Embedded Ethernet solutions with Ethernut and Nut/OS

Firmware and system development

The platform

The Ethernut project is an OpenSource project. Hardware and software are under a kind of BSD open source licence, and can be applied without restriction or fees.

Today, the Ethernut family comprises a wide range of different embedded microcontroller boards, which offer an extensive range of functionality and performance. The uniting feature, however, is their uniform form factor and great variety of interfaces. This ranges from the obligatory Ethernet interface to different I/O and analogue ports as well as modern BUS interfaces. Depending on performance categories, modern AVR or ARM processors are used.

Recently, the Elektor Internet Radio has joined the Ethernut Board family. It is a powerful embedded multi-media system for MP3 / OGG Vorbis streaming applications and on board encoding option, based on ARM, and easily upgradeable.

Software under Nut/OS

It is the Nut/OS operating system, however, which makes the hardware platform so interesting. Nut/OS is a powerful embedded real-time multi-tasking operating system with an API similar to Posix. TCP/IP Stack Nut/Net effectively supplements Nut/OS. The possibility of porting the system was a priority during development, and it is therefore easy to port it onto new hardware platforms. Today, a variety of hardware platforms apart from Ethernut Boards are supported.

The system is easily scaleable. In general, Nut/OS applications can run on all Ethernut platforms almost without need for porting. Applications operating on other systems can easily be ported to the Nut/OS system.

Development service

Often, applying OpenSource software proves to be difficult in the industrial environment. There is a lack of commercial support and a direct point of contact.

Embedded IT bridges this gap and offers embedded soft- and hardware development for industrial purposes. We support you from your first designs to the finished product and develop according to your requirements from driver solutions to complex applications. Moreover, you can benefit from our long-standing experience with Ethernut /Nut/OS system soft- and hardware.

Our know-how

Embedded IT is well versed when it comes to developing embedded systems. Just to name a few application options:

• Nut/OS and Nut/Net development (kernel, driver, network protocols, applications)
• BT/Nut development (bluetooth stack for Nut/OS based systems)
• Embedded web services / web applications
• Regulation and control tasks
• Protocol conversion (e.g. for camera systems)
• Industrial automation and control-unit concepts
• Control of brushless DC motors
• Stepping motor controls
• Intelligent watchdog electronics