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FTDI adds touch capability to its open source platform

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on February 6, 2012 2:31 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Future Technology Devices International (FTDI) has added a touch control input/output application boards for its Vinco development module, writes Richard Wilson.

The Vinco Touch Key applications board, which the supplier calls a shield mates with the Vinco motherboard, and incorporates a STMicroelectronics STMPE821 8-channel general purpose input/output (GPIO) capacitive touch key controller IC.

The shield has 8 touch keys which employ a capacitive sensing technology, responding to physical input stimulus from the user. It also has a set of 4 push buttons and 5 GPIO-controlled LED indicators.
Continue reading FTDI adds touch capability to its open source platform.

Raspberry Pi number 1 goes for £3,500 on eBay

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on January 16, 2012 8:45 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Raspberry PiThe Raspberry Pi  project is almost a perfect example of open source engineering story. Well, it has started in popular fashion - a £20 Raspberry Pi computer sold for £3,500 on eBay last week, writes Steve Bush.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation, which intends to sell its educational computers directly, auctioned 10 of its beta production board on eBay.

Continue reading Raspberry Pi number 1 goes for £3,500 on eBay.

RaspberryPi £15 ARM Linux computer due for Christmas

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 1, 2011 8:23 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
RaspberryPi £15 ARM Linux computer due for ChristmasThe RaspberryPi Foundation, which aims to put computers in front of children for £15, has taken delivery of 50 engineering prototypes, and intends to get the final version to customers by the end of the year, writes Steve Bush.

Based in Cambridge and founded by six high-tech high-flyers, the foundation's aim is to cure the programmer shortage by inspiring people to take up computing in childhood - as Sinclair Spectrums and BBC Micros once did.

"In 1996, the average skill set of someone entering university was a couple of machine code languages and some hardware hacking experience. Now if we have someone that has written a web page we are lucky," Foundation founder and former University of Cambridge lecture Dr Eben Upton told Electronics Weekly in May.

Continue reading RaspberryPi £15 ARM Linux computer due for Christmas.

Video: What counts as Open Source Hardware?

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on August 15, 2011 11:33 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I know we concentrate largely on Linux in this blog, but its remit is a lot wider - open source hardware as well as open source software.'Open Source Engineering' in the widest sense...

Well here is an interesting video from the excellent David Jones and his EEVblog on the topic of Open Source Hardware, and just what exactly is meant by the term - see EEVblog #195 - Open Source Hardware Explained

He summarises two essential elements of open source hardware...

Continue reading Video: What counts as Open Source Hardware?.

Microsoft goes open source with Gadgeteer electronics

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on August 4, 2011 1:42 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
gadgeteer_example detail.jpgWe can file this one - at a push - under open source engineering, even if - given this involves Microsoft - no Linux is involved.

The Redmond giant has has announced the official launch of Gadgeteer, a set of electronic parts designed to be plugged together to build prototypes or working electronic devices. Remote controlled cars and cameras are given as possible examples.

It is aimed squarely at "hobbyists, electronic enthusiasts and educators" and Microsoft says it does not require any specialist electronics knowledge or soldering. The idea is to make it simple for anyone to quickly design and build their own devices.


Continue reading Microsoft goes open source with Gadgeteer electronics.

Linux power and changing a register

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on July 7, 2011 2:44 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
An interesting Ubuntu-related post on our new low-power design blog, written by Chris Edwards - Linux power: what does changing a register do if the BIOS tells you it isn't there?

He writes:
The Phoronix blog, which identified problems with Ubuntu's power consumption in recent versions on mobile devices, has claimed to have found the cause of the problem. And it underlines the importance of low-level interfaces communicating clearly what they can do and are doing when it comes to software-enabled power management.
Continue reading Linux power and changing a register.

Linux industrial net-top has ARM-powered Nvidia Tegra 2

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 28, 2011 3:01 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Trim Slice.jpgAndersDX has introduced an ARM-based industrial net-top computer based around NVIDIA's Tegra 2 chip. The tiny (130x94x15mm) computer is a version of CompuLab's Trim Slice, through a joint venture between the firms, writes Steve Bush.

It is offered with Linux, and Android will be available soon, said AndersDX;
"Developers are encouraged to port other Linux flavours or other operating systems to further enhance the multiple application usage of this hardware platform."
Continue reading Linux industrial net-top has ARM-powered Nvidia Tegra 2.

Raspberry Pi lets a TV run Linux

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 31, 2011 4:40 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Raspberry Pi.JPGRaspberry Pi is a tiny ARM-based single board computer that enables a TV to run Linux and scripting languages such as Python.

Designed by Cambridge business men and academics to engage children with computer science and thereby improve the skills pool from which they draw employees and undergraduates, it is causing a stir in the developing world, writes Steve Bush.

"In 1996, the average skill set of someone entering university was a couple of machine code languages and some hardware hacking experience. Now if we have someone that has written a web page we are lucky," former University of Cambridge lecture Dr Eben Upton told Electronics Weekly.

Continue reading Raspberry Pi lets a TV run Linux.

Arduino gaming and open source hardware

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on March 29, 2011 4:50 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
gameduino.JPGHere's another interesting one to flag from Gadget Master, involving open source hardware - Gameduino spritely takes centre stage

It is an Arduino-based development offering support for 8-bit video gaming via the Gameduino, which is based on a Xilinx FPGA. It is a properly designed, tested, and documented project created by one James Bowman, and it is made available as open-source hardware (BSD license).
Continue reading Arduino gaming and open source hardware.

Intel focuses on imaging and open source software

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on February 23, 2011 11:07 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Intel has stepped up its investments in mobile technolgies, with particular focus on imaging and open source software, writes Richard Wilson.

The processor firm has quietly acquired Silicon Hive, a Dutch video processing spin-out of Philips.
 
The intention is clear, to add its own imaging and video acceleration IP to its Atom-based mobile phone platform.

Continue reading Intel focuses on imaging and open source software.

Bug Labs offers fast route to mobile network

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on October 25, 2010 2:51 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
An interesting US development to note. AT&T and Bug Labs, a modular open hardware development platform, have announced plans to launch BUG + 3G/GSM. This is a plug-and-play electronic tool kit that is intended to put network ready wireless modules in the hands of emerging device product developers, for a speedier path to launching kit targeting the company's mobile broadband network in the US.

According to the press release:
Continue reading Bug Labs offers fast route to mobile network.

Open Source Hardware gets draft definition

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 24, 2010 2:51 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
OSH summit logo.gifThe Open Hardware Summit 2010 - at the new York Hall of Science - may have sold old, but keep an eye on the website - www.openhardwaresummit.org

Apparently, the organisers will be videoing the event for those that can't attend, and the site also provides OSHW Draft Definition 0.3...

It states:
OSHW Draft Definition 0.3 is based on the Open Source Definition for Open Source Software and draft OSHW definition 0.2, further incorporating ideas from the TAPR Open Hardware License. Videos and Documentation of the Opening Hardware workshop which kicked off the below license are available here.

TI announces Linux kernel support for DSPs and multicore SoCs

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 5, 2010 11:09 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Texas Instruments has announced Linux kernel support for its TMS320C64x digital signal processors (DSPs) and multicore system-on-chips (SoCs).

These are aimed at applications such as communications and mission critical infrastructure, medical diagnostics, and high-performance test and measurement.

Continue reading TI announces Linux kernel support for DSPs and multicore SoCs.

Korenix JetBox 9430-w for embedded Linux networking

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on November 12, 2009 10:30 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Korenix has announced the JetBox 9430-w, which it describes as an "intelligent Linux ready embedded networking computer with complete Layer 3 routing capabilities for efficiently managing extended network groups in industrial environments".

It has IP-31 rugged anti-vibration/shock design and a -40~80C operating temperatures. It features VPN functionality, and can support establishing long-distance and secured network connections over WAN.

Features highlighted by Korenix are:
Continue reading Korenix JetBox 9430-w for embedded Linux networking.

RMI's 'Android' processor gets Samsung LED TV design-in

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 8, 2009 8:19 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
RMI has seen its MIPS-compatible Au1250 processor selected by Samsung Electronics for a range of portable LED TVs, writes Richard Wilson.

RMI's Au1250 Processor is the first MIPS-compatible SoC processor supported for Android aimed at media and communications applications.

Continue reading RMI's 'Android' processor gets Samsung LED TV design-in.

Making the most of open-source hardware

By Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on September 2, 2009 1:29 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Check out an interesting an article new to the site - Making the most of open-source hardware

This blog is about Open Source Engineering, and I'm happy to include hardware as well as software within that remit.

Written by Gerald Coley of Texas Instruments, the main points are:
  • Open-source hardware offers an advanced start on your design.
  • Open-source software complements open-source hardware.
  • Open-source hardware prepares your PCB (printed-circuit-board)-fabrication and -assembly houses for high-volume production.
  • You may want to share your improvements by making them open-source additions, as well.
Continue reading Making the most of open-source hardware.
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