The
GumStix boards sell for around $100, putting them "well in the range of what a hobbyist would spend," according to Paul Yao, writing in the project's discussion forum. The initial goal of the "DrumStix Project," according to Yao, is to be able to boot "TinyKernel" and run a simple "hello world" style application.
Gumstix SBCs measure 3.15 x 0.79 x 0.25 inches (80 x 20 x 6.3mm) and are powered by Intel XScale PXA255s clocked at 200MHz or 400MHz.
The extent and future direction of the project will "depend largely on the level of interest and enthusiasm" of local group members and anyone else who joins the effort via the Internet. Already, Yao says, two group members have specific applications in mind for the GumStix SBCs. One is a bipedal robot so small that the GumStix is the only 32-bit computer that will fit. The other is an unspecified commercial project requiring automated booting, Ethernet and CompactFlash access, and GPIO control.
WE-DIG invites community participation, and has launched a discussion forum dedicated to the DrumStix project. Access it
here.
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