Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

14 Industrial Embedded Linux Case Studies

Posted by Hemos on from the spreading-like-the-flu dept.

An anonymous reader writes "This article presents a collection of papers and presentations on the use of embedded Linux in the "real world" that was assembled by the Industrial Embedded Systems (INES) organization, a project to promote the adoption of Open Source software funded by the European Union. The papers show some of the exciting and esoteric applications that the industrial world finds for embedded Linum. From vibration health monitoring systems to crane scales to giant LED signs at sports stadiums, that little penguin (a.k.a. Tux) shows up in the darnedest places."

57 comments

  1. More embedded Linux sponsors... by tcopeland · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...are listed here. That's quite a list!

    --
    The Army reading list
    1. Re:More embedded Linux sponsors... by Sunda666 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Interesting to see QNX listed as a part of this consortium... Think about "If you can't beat them, join them", it seems.

      --


      ``If a program can't rewrite its own code, what good is it?'' - Mel
  2. Linux is great and all, but... by 77Punker · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...why is it needed to run things like a bunch of stupid little LED's? Couldn't a much smaller solution be used in those cases?

    1. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I know, MS products do a great job of lighting the LEDs on my network equipment when they get infected with UDP worms.

    2. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      > ...why is it needed to run things like a bunch of stupid little LED's?

      Yes, but without Linux, you'd never be able to generate that Internet-delivered error log that shows which LEDs are have ceased to function.

      Surely you don't suggest *looking* at them?

    3. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by MoonFog · · Score: 4, Informative

      How about RTFA ?
      Indoor and outdoor LED display vendor TecnoVision, S.p.A. used the open source KA9Q Network Operating System for TCP/IP over Packet Radio to improve product functionality and flexibility, while reducing time to market and design risks. The 26 year-old Italian company makes signs used in advertisement, sport and entertainment events, live concerts, and for road information.

      "Little LED's" ? Read more here

    4. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      you mean like TRON or QNX? Which is designed from the get go for real time embedded systems.

      www.tron.org and www.qnx.com

      Linux is a wannabie of everything, which is what Commodore wanted to be and they all end up doing a little bit of this and that and not specalising and being GOOD at something, just ADEQUATE.

    5. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      No, he probably meant a microcontroller programmed in assembly.

    6. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by EnderWiggnz · · Score: 2, Funny

      yes, i can see how creatng the home pc market, and having the best selling system of all time would be considerred "failing".

      --
      ... hi bingo ...
    7. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      CDTV, Amiga 600 et all.. Its still around, isnt it . still selling strong, its captured the desktop, Cbm execs are in bermuda suning themselves.

      Yeah ur right.
      How stupid of me.

    8. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      commodore was a success through the VIC, C64 and C128... sometimes big, successful companies fail... Look at Digital, Woolworths, or any other number of large companies that went under.

      as for what the cbm execs are doing... well, i work with three of them, and i can tell you exactly what they're doing :-)

    9. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't see any Linux in the product? It says KA9Q. KA9Q is hosted on DOS.

    10. Re:Linux is great and all, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Drug running? CBM execs were scum. One name: Medhi Ali.

  3. Here are some by Pingular · · Score: 5, Informative

    Embedded Linux Projects

    --

    When anger rises, think of the consequences.
    Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)
  4. Awesome by Mysticalfruit · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I always wondered what software/hardwar was used to drive those wrap around displays. It's cool to know that it runs on linux.

    Personally, I think it'll be cool, when they build a stadium that has a plastic membrane playing surface that they can use to display graphics on.

    --
    Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
    1. Re:Awesome by azaris · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Personally, I think it'll be cool, when they build a stadium that has a plastic membrane playing surface that they can use to display graphics on.

      Personally, I'll pass. It's annoying enough to watch soccer mathes with advertisements projected on the pitch using computers. Thankfully they don't do that when the ball is in play.

    2. Re:Awesome by Mysticalfruit · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Oh come on... I don't see a problem?

      Your already spending upwards of 100 dollars to watch a bunch of overpaid cry babies who have a poor appriecation of the term "team".

      You might as well get a bunch of blaring, sex and violence filled advertisements as well!

      The idea is to simulate the home viewing experience as much as possible.

      Seriously, you wouldn't want to watch a video of the Coor's light girls mud wrestling in a box by the quarterbacks feet!

      How about when a reciever is running for a touch down, you could have tag lines chasing him down the field! Or better, the MSN butterfly could randomly run across the field!!!

      They could do tactical analysis on field using Madden 2XXX!!!

      Every Shadow could be filled with Pepsi and Coke ads!!!

      I seriously think your missing out on a great opportunity!!!!

      --
      Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
  5. INES by Leffe · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here is the real INES homepage. They sure have some interesting stuff there, just take a look at this.

    There's also an even more interesting page about the INES, but the content is in some scary language.

  6. While we're on the subject... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Does anyone know a place that sells reasonably-priced CF-IDE (Compact Flash to IDE) adaptors? Every place I've seen wants $20+ for a little card with just two connectors and some circuit leads between them. I don't have the equipment to build my own cards or I would...

  7. Embedded Linum??? by IWorkForMorons · · Score: 5, Funny

    The papers show some of the exciting and esoteric applications that the industrial world finds for embedded Linum.

    What is this Linum you speak of? And where can I get the .ISO?

  8. Where are you hiding Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    So where have you guys found embedded linux devices at work or home? I find it cool that I have 2 Linux boxes in my entertainment center alone (Tivo and a Linksys WRT54G), I'm guessing there may be a few more around work or the house that I'm not aware of yet (hmm.... that toaster oven looks pretty feature rich, wonder what's running...)

  9. uhh, not insightful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just because someone wants to karma whore by going to Google and finding the first link for "embedded linux" doesnt mean they deserve karma

  10. Peek a boo software. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "...From vibration health monitoring systems to crane scales to giant LED signs at sports stadiums, that little penguin (a.k.a. Tux) shows up in the darnedest places.""

    So do the BSD's
    or Windows for that matter.

  11. What about the bad ones? by TrollBridge · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    "The papers show some of the exciting and esoteric applications that the industrial world finds for embedded Linum."

    Aside from the problem I have with the word "Linum", do these papers show any of the less-than-successful open source deployments/projects?

    Call my cynical, but I'm going to take any report about the success of OSS from an organization whose goal is to "promote the adoption of Open Source software" with a grain of objectivity salt.

    --
    There's a Mercedes gap too. I want one and can't afford one, but it's not government's job to do anything about it.
  12. LINUM, mmm, yummy new word to eat... by Hell+O'World · · Score: 3, Funny

    *has idea*
    Darn! Linum.com is already taken!

  13. Re:Linux has been responsible for numerous deaths by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do you have a link listing what hardware is failing and what OS is embedded? More likely the hardware is failing and not the OS, but I don't have anything to back that up either.

  14. ummm... by Undaar · · Score: 3, Funny

    "that little penguin (a.k.a. Tux) shows up in the darnedest places."

    Umm...if you don't know what "that little penguin" is called, why are you doing reading /.?

    --
    ~ "When I'm of that age I'm just going to live up a tree."
  15. Mandatory offtopic comment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Darl Mc Bride: "Well well well, it seems we have 14 new clients for Xmas. Good."

  16. plural for "Linux"? by captnjameskirk · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...applications that the industrial world finds for embedded Linum.

    Shouldn't that be Linii ? :)

    1. Re:plural for "Linux"? by daniel23 · · Score: 1


      Linuces

      --
      605413? Yes, it's a prime.
  17. Linum for embedded systems development. by rice_burners_suck · · Score: 4, Funny
    that the industrial world finds for embedded Linum (emphasis mine)

    Here at my company, which develops industrial automation systems, I've heard a lot of buzz about this Linum. The engineers over in C3 (the software development area) say that Linum is much better than Linux for embedded applications, mostly because it ends with "m" instead of "x"...

    Of course, I've heard some heated arguments in the cafeteria about Linux vs. Linum, and I think the whole thing is turning into a big holy war over here. Kind of like the 1TBS.

  18. Freebox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My cable modem in France runs Linux. It is offered for free with a EUR 30,00 per month subscription and in addition to Internet access, it provides a telephone line (free calls within France) and ADSL cable tv (without using the Internet bandwidth).

    The interesting thing (besides running Linux) is that there are already 140,000 out there, with about 1 million forecast for the end of next year. 1 million embedded Linux users.

    More information can be found at Free's site (my ISP) or for a slightly more technical review here, all in French.

    Amazingly, it was still not reported by LinuxDevices neither by Slashdot...

    1. Re:Freebox by brad3378 · · Score: 1

      please Mod this up.

      --
  19. Parent NOT Offtopic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    WTF are the mods on crack thinking? How is this offtopic? I thought he made a pretty good point.

  20. Re:Offtopic? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I hope somebody will catch that abuse on metamod.

  21. Still waiting for linux security cameras by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    that I can plug into ethernet and use on my lan that don't require windows and directx.

  22. Re:Parent IS Offtopic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your parent post IS offtopic, and so is your karma damage mitigation anonymous post below it Trollbridge.

  23. fresh clean... by nasim · · Score: 1

    embedded linen...nothing like clean sheets.

    --

    For great justice take off every sig.

    1. Re:fresh clean... by The+real+PoD · · Score: 1

      I hate it when I wake up with embedded linen.