London, Ontario — (company press release) — Microtronix has formed a new group drawing from its many years as an embedded engineering firm. This new initiative focuses on the use of Linux in embedded applications.

The Linux Open Source community has emerged as a driving force in advanced software technology development. Leading hardware and software suppliers around the world are currently supporting or plan to support their products and solutions in the Linux environment.

Embedded Linux combines performance, reliability, openness, and scalability, in a fully re-entrant, pre-emptive, and ROMable operating system. Some of the key benefits derived from using Linux in an embedded solution are as follows:

• No royalties / No License fees: results in reduced cost of goods sold
  
• Support available from multiple sources — not locked into a single vendor
  
• Rapid turn-around of problems identified in the open source community
  
• Access to the source code gives users the right to modify and fix mission critical features or add missing functionality
  
• Open Source resources available for integration include: web server, networking/routing protocols, telephony, application/database server

One of the initial activities that Microtronix will engage in will be the porting of the Linux kernel to its Access product line. The Access product line is an x86-based telecommunications platform that is NEBS certified for interacting with voice switches in a central office.

“The ability to easily integrate the latest internet protocols from the open source community is a key advantage of our Linux focus,” comments Frank Berze, president of Microtronix. “Our Access product line is a proven reliable platform for use in a telephone company's central office. Embedded Linux will allow our engineering team to provide highly integrated voice and data solutions to our customers.”

Another major effort that will be undertaken will be to bring together embedded Linux with open source web-server technology. This combination produces a powerful blend of the latest technologies suitable for the new age of internet appliance applications. The following components will be used:

• Motorola Computer Group MBX/EBX Embedded Controller (MPC860)
  
• Zentropix Real Time Linux Kernel
  
• Red Hat embedded development tools
  
• GoAhead Software embedded web server

About Microtronix

Founded in 1977 as a designer and manufacturer of communications equipment, Microtronix provides a complete range of services from engineering design to manufacturing. Microtronix specializes in the rapid development of hardware and software solutions for embedded applications. The Microtronix Embedded Linux Group focuses on the use of Linux in the development of real-time, web-enabled embedded applications. Microtronix shares highly synergistic a relationship with clients, from product conception to manufacturing, whereby engineers at Microtronix collaborate with the client's internal engineering staff. In this process, Microtronix provides hardware and low-level software to control interfaces, sensors, and actuators, while clients provide the application-specific knowledge for high-level control. Microtronix thereby supplements the client's efforts with added engineering capabilities.

Microtronix supports the Open Source community and the Embedded Linux Consortium initiative.

 
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