Today, more and more systems go on-line. Just look at the tiny nanode covered earlier. Connectivity makes it easier to monitor remote sensors, implement home automation – as well as providing configuration and data read outs through a web interface.
When working with an embedded system, TCP/IP networking can feel intimidating. When working with FreeRTOS, however, it is easy to get started with an IP stack. You can even choose from two IP stacks – FreeTCPIP (based on uIP) and lwIP.
The Swarmanoid is a robot swarm, think of them as a group of ants. Instead of workers, queen and such, the robots are flyers, movers and grippers. In cooperation, they can bring you stuff! The video below won the Best Video Award at the AAAI-11 AI Video Competition.
The nanode, network appliance node, is an Arduino-line, network enabled development board. Just as Arduino, it is open source hardware. It has been developed at the London hackspace.
The idea is to provide the maker / hacker society with a networked, easy to use, starting point for endevours into smart sensors, home automation, machine control, energy monitoring, and more. The energy argument is especially important to one of the project’s key members, Ken Boak, who has been
One of the strenghts of FreeRTOS is the portability. In this installment, we will look at the available targets, and how to get up and running easily. Perhaps you already have a FreeRTOS compatible board in your lab.
The digital hobbyist usually relies on a few supply voltages. If 3.3, 5 and 12 Volts sounds good enough for you (perhaps the 1.7, 7 and 8.7 are needed too), the you can convert an old PC power supply to your own lab power supply.
Phil Levchenko has a great video entry in his blog on this topic.
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Coming from a bare metal embedded system, the tasks of FreeRTOS may seem intimidating. In this article, we will look at how to setup a pair of threads and have them cooperate.
In this YouTube clip, the DUO ADEPT is presented. It is a homebrew 8-bit computer created from around 100 chips. A whole bunch of breadboards and a small fortune in wire also went into the build.
The whole project is the brain child of Jack Eisenmann. He keeps a website where you can read up on the details of the project.
FreeRTOS is a free, as in liberty, real-time operating system for embedded systems. This means that you can have tasks, mutexes and timers for your PIC32/24, AVR32 or Cortex M3. In fact, there is official support for 27 architectures, and loads of community support – both for platforms and features such as TCP/IP networking.
CC-BY-SA http://www.flickr.com/photos/barelief/197175097/
Most of our readers are familiar with either Microchip’s PIC processors or Atmel’s AVR’s. Lady Ada knows both and has narrated the epic battle PIC vs AVR.
Features such as packaging, price, development tools and languages, boards and communities come into play. The outcome? Follow the link and enjoy!
