Free Software and High-Power Rocketry -- This article from the Portland State Aerospace Society (PSAS) describes the use of free software and open hardware to develop amateur-built medium-sized sub-orbital rockets capable of launching "nanosatellites" (satellites weighing less than 10 kg) into orbit. In examining the requirements of a navigational system that could guide the rocket along an orbital trajectory, PSAS concluded that the necessary sophistication and complexity could not be achieved without using free software. Story
Embedded Linux enables DVB-T broadcast signal monitoring -- Divitron has developed a portable field test and monitoring instrument for terrestrial digital video broadcasting (DVB-T) network builders and operators. The device, which is basically a "tablet PC" with an integrated Linux-controlled DVB-T receiver and instrumentation subsystem, is used for testing and verifying DVB-T broadcast signal quality and coverage area. Learn more about this interesting application for embedded Linux from this LinuxDevices.com device profile. Story
Linux Router Project throws in the towel -- The leader of the famed Linux Router Project (LRP) has proclaimed that "the operating system that helped to create the embedded Linux marketplace, the Linux Router Project, is dead." When LRP development work ceased, a new version 5.0 had been nearly completed which boasted a rich set of features within a memory footprint of around 8MB. R.I.P. LRP. Story
Linux-based STB boasts 1st DVD-quality video over Wi-Fi -- PRISMIQ announced the release of 802.11a/g Wi-Fi support for its Linux-based set-top "entertainment gateway". According to PRISMIQ, the 54 Mbps bandwidth available with 802.11g allows users of its "MediaPlayer" to stream high quality video files from the PC to the TV, and turns the MediaPlayer into "the first consumer set-top box to enable DVD-quality video over 802.11g wireless." Story
Embedded.com asks: "Is Linux worth the effort?" -- In this technical article from Embedded Systems Programming magazine, embedded developer Niall Murphy offers his thoughts on when it makes sense to use embedded Linux in a project, and when it might not. Murphy comments that it probably isn't worth the effort to port Linux to custom embedded systems that don't require networking and storage, but that for many projects, especially those based on off-the-shelf single-board computers, embedded Linux is a good match. Story
Global project aims to reinvent Internet applications and services -- Intel announced that Intel, HP, the Univ. of Calif. (Berkeley campus), Princeton, the Univ. of Wash., and more than sixty other universities have formed a "global test bed" for inventing and testing prototype Internet applications and services. The aim of the project, called PlanetLab, is "to spark a new era of innovation by using 'overlay' networks to upgrade and expand the Internet's features and capabilities," Intel said. Linux appears to be the PlanetLab platform of choice. Story
Study sees Symbian, Smartphone, Linux in mobile handset future -- According to a mobile handset market forecast just published by the Probe Group, the mobile handset embedded operating system market will be led by Symbian, followed by Microsoft. Probe's research projects Symbian and Microsoft to lead all other OS vendors with 5% and 2.5% of the global market, respectively, by 2007. Additionally, Linux "could be positioned for a surge in Asian markets, particularly China," the report said. Story
Other noteworthy news items and announcements from the past week . . .
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