ArmadilloLabs

As I said on my very first entry I developed for PIC Microcontrollers, I wrote C code (mostly for CCS and C18 compilers) and I had a slight experience with FreeRTOS. This development way was awesome, communities sharing codes, schematics, examples and projects that you were able to integrate for your needs.

Projects like Arduino have really changed the world, they made easy to develop and to integrate microcontrollers in your projects. Technology at the hand of artists, developers, hobbyists and companies! People with technical skills and what it is more important, without it! Hundred thousands source code lines for whatever development you can think about. Thousands schematics released for and by the community to any Shield you can need... But although Arduino is huge and unstoppable communities are evolving...

Today is easier than ever before to develop for ARM, to integrate your own Linux distribution, to have all the power that communities can offer to you and applied it to develop as you always did with Microcontrollers but under the whole Linux universe.

There are many, many actors that made this possible, but because we are talking about Development Platforms I will credit the one I think was the first one to make this possible, Raspberry Pi. A whole and usable computer as low as 35USD!! It is not the only one, probably it is not the best one but it was disruptive... developers, artists, hobbyists and for sure companies are migrating to this kind of development boards and systems. Are powerful, cheap and they are growing fast. So fast that every one of us has one of them on our pocket. Google with Android made it possible and now they are preparing the next big jump with Project ARA, Modular Open Source Hardware and Software mobile phones! Is not that really awesome? You will be able to design, develop and build not just your custom mobile but your own module too, and even to sell it just like an app!! And what about Wearable Technology with some great projects like Google Glass or Moto360? We should not forget Internet of Things, all your stuff connected, reacting to your needs, making your life easier. And which kind of controller have them inside? Yes, your are right, an ARM System On Chip with a Linux Kernel!

So come on, let´s choose the proper Development Platform. There are many of them out there, check here. FoxG20, Cubieboard3, OlinuxinoA13, Pandaboard, MarsboardA10, OdroidU3, and a long etc. But I think one of them shine over the rest... it has a Great Community, it is compatible with diverse Linux distros, it is Very Configurable, has a lot of IO to build your own 'capes' and it is Cheap (45USD)! My preferred Development Platform for ARM/Linux is the BeagleBone Black (BBB). Take a look at it and begin to feel what can you do with it! On my next entry we will connect our BBB for the first time and we will update his Linux distro! Thanks for reading! :)

Me, a computer, a blank page and all of it under a self invented cool name!! Welcome to ArmadilloLabs!! 

This Blog has born to share my recently acquired knowledge about ARM Architecture coexisting with Linux. Has born to allow me remember what I did, which commands I used, where I searched at and overall to share that stuff with you, my upcoming visitor, reader o why not, my follower.

I´m saying I´m here again because has been a long and great road until now, until today. Lots of projects shared, a lot of source code written, lots of schematics and PCBs designed...

My history as blogger began at the University, ten years ago (Oh my gosh!!) I created a webpage called HobbyPIC.com, I used to share my projects with PIC Microcontrollers, some of them comes to my mind (GTP USB Lite (a simplified PIC programmer), PicUSB (A basic example to use PIC18F2550), TerraPIC (Self-controlled Terrarium, was my graduation project!), InvernaPIC (Self-controlled Greenhouse), a much more!! I collaborated and met great people all over the world, I remember specially all my time on TodoPIC Fourms and even wrote Source Code for an Electronics Thai Magazine.

A great opportunity presented in front of me when I was finishing my Master Engineering studies. A teacher offered me a profitable project for modifying and upgrading some scale models to teaching motor controlling, PID algorithms, fuzzy logic and... wait, wait, what did you said? Making money designing electronics? Making money doing what I always loved and shared freely? How can that be possible? How can I do it? How...? So I took the project and I started to answer my own questions on every single step!!

I founded my own engineering company (seven years ago!), I called it Microingenia Electronics, Ltd. so that is how I became an entrepreneur!! Projects were arriving, some business partners joined to the team. We developed some interesting stuff for our clients on different areas (domotics, industrial, renewable energy, etc). But we wanted more! We created our own products and opened an eCommerce for selling them, our area: Open Source Hardware and Software Modular Electronics. PIC Microchip as base, Arduino style, SparkFun modus operandi. We developed over 40 different modules and development boards. BEEPIC, MiE32U were our rockets training boards and Bluetooth and Ethernet our best selling modules! Unfortunately or not... business was not as profitable as needed so we decided to close it three years ago. Training boards, modules, firmware and software can be found yet in here: Microingenia OSHW.

So... here I am, happily living on Tarragona, a nice small city on East Coast of Catalonia, Spain. Working as salaried Hardware Engineer on a Multinational Company called Lear Corporation, developing awesome projects for Automotive clients like BMW & Daimler and with some free time between family, friends and hobbies to keep my mind blowing about what can I do to change a little bit this world for good...

Let´s start with the Advanced RISC Machine world. Thanks for reading me and welcome! =)