Embedded dev contest focuses on Windows Embedded Standard 7

The new embeddedSPARK 2010 Summer Challenge is conceptually similar to Microsoft's embeddedSPARK 2010, which reached its conclusion at last month's ESC (Embedded Systems Conference) Silicon Valley. (For complete information and details of the winning projects, see our coverage, here.) However, the previous event -- which will return next year -- focused on the Windows CE-based Windows Embedded Compact, whereas the summer version is built around the Windows 7-based Windows Embedded 7.

Open to any "Internet technology enthusiasts" who are at least 18 years old and not Microsoft employees, the content challenges entrants to create an embedded project that is related to the theme "Media Explosion." Contestants are being asked to come up with projects that "approach media in a new and innovative way."

Officially opened on Apr. 27, the day the embeddedSPARK 2010 contest concluded, the contest ends at 5:00 pm PST (GMT -8) on Aug. 31, Microsoft says. The company explains the three rounds in the competition as follows:

The website www.embeddedspark.com is now live for accepting submissions. Contestants will have until 5:00 pm PST on June 8 to submit a paper outlining their projects.
On June 15, Microsoft will announce 75 contestants chosen to participate in round two. In order to build their devices, each contestant will receive the hardware described later in this story and Windows Embedded Standard 7, and must build OS images using the IBW (Image Builder Wizard) and Image Configuration Editor (ICW) tools. After building a working prototype of their device, they'll need to submit a four- to eight-page paper describing it, along with a three-minute video, by Aug. 31 at 5:00 pm PST.
On Sept. 7, three finalists will be announced. Each will receive a flight to ESC Boston, where they'll present their devices on stage during a Microsoft industry address on Sept. 21. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to vote for first, second, and third-prize winners and award the finalists $15,000, $5,000 and $1,000 in prize money, respectively.

Hardware

Contestants for the Windows CE-based embeddedSPARK 2010 event built their devices around a kit based on a 3.5-inch SBC (single board computer) with a 800MHz Vortex 86SX processor. Appropriately, those in the Windows 7-based summer event will be stepping up to more powerful hardware, employing a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N450.

According to Microsoft, the platform will be Advantech's AIMB-212 (below), a 6.7 x 6.7-inch Mini-ITX board. A single 200-pin DIMM slot accepts up to 2GB of memory, and the board offers 32-bit PCI, Mini PCI Express, and CompactFlash expansion slots, Advantech says.

Advantech's AIMB-212

As pictured above, the AIMB-212's "coastline" includes a VGA port, two Ethernet ports, four USB 2.0 ports, three serial ports (2 RS232, 1 RS232/422/485), and audio I/O (mic in, line out, and line in). Meanwhile, internal connectors add LVDS video, four additional USB 2.0 ports, three more serial ports (RS232), and two SATA ports, according to Advantech.

According to Microsoft, the AIMB-212 will be dressed up with memory, a hard disk drive, a case, and a power supply, in order to provide contestants with a "ready to rock" device.

Further information

The rules for Microsoft's embeddedSPARK 2010 Summer Challenge may be found on the company's website, here.

More information on Avantech's AIMB-212, including a data sheet and a block diagram, may be found on the company's website, here.

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Jonathan Angel | Date: May 7, 2010 | Comments: 1

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