-SIG creates, promotes, and maintains embedded computer standards for form factors and computer buses. Examples include the governing documents and trademarks for CoreExpress, Pico-ITX, Express104, and SUMIT. Members use the specifications to build specialized embedded computers used in both commercial and rugged environments where applications insist on reliable control and data acquisition, for example.
Primarily focused on hardware, SFF-SIG defines new single-board computer (SBC) and computer-on-module (COM) form factors. SFF-SIG standardizes expansion connectors for the latest desktop and notebook chipset interfaces to create the building blocks required by system manufacturers to rapidly deploy their unique applications. Each specification is a free open standard by ITU-T definition.
SFF-SIG generally targets low power chipsets and processors from VIA Technologies and Intel including the Nano and Atom processors, although solutions for RISC processors are discussed in some working groups. VIA, WinSystems, and Octagon Systems were founding members of SFF-SIG in 2007. A logo and web site debuted in April 2008.
Specifications often use pre-existing interface buses and interconnects such as PCI Express , USB 2.0, ExpressCard, Low Pin Count (LPC) Bus, SPI / uWire, and I2C / SMBus, with adaptations for modular and extensible usage. Some standards preserve the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) Bus and legacy peripherals.