This article describes an all-volunteer science project's use of a donated Linux camera for the Jaluro rover it hopes to field in Google's Lunar X PRIZE competition. It discusses several advantages that patent-free Open Source software like Linux and Theora offer for scientific research projects. (more…)

Vitesse Semiconductor announced a second generation of its ARM9-based “switch-on-a-chip” that runs the open source eCos RTOS (real-time operating system). The 24-port SparX-II-24 and 16-port SparX-II-16 target networking applications requiring “content-aware” security, failover protection, and quality-of-service (QoS) filtering, says the company. (more…)

Hiteg announced a Linux-ready, hardware/software development kit for Samsung's ARM9-based S3C2440 microprocessor. The 100mm-square Mini2440 board features the workhorse S3C2440 processor clocked to 533MHz, and targets embedded development training applications, industrial control equipment, and consumer… (more…)

Sun Microsystems is shipping an UltraSPARC T2 Reference Design Kit (RDK) for developing and testing embedded systems designs using the UltraSPARC T2 multicore processor. The RDK is available now for Solaris, with a Wind River Linux version due in early 2009, says Sun. (more…)

Foreword — This article describes an all-volunteer science project's use of a donated Linux camera for the Jaluro rover it hopes to field in Google's Lunar X PRIZE competition. It discusses several advantages that patent-free Open Source software like Linux and Theora offer for scientific research projects. (more…)

Movial has joined the Khronos Group, and released an interesting “media engine” under the LGPL. The “Movial Octopus Media Engine” targets Linux devices such as MIDs and netbooks equipped with players, voice/video call applications, and other media applications. (more…)

Tilera is shipping a 36-core version of its 64-core Tile64 SoC (system-on-chip). Aimed at graphics-intensive embedded applications and networking devices, the TilePro36 clocks from 600MHz to 900MHz, consumes 9-13 Watts (typical), and runs Linux on each, some, or all cores. (more…)

Kontron announced a 6U CompactPCI (CPCI) board for “price-sensitive” automation and IP switching applications. The CP6001-V has a 1.86GHz Intel Celeron M440, up to 4GB of RAM, four gigabit Ethernet interfaces, 2.5-inch hard disk support, CompactFlash, and a PMC (PCI mezzanine card) expansion site, says Kontron. (more…)

Linux professional services and consulting firm Embedded Alley (EA) is edging into the embedded Linux tools business with its own software development kit (SDK). EA's “Embedded Alley Development System for Linux-based Devices” combines open-source software and services, and “facilitates build and integration of in-house and third-party commercial software,” says EA. (more…)

Open Kernel Labs (OK Labs) announced that its microkernel for processor virtualization will support devices using ARM Cortex-A8 and Cortex-A9 MP Core multi-core CPUs. The OKL4 microkernel's multi-core support might allow Linux to co-exist on Cortex-A8 and -A9 processors with Windows Mobile or other legacy RTOSes (real-time operating systems). (more…)

VirtualLogix, which sells Linux-compatible “VLX” virtualization software designed for embedded devices, announced the selection of a new executive chairman after the departure of CEO Peter Richards. Former Oracle and IBM executive Mike Seashols will act as interim CEO, and chair the advisory board of strategic investors, says the company. (more…)

Ronetix announced the availability of new PowerPC firmware for its Linux-friendly JTAG/BDM emulator and flash programmer. The PEEDI JTAG/BDM Emulator and Flash Programmer now supports the Freescale PowerQUICC II Pro MPC83XX processor, says the vendor. (more…)

[Updated: 3PM] — MontaVista announced what it calls the “first-ever” support in a Linux environment for ARM11 processors in big-endian mode. Presumably, the big-endian port of MontaVista Linux opens the door to more IPv6-friendly mobile devices, or greater use of ARM in telecommunications, where big-endian has long been standard. (more…)

[Updated: 1PM] — Texas Instruments (TI) is shipping a third-generation “Aureus” digital audio processor platform with a Linux software developer's kit (SDK). Available with an evaluation module (pictured) from Spectrum Digital, the DA830 and DA828 system-on-chips (SoCs) combine ARM9 cores with digital signal… (more…)

An open source project at MIT has developed a Linux- and Android-based remote medical diagnostics application aimed at developing nations. The “Moca” software integrates an Android app for remote diagnostics, a back-end Linux server application, and the OpenMRS medical records database, says the group. (more…)