Neu-X102-N50 Powers Automated Garment Management in Hospitals

The Background

Hospitals operate around the clock, and medical staff require continuous access to clean scrubs and uniforms. Traditional garment rooms that rely on manual distribution often struggle with stock accuracy, garment traceability, and high labor costs.

To address these challenges, healthcare providers are increasingly turning to automated dispensing and return cabinets. These systems ensure that fresh garments are always available while providing secure return points for used items. By automating the process, hospitals gain tighter control over garment circulation, reduce operational overhead, and maintain higher compliance with hygiene standards.

The Challenge

In such automated garment cabinet systems, the control unit must meet multiple requirements:

• Compact size to fit within limited cabinet space
• Industrial reliability to ensure 24/7 uptime in a hospital setting
• Peripheral connectivity to support barcode/RFID readers, printers, and touch displays
• Network connectivity for integration with hospital IT systems and remote management consoles
• Cost efficiency without sacrificing performance

The cabinet builder required a gateway controller that could run their HMI software, seamlessly manage multiple devices, and provide a stable, long-life platform.

The Solution – NEXCOM Neu-X102-N50

NEXCOM’s Neu-X102-N50 fanless embedded system was chosen as the controller for the hospital’s automated garment cabinets. The system is mounted inside the cabinet and serves as the gateway between hospital staff, garment inventory, and the management platform.

System Integration Highlights:

• HDMI^® + USB: Connects to a 7–10” touch monitor for intuitive garment selection and return interface
• COM Port: Connects to a thermal printer for issuing receipts or garment usage records
• USB Ports: Supports multiple peripherals such as RFID readers, swipe card readers, and barcode scanners
• Wi-Fi/LAN: Provides remote management capability, enabling IT staff to monitor system health, update software, and manage cabinet usage data centrally

Customer Benefits

• Compact and Fanless: The slim design and quiet operation fit perfectly into the confined space of the cabinet while ensuring reliability in 24/7 hospital perations.
• Performance at the Right Price: Powered by Intel^® processor N50, the Neu-X102-N50 delivers the right balance of performance and aggressive pricing, making large-scale deployment costeffective.
• Flexible Connectivity: Multiple I/O interfaces allow easy integration of different peripheral devices essential for garment management.
• Remote Control and Monitoring: Network connectivity enables centralized system oversight and reduces the need for onsite service.
• Future-Proof Investment: Industrial-grade design and long lifecycle support make the solution a sustainable investment for healthcare providers.

Conclusion

By integrating NEXCOM Neu-X102-N50 into automated garment cabinet solutions, hospitals gain a reliable, compact, and cost-efficient gateway controller that streamlines uniform management. With its rich connectivity, performance efficiency, and long-term availability, the Neu-X102-N50 helps hospitals improve hygiene compliance, enhance staff convenience, and optimize operational costs.

Key Features for Application Needs

• Intel^® processor N50
• Slim compact chassis and fanless design
• 1 x DDR4 SO-DIMM, up to 16GB
• Support 2 x HDMI^® 2.0 output 4K@30Hz
• TPM 2.0 design for security
• Rich I/O connectivity: 2 x 2.5GbE LAN, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2
• 1 x M.2 Key M 2242 for supporting PCIe and SATA storage device
• 1 x Mini PCIe slot supports Wi-Fi and LTE modules
• Support DC 12V power input