In embedded Linux systems, most often we come across serial communication protocols which have to respect tight response times.

Given these requirements, Engineers willing to use Embedded Linux on their product are faced with the choice of using the standard TTY Linux layer to manage serial communication. However, the TTY layer introduces unpredictable delays which leads to longer response time (computed as the time which passes between the reception of the character on the microcontroller and the processing of the same character in the user space application).

For this reason, Evidence proposes a modification to the standard TTY layer that is able to reduce the delay experienced on the serial communication.

This application note describes in detail the changes that can be done to the standard Linux Kernel to obtain a better serial line response time.

This demo shows the implementation of a simple application for setting up a Hv7131GP to capture images. This setup consists of FLEX boards with a HV7131GP camera + breakout board and a serial to TTL converter.

At the Retis laboratory of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, a steel ball was maintained at the centre of a metallic plate using FLEX board.

Latest update:

 An article (in Italian) titled "Equilibrio (quasi) perpetuo" features on the Italian Focus monthly magazine.  Check the download section below.

A demo showing a simple point to point wireless communication between two nodes, composed of a FLEX Board with a CC2420/EasyBee transceiver board, implemented using Erika Enterprise Basic.

Latest update:

A poster was presented at PERICOM 2009 conference. Check the download section below.