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Date: 2007-05-29 14:05:18

Embedded Perspective, BEC Systems, May 2007

The Embedded Perspective

May, 2007

by Cliff Brake

Welcome to the Embedded Perspective Newsletter, a free monthly newsletter providing insights, reviews, and perspective on Embedded Systems development and related industries.

Feedback is appreciated. Email me at: cbrake@bec-systems.com.

For back issues or to subscribe, visit: http://bec-systems.com/web/content/view/39/35/ . These articles also appear on the BEC Systems web site and are available in an RSS feed. Please forward this to anyone you think might be interested.

In this issue:

* NAND Flash is almost free and what it means for Embedded Systems
* Is Linux ready for real-time applications?
* Can you afford not to use Linux in your product?

NAND Flash is almost "free" and what it means for Embedded Systems

EETimes recently ran an article titled "Plummeting prices make NAND appear almost free" (http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197002923). 1GBytes parts cost around $55 in Nov 2005. As of 2007-03-28, a 1GBytes part costs around $8. This is almost an order of magnitude reduction in a little over a year. This article examines the impact this price drop will have on embedded systems and the changes we will likely see including: storage is now at post-scarcity, will "embedded" distributions become obsolete, will uclibc become obsolete, and challenges with large NAND flash parts.

Is Linux ready for real-time applications?
Have you ever wondered about the real-time response of Linux and how well it performs? I recently developed a system where I had the requirement to send a packet of data out a serial port every 30ms. This article describes how stock Linux can be used to accomplish this and solutions to several problems I encountered. There are several concepts that need to be understood such as how to set a Linux process to real-time, and kernel preemption.
Read more...

Can you afford not to use Linux in your product?

How much does hardware capable of running Linux cost? Recently, I priced components for a fairly minimal system.

CPU: Atmel AT91SAM9260 (< $10)
32MBytes of SDRAM ($6)
256MBytes of NAND flash ($6)

These are prices for relatively low volumes on the order of 1000 pieces. So, you can get a processor, RAM, and flash that is more than capable of running Linux for about $20. Think about the possibilities. The AT91SAM9260 is a rather impressive part and includes interfaces for about anything including USB, SD/MMC, Ethernet, and the list goes on. It also includes that capability to boot from NAND flash which eliminates a dedicated NOR boot flash and reduces cost. If you don't want to do a full processor design, processor modules can be obtained for less than $100 .

So, at this price you have to ask: can I afford not to embed Linux in my product? Can I afford not to take advantage of standard interfaces like Ethernet and USB? Can I afford not to take advantage of 1000's of high quality applications and drivers? Can I afford to not implement a system with virtually unlimited storage and capability for expansion? Think about this carefully because your competitors are. Have questions or need help getting started? Contact us -- we can help.