The Embedded Systems conference (photos)

Here’s a special report from Kevin @ the Embedded Systems conference!

Here’s my take on the show.

Although the show wasn’t as busy as I remember it in the past, I thought that the quality of the displays were very good. It took me 5 hours to do half the show floor. Pretty good for a relatively small show.

Present were the big names in the embedded space – OS Vendors such as Microsoft, Wind River, QNX and a variety of Linux vendors. For semiconductors there was NXP, Renesas, TI, Intel etc. A big surprise was the Make booth promoting the Maker Faire.

Although the target audience isn’t the casual maker, there were a couple of companies who specialize in low volume products that makers may find useful.

Kent Displays – makers of Bi-Stable display technology. These displays can be driven with an SPI interface and do not need refresh. They are great for applications that do not want to consume a ton of power since they only use power to switch the polarity of the display element. A good example of use is the ebooks that are now available.

Parallax – as you can see from the picture the parallax parts can be used for a variety of purposes including robotic applications.

EarthLCD – makers of the EZLCD and a supplier of surplus LCD and other display panels. If you’re doing a low volume and aren’t able to buy displays from standard sources, EarthLCD may have surplus panels that would suit your purposes. In addition if you want an LCD panel with a USB, SPI or serial interface, the EZLCD products are a good solution.

Of course not everything is all work and no play. I took some time out for a serious speed challenge as you can see in the additional picture.

The Embedded Systems Conference Home Page – Link.