Linux touch-panel PC targets HMI

By Eric Brown
2009-01-28

Article Rating:

/ 1

Rate This Article:

Add This Article To:

Techsol is shipping a customizable, Linux-ready touch-panel computer aimed at human machine interface (HMI) applications. The TPC-35B Medallion Touch Panel Computer is built on a Samsung s3c2410a ARM9 system-on-chip (SoC) and is equipped with a 3.5-inch QVGA touchscreen and dual Ethernet ports, says the company.

(Click for larger view of the Techsol TPC-35B)

Techsol is a British Columbia-based embedded board and development services vendor that offers extensive in-house customization features, as well as Linux development tools for its Medallion touch panels. About a year ago it shipped a somewhat similar, ZigBee-ready TPC-43 Medallion model (pictured below, right.

Techsol's earlier TPC-43
(Click for details)

Techsol is already developing versions of the TPC-35B for "customers needing a user verification terminal next to a piece of business equipment," says the company. Every Medallion touch panel is tested running its own Medallion Linux 2.6 distribution before it ships, claims Techsol, and single units are said to be available as development kits, complete with Medallion Linux 2.6, drivers, development tools, and tech support (see below for more information).

The TPC-35B is built around a single-board computer (SBC) equipped with Techsol's Medallion SA2410-650 CPU Module (available separately), which is in turn based on Samsung's venerable, ARM-920T-powered s3c2410a SoC. The SoC also offers an MMU (memory management unit) and 16KB each of instruction and data cache, says Techsol.

The TPC-35B offers a hidden memory card slot, as well as dual Ethernet ports, a USB port, and a serial port, says Techsol. The 4.6 x 3.7 x 1.3-inch panel chassis is said to offer passive cooling for fanless operation.

Specifications listed for the TPC-35B include:

Processor – Techsol Medallion SA2410-650 CPU Module with Samsung s3c2410a SoC (ARM-920T core); MMU; 16KB instruction and 16K data cache
Memory -- 64MB SDRAM
Flash -- 128MB NAND flash
Flash expansion -- SD/MMC card slot (hidden)
Display -- 3.5-inch QVGA (320x240) TFT LCD touch panel (landscape); 256,000 colors, adjustable LED backlight
Networking -- 2 x 10/100 Ethernet ports (RJ45)
USB -- 1 x full-speed, USB Host port (Type A)
Serial -- 1 x serial port
Other features -- Real-Time Clock (RTC) with battery backup; buzzer for alerts
Power -- 10-30 VDC or 7-24 VAC
Dimensions -- 4.6 x 3.7 x 1.3 inches (117.35 x 92.71 x 31.75mm)
Operating system -- Medallion Linux 2.6

The TPC-35B comes preinstalled with Medallion Linux, which includes a "proven" Linux 2.6 kernel and drivers, the company said. Embedded GUI stacks listed as either available or included are:

Linux framebuffer (FB) driver, operating in 16-bit, 65,536-color mode
Nano-X on FB, "for a simple, Windows-like API"
Qt/Embedded on FB, "for a contemporary, appealing visual design and enhanced functionality"
X11 (KDrive) on FB, for "standard Linux/Unix graphics"
FLTK on X, for a "full-featured, extensible, yet free GUI"
GTK+ on X, for "full PC compatibility"
Other "obscure" GUIs, including EZWGL, for "critical control environments where C++ is not allowed (such as food processing lines)"

Stated Brian Empey, CEO of Techsol, "This computer with dual NICs can be patched into any equipment with an Ethernet port without having to run a second Ethernet line, or install a switch, saving time and money."

Availability

Development kits based on the TPC-35B are available from stock now, says Techsol, and production volumes will ship in March. Pricing options in volume include $322 (1,000), $341 (100), and $379 (10). More information may be found here.

Related Stories:

	Discuss Linux touch-panel PC targets HMI

	Hi, I just gone through your article based on Linux touch-panel PC for HMI. I...

	>>> Post your comment now!



	>>> More News Articles >>> More By Eric Brown

Email Article To Friend ♦ Print Version Of Article ♦ PDF Version Of Article

FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.

Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.

Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.

Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.

High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.

Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.

Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.

Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.

7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.