[Updated 9:21 am PDT] — The 15th annual west coast Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) is taking place this week in San Francisco, packed with four intensive days of classes, tutorials, talks, special events, and a product and technology expo. According to conference organizers, over 10,000 attendees and more than 250 exhibitors were anticipated at this year's mega embedded event.

On Wednesday, ARM founder and CEO Sir Robin Saxby delivered the show's main keynote address, on the topic: “Turning Good Design into Good Science: The Future Convergence of Embedded Technology and Biotechnology.” Saxby presented his vision of the future of embedded computing and explore new applications based on the convergence of chip technology with the bioscience and security fields.

There were many examples of cool devices and applications for embedded technologies on display, including robots, cars, bikes, and gadgets galore. A number of those were nominated as finalists for the “Best of Show” awards (note story below).

To provide added perspective for our readers — most of whom were not able to attend the show — LinuxDevices.com brings you this Special Report, which includes links to selected ESC-related product and technology announcements, news, and commentaries of particular interest to the Embedded Linux community.

Full details on ESC, including a conference schedule and details of classes and tutorials, can be found here.

ESC highlights . . .

• PC/104 Embedded Consortium announces design contest winners — The PC/104 Embedded Consortium announced the winners of its first PC/104 Design Contest, at the Embedded Systems Conference today in San Francisco. The awards recognize engineers designing innovative systems and devices based on the consortium's PC/104 and PC/104-Plus standards. Winners were announced in three categories: Commercial for industrial/medical/transportation/other; Commercial for military/aerospace/COTS; and Research Project.
• ESC announces “Best of Show” award winner — ESC show producer CMP Media presented the prestigious “Best of Show” award to one of fourteen finalists which had been selected from among candidate applications submitted by the show's exhibitors. And the winner is . . .
• Where is the embedded market headed? — a panel discussion by “industry visionaries” at ESC attempted to build a strategic vision of the future of the embedded systems industry, highlighting the key business and technology drivers that are fueling the embedded market. This story also highlights other ESC special events.

  

• Meet Wakamaru, the Linux-powered humanoid robot — this 3.3 foot tall, 60 pound robot from Japan is described as the first human-size robot capable of providing companionship or functioning as a caretaker and house sitter. The battery-operated robot moves about on wheels and recharges itself when its batteries run low. You can meet Wakamaru in MontaVista's booth.
• Embedded Linux “jumpstart” class — this all-day ESC workshop is intended to help get developers up and running on embedded Linux quickly, using “real embedded hardware” according to course instructor Bill Gatliff.
• Porting, debugging, and programming uClinux — this talk by Rob Wehrli focuses on developing with uClinux on the H8S families of 16-bit microcontrollers.
• VDC Report on Embedded Systems Conference San Francisco 2003 — here is embedded industry analyst Venture Development Corp.'s report on ESC 2003 San Francisco, written the week after ESC by VDC analysts Chris Lanfear and Steve Balacco.

Product and technology announcements . . .

• New software for fault-tolerant Linux-based systems
• MontaVista adds IBM's latest device-oriented JVM
• Reference design targets DSL gateways
• XScale-based reference platform extends power management
• ColdFire microcontrollers gain new developments tools
• Configurable processor core gains embedded Linux support
• Sharp announces availability of Bluestreak SoC, 3rd-party support
• Reference design for PowerQUICC III debuts with Linux BSP
• LynuxWorks revs embedded development tools
• PowerPC, Linux converge in media gateway reference design
• Arium unveils JTAG console support for I/O-challenged Linux targets
• USB OTG driver for dual-role controller features Linux-like API
• DSP-enhanced ARM CPU powers Linux-based VoIP reference design
• Customizable ARM-based SOC targets networking devices
• 64-bit RISC system-on-chip targets “digital information devices”
• Reference boards assist MPEG-2 CODEC designs
• Linux enables Matsushita's new broadband TV tuner
• AMD unveils Linux-based “access equipment” reference design
• SuperH, TimeSys partner for SH-4, SH-5 embedded Linux

Please Note!

This page will be updated throughout the week, so check back frequently for the latest news.

 
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