Sharp, Raspberry Pi, and Hailo to Debut Innovative SDM MPi5 Kit for Modular Digital Signage at ISE 2026
Munich, 28 January, 2026 – Sharp Display Solutions Europe, the audio-visual technology business division of Sharp Europe, will announce a new SDM MPi5 Kit during Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026, taking place from 3–6 February 2026 at Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via. The announcement will be jointly made with Raspberry Pi Ltd, who developed the new product based on Sharp market intelligence and customer feedback.
The new SDM MPi5 Kit is powered by Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 and forms part of Sharp’s broader ‘One Sharp’ digital experience proposition, bringing together professional displays, modular computing, software and services to help organisations build more intelligent, secure and future ready digital environments.
Modular computing for professional displays
The SDM MPi5 Kit marks an important milestone in the evolution of embedded computing for professional displays. Sharp is using the Intel® SDM specification for computing devices together with Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 enabling customers to integrate Arm-based computing directly into displays while retaining the flexibility traditionally associated with SDM architectures.
Target applications include flight information display systems (FIDS), wayfinding, information displays and other mission-critical digital signage use cases, where reliability, control and rapid system adaptation are essential.
“With the SDM MPi5 Kit, we are combining the flexibility and performance of Raspberry Pi with the modularity demanded by professional AV customers” said Erik Elbert, Senior Product Manager at Sharp Display Solutions Europe. “This platform is not only about computing power today, but about creating an open, future-ready foundation that can support AI and new use cases directly within the display.”
Designed for customer control and efficiency
Many organisations operating large signage networks require deep control over their operating systems and IT environments, particularly within Linux OS based infrastructures. The SDM MPi5 Kit addresses this need by offering a professional grade Raspberry Pi solution that delivers low power consumption and a high price-to-performance ratio, while maintaining the modularity and serviceability expected in enterprise environments.
Key features of the SDM MPi5 Kit include:
- Co-design with Raspberry Pi Ltd, bringing Raspberry Pi technology into professional display ecosystems
- Expanded internal storage via M.2, enabling local playback of large content libraries
- HDMI output to support a second independent video stream
- M.2 expansion slot for optional AI acceleration, compatible with Hailo’s AI accelerators, enabling advanced analytics and AI-driven display applications with no cloud dependency, for maximum privacy and real-time performance
“We’re excited to integrate Raspberry Pi technology into the most successful and versatile Sharp M2 and P6 display series with the new SDM MPi5 Kit, bringing the power, flexibility and efficiency of Compute Module 5 to the professional AV market,” said Eben Upton, CEO and Founder of Raspberry Pi Ltd. “Our partnership with Sharp demonstrates a growing demand for robust, energy efficient Arm-based solutions in enterprise environments, and highlights how open, modular platforms can empower organisations to innovate and adapt rapidly. Together, we’ll help customers unlock new possibilities for intelligent, AI enabled digital signage.”
Enabling AI at the display edge
The SDM MPi5 Kit has been designed with AI extensibility in mind, supporting modular AI acceleration to enable new use cases where intelligence is embedded directly within the display. Through collaboration with AI specialists such as Hailo, Sharp is enabling professional displays to support advanced computer vision and emerging AI workloads at the edge, while remaining open to future software and ecosystem partnerships.
Experience it at ISE 2026
Sharp will showcase the new SDM MPi5 Kit at ISE 2026, demonstrating how modular computing, open standards and AI-ready design are shaping the next generation of professional display solutions.
For more information about Sharp Display Solutions Europe, please visit: www.sharpdisplays.eu/p/uk/en/home.xhtml