Belgian electronic payment specialist Banksys is shipping new payment terminals powered by open source operating systems. The C-ZAM/XENTA terminals run Linux and eCos operating systems, and could result in one of the largest deployments yet of embedded Linux in Belgium.

Banksys Linux payment terminal with external thermal printer

The cube-shaped Linux payment terminals measures 5.2 inches (132 mm) per side and weigh 26 ounces (740 grams). They include a recessed keypad for private, secure PIN entry, and separate card reader slots for bank cards and credit cards.

The terminals include a large 2.8 x 1.4-inch (72 x 36 mm) liquid crystal display, and support either external or internal thermal printers that accept 25-meter long rolls of paper.

The terminals can be connected to a cash register, computer, or a bar-code scanner, and they include interfaces for PSTN (public switched telephone network) and Ethernet networks. They also support ISDN, GPRS, or ADSL expansion cards.

The terminals run Linux and eCos, open source operating systems for which all source code is freely available. Both operating systems were implemented for the terminals by Mind, a Belgian embedded development house specializing in open source software. Mind also supported Banksys with the software architecture used by the terminals, the tool chain design, and the low-level Linux and eCos drivers for peripherals in the terminals.

In addition to designing and manufacturing payment terminals, Banksys manages a secure IP network and sells back-end infrastructure products. It says its technology is used in thirty countries on six continents.

“The new Banksys terminal will represent one of the largest deployments of embedded Linux devices in Belgium, and will prove the viability of Linux and open source software for critical applications including financial transactions,” noted Mind CEO Peter Vandenabeele.

“For Banksys, the use of Linux and Open Source Software was an essential advantage to allow timely and cost efficient development of the new payment terminal,” added Vincent Roland, a Banksys general manager.

 
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