A company in Bangalore, India, is offering a chip-like embedded computer module that comes with Linux 2.6.19 pre-installed. Eilabs's LinSeed “soft chip” measures 1.2 x 1.6-inches (30 x 40mm) and integrates an ARM9 core, 32MB of RAM, and 16MB of flash memory, among other functions.

(Click for larger view of LinSeed and a pen)

Eilabs intends the LinSeed to offer embedded developers an application-ready design that saves development time and risk. In the future, the company hopes to produce a whole line of “soft chips” with more powerful processors but the same 2 x 30 pin-out, providing customers with a convenient upward migration path. In this regard, the LinSeed resembles SSV's line of “Dil/NetPC” modules designed to fit into 40-pin dual-inline IC (integrated circuit) sockets.

The LinSeed is based on an Atmel AT91RM9200 processor, clockable up to 180MHz. The tiny module integrates 16MB of RAM and 32MB of flash memory, along with various peripheral interfaces. It lacks an external RAM expansion interface; however, storage capacity can be expanded with USB-based flash modules and other devices, the company said.

Touted features include:

• Monochrome graphic LCD interface
• Character LCDs interface
• Matrix keypad interface
• USB interface
• Serial interface
• Ethernet Mac
• SSC or I2S audio codec support
• WiFi over USB
• Digital I/O, I2C, SPI
• GPRS over cellular
• Bluetooth over USB/serial

Eilabs LinSeed evaluation baseboard (Click to enlarge)

Additionally, various application-specific carrier boards are available, including a softPLC (programmable logic controller) board, WLAN-enabled MMI (man-machine interface) board, GPRS companion module, and an RFID companion module. Also available is a basic evaluation board said to offer:

• 2 x USB 2.0 full speed host interfaces
• USB slave interface
• 10BaseT Ethernet
• 3 x serial ports, including one “full serial”
• 8 x opto-isolated digital inputs
• 4 x opto-isolated digital outputs
• 12V/5V operation
• RTC with back up battery
• 64×128 Monochrome Graphics LCD
• (240×128 Toshiba controller based Graphics LCD optional)

On the software side, a 2.6.19 Linux kernel is “loaded automatically on power up” by UBoot, Eilabs said. Other software features include a JFFS2 filesystem, and drivers for serial, USB mass storage, USB slave, Netgear USB WiFi dongle, SPI, I2C, GPIO, Matrix keypad, and RTC (real-time clock). The module comes with GNU tools and example applications.

Availability

The LinSeed is available with six weeks lead time, priced at $150, the company said, with quantity discounts available (to below $100). Also available is a Lin-Eval-V1 evaluation board, priced at $350.

 
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