LART -- an open license StrongARM based tiny SBC

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(Last updated: Jan. 16, 2001)

Do you want free design files for a small yet powerful StrongARM-based embedded computer capable of running Linux? Try LART!

What is LART?

The LART is a small yet powerful embedded computer capable of running Linux. Its performance is around 250 MIPS while consuming less than 1 Watt of power. In a standard configuration it holds 32MB DRAM and 4MB Flash ROM, which is sufficient for a Linux kernel and a sizeable ramdisk image.

All CAD files required for building LART are available under the closest we could get to an Open/Free Hardware License. All software and kernel patches are released under the GNU GPL.

LART's features

Here are the LART mainboard specs in short:

220 MHz Intel SA-1100 StrongARM CPU
32 Mbyte EDO RAM
4 MB Intel Fast boot block Flash memory
Power usage < 1 W
Performance > 200 MIPS
Board dimensions: 10 x 7 cm (4 x 3 in.)

LART front
In the above photo of the front side of the board, you can see: SA-1100 StrongARM CPU, 4MB flash, memory, 16MB main memory, high-speed connector, JTAG connector, RS232 connector, and power supply.

LART rear
In the above photo of the rear side of LART, you can see: another 16MB of memory, lots of decoupling capacitors, and the low-speed interface connectors.

The board can run standalone, booting an OS from Flash. The 4 MB Flash is sufficient for a bootloader, a compressed kernel, and a compressed ramdisk. The LART accepts an input voltage between 3.5 and 16 V; the on-board DC-DC converters have an efficiency between 90 and 95%.

LART's expansion and support

No computer is an island. We have designed I/O boards for LART, offering audio I/O, IDE (Can you say "MP3man"?), Ethernet, PS2, IrDA, USB, video out, telco, and touchscreen interface. In particular, the "Kitchen Sink Board" (KSB) provides the LART with:

a stereo 16-bit 44k1 audio output, at line and headphone levels
a 44-pin 2mm IDE/ATA interface
a connector for our single or quad Ethernet board
two PS/2 connectors (keyboard and mouse)
mono audio I/O from an UCB1200
connectors for POTS, IrDA, USB client, video and touchscreen

More boards are in various stages of development, including video in, GPS, and inertial navigation. We intend to release all these PCB designs under the same open license.

On the LART website, you can also get BLOB, our BootLoader Object; and a recipe for building a Linux kernel and a crosscompiler toolchain.

There's also a majordomo list discussing the ins and outs of SA-based embedded computing in general and LARTish stuff in specific; the address is lart@lart.tudelft.nl, see www.lart.tudelft.nl/list how to get there from here.

Note: We don't sell the stuff, we just try to give back to the community. You could see us as a fabless PCB design group ;-)

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