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(Göttingen, 1.03.2010) together with Kappa opto-electronics GmbH, Klein Lengden, emlix has developed an embedded Linux operating system platform that can be used in diverse cameras with completely different characteristics and areas of use. As a supplier of high-quality industrial and special cameras and picture editing solutions Kappa thereby extends its portfolio in the direction of highly integrated embedded processors and a greater range of uses.  
In high-end cameras used, for example, in the automotive, machine vision, medical technology and avionics fields, a firmware solution at microcontroller level has long been standard. There was neither the necessity nor the resources for the use of an operating system.
Through the development of ever more highly integrated processors and the demand for new features, a paradigm change is currently taking place in some areas: Wherever miniaturisation and saving of resources is not the requirement with the highest priority, an Embedded Open Source operating system platform can be used.
This saves significant costs following the initial development effort, shortens the time-to-market for follow-on products, makes quality control easier, leads to flexibility and offers a hardware abstraction that results in much more independence for individual components. This is especially attractive for a supplier of special cameras, because in addition to its wide range of standard models the company develops numerous customer-specific cameras.
Kappa is currently using the Linux operating system platform in a CMOS camera with USB and SD-HC cards, which is especially successful in the target markets of automotive, machine vision and energy. This is utilized as a stand-alone camera and in mobile test and inspection systems, image data loggers, and also applications with macroscopic / endoscopic systems, or with copying stands.
service offered by emlix. According to requirements, the company can take on the version and variant management and guarantees the long-term reproducibility and maintainability of the system.

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(Göttingen, 1.03.2010) High security needs and future-orientated update concepts often make conflicting demands on system design. emlix GmbH is currently developing and realizing context-optimized complete solutions in the fields of ID Cards and measurement data transfer in the energy sector.
The requirements in both these fields are almost identical: very high sensitivity with regard to the secrecy of personal data and data security paired with future-orientated update concepts that allow non-experts to load software updates, bug fixes and security patches reliably in the field.
This especially applies to the basic software for a smart metering gateway being developed for the Stadtwerke-Allianz utilicount GmbH & Co. KG. This "intelligent“ accessory for electricity, water and gas meters, which forms an interface with both the invoicing departments of the utilities and with home automation installations, must answer data security questions in two areas. The PTB in Braunschweig certifies the correct transfer of precise measurement values, tariff information and time stamps.
These datasets must be transferred to the invoicing departments signed and safe from manipulation. BSI and the German Data Protection Act make strict rules about the handling of personal data – such as the energy use data, which is finely segmented according to time of use. These datasets must therefore be reliably encrypted and digitally signed before being transferred via open networks.
The update concept must make sure that any software elements that are loaded onto the gateway are correctly and securely implemented and activated, and that they do not compromise the data security and reliability of the unit. This process must be initiated remotely and run automatically. Problems during the updates must not lead to system failure under any circumstances. The continuous collection of data must be guaranteed.
In addition, there are other specific requirements on the basic software such as, for example, multi-customer capability, multi-utility capability and a tariff selection module. emlix has developed a complete concept for the basic software and is also responsible for the integration of so-called added-value applications on top of the basic software.
This software will, in the future, be used by various meter and gateway manufacturers and will be the platform for, among other things, diverse systems for home automation. emlix will take over the maintenance and further development of the system and will be responsible for version management. The company will also make sure that long-term maintainability and reproducibility are ensured.

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(Göttingen, 1.03.2010) On its own stand in Hall 11 (stand 11-222) as well as on the stands of four large partner companies, emlix is presenting current Board Support Packages (BSP) in their Professional Editions.  
The Professional Editions of emlix Board Support Packages (BSP) are especially optimized for industrial use in an embedded context. They are put together in a hardware-specific manner using open source components. In contrast to standard distributions, the BSPs impress with their low use of resources, small footprint and very short boot times.
In the development of professional Board Support Packages, emlix works closely with many hardware partners and distributors. The collaboration with Arrow Electronics is especially intensive. Since March 2010 the two companies have been linked by a distribution agreement. From a hardware point of view, the Arrow EPC – Embedded Platform Concept optimally meets the needs of emlix customers who want to have a variable development platform, as is offered by the emlix BSPs on the software side. On the Arrow stand (12-352) emlix is represented with a real-time BSP for the Blackfin BF527 Evaluation Board. On its own stand, emlix is presenting the Professional BSP for the Arrow LPC3250 EPC board.
In the x86 field emlix works with two hardware partners particularly intensively: Advantech (stand 12-336) is presenting the x86-based AIMB-210 board with the emlix Board Support Package. On stand 9-461 Fujitsu is displaying, among other things, two boards on the basis of the AMD chip sets M690E and SB600, both of which are equipped with the emlix Board Support Package for industrially used x86 architectures.
On the stand from Freescale Semiconductor (stand 9-335) current professional BSPs for the i.MX27 and the MPC5121e (power architecture) can be seen.
All emlix Board Support Packages are based on the emlix embedded build framework e2 factory, so that long-term reproducibility and maintainability are guaranteed. The BSPs offer the ideal basis for a quick start in one's own development projects.
Through the use of open source software, every BSP can be supplied in source code, so that there is no possibility of a vendor lock-in.

Stretch S6000 with emlix Linux Board Support Package

(Las Vegas, 2009-03-31) emlix today announced the successful completion of their port of uCLinux to the Stretch S6000 family of software configurable processors bringing the power and flexibility of this industry standard operating system to the popular IP Camera reference designs. Stretch software configurable processors feature an innovative and unique programmable fabric within the computational unit itself allowing the processor to be optimized for the particular algorithm being run. The ability to reconfigure this programmable Instruction Set Extension Fabric (ISEF) in real time ensures that the processor remains optimally configured even in real time, multi-tasking environments. The Stretch S6000 family is based on the high performance Xtensa processors originally designed by Tensilica. The S6000 is designed for high performance embedded applications. The emlix Linux port includes driver support for all the embedded peripherals as well as an adaptation of the kernel to account for the lack of a discrete memory management unit. emlix is available for product support and the design and development of enhancements and derivative products. Publishing ports and drivers through the Linux mainline kernel subjects the software to a stringent review process, thus resulting in higher quality, and of course visibility to potential customers that are interested in the respective hardware.

Press release pdf-file

Press release doc-file (2,33 MB)

(3.03.09) Just in time for the beginning of the Embedded World emlix has activated www.e2factory.org, the open source project for the community edition of e2 factory, the emlix embedded build system. The release 2.3.0 can now be downloaded for free.

e2factory was first developed for internal use and is a core tool in development of Embedded Systems. It allows composing reproducible Board Support Packages by combining software packages. During development it became obvious that e2factory would be of great use for customers' development processes. Development continued with this new focus in mind e2factory was successfully introduced to pilot customers. (download complete press release here...)

(3.03.09) Advantech, a leading IPC and service provider, and emlix announce their collaboration to port Linux to Advantech's SoC-based boards and systems. Linux is playing an increasingly vital role also in the field of industrial PCs. Especially for Advantech's low-power and low-cost solutions with systems and boards based on its SoC-Chips. (more about the BSP...)

(3.03.09) At the Embedded World in Nuremberg emlix participates not only with its own booth (11-222), but is also represented with board support packages at the stalls of Future and Spoerle. Since emlix has been cooperateing with EBV Elektronik for some years, now all big three of the distributors of embedded hardware are customers of emlix' board support team.

Professional Editions of ATMEL AT91SAM9260-EK and AT91SAM9263-EK are now available

(20.01.09) The AT91SAM9260-EK and AT91SAM9263-EK Board Support Package Professional Editions are designed to be used in development projects. With their extended feature list they form the ideal basis for a quick start to the development of your own products. Support and free updates (up to 12 month forward from release date) make it possible for Professional Edition customers to integrate new features and bug fixes easily.