MIPS hardware vendor Mycable and in-memory database vendor McObject have collaborated to create a hardware/software kit combining Mycable's tiny XXS1500 Linux/MIPS System and McObject's eXtremeDB embedded database, along with reference applications for multimedia, monitoring, and control systems.

The companies claim that the Small Profile Embedded Engine for Devices (SPEED) kit lowers component cost, both for prototypes and for mass-produced end-user devices, due to the two products' uniquely frugal resource requirements.

The kit includes three software reference designs, with source code:

• Electronic program guide for a set-top-box
• Industrial control/quality control application for things like vibration monitoring
• Remote monitoring device with webserver

The kit also includes a version of LinuxMIPS and the GNU toolchain.

Mycable's XXS1500 is a “bank-card sized” system based on AMD's Alchemy Au1500 MIPS32 architecture system-on-chip processor. The 3-watt system is passively cooled, and supports up to 128 MB of SDRAM, 16MB flash memory, 2 Fast Ethernet ports, USB 1.1 host port, USB 1.1 device port, 2 RS232 ports, CompactFlash slot, stereo audio in/out (AC97-codec), and a PCI expansion bus.

Mycable also offers a device case with room for up to three XXS modules, connected through an integrated backplane, and an additional Mini PCI slot. An optional graphics card based on Fujitsu's Coral-P 2D/3D graphics accelerator with geometry engine and alpha blending is also available.

According to McObject, eXtremeDB supports transactions, and has minimal RAM and CPU demands. “It can eliminate reliance on a filesystem,” according to McObjects founder Steve Graves, because for example a file tree of Web pages can be encoded into C source file and compiled directly into an application.

The SPEED Kit is available now for $950, including a developer license for eXtremeDB database with XML extensions, Mycable's XXS1500 hardware platform , as well as a complete tool chain, rugged open source Linux MIPS OS, and reference applications with source code. The SPEED Kit is available through both companies' existing distribution channels.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.