Amino

XCore Project reviews, ideas, videos and proposals.
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Folknology
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Amino

Post by Folknology »

Version: 0.2
Status: Under development
License: BSD
Download: http://github.com/folknology/Amino

Amino is a project involving both software and hardware to build an OpenSource interfacing standard that allows modular components to be connected together and reused.
Some basic guiding principles for the project are:
Modularisation - A modular topology enables common components to be snapped together using composition, allowing focus on just the custom features of a given project or task, it also reduces complexity and leads to faster project turnaround.
Standardisation - In order to have modularisation and composition as well as reuse, standardisation is required via opensource implementations made available for testing, production, modification and experimentation.
Digitisation - Opensource software is perfectly digital it's reproduction is as simply as copying bits, hardware isn't so simple, but the more of it that can be digitally expressed and rendered the easier its reproduction and the more accessible it becomes to a larger audience.
Reuse - Being able to reuse as much hardware and software as possible reduces consumption and is more environmentally friendly. Common modules or components can be assembled at reduced cost minimising overlap, they can be reused time and time again for experimentation and prototyping. Hacking culture often seeks to reuse, mashup and redefine items for use elsewhere, design should embrace this modern form of cultural reuse.
More background information can be found at Folknology Labs as well as links to historical discussions that brought about Amino & XCore fusion.
Inspiration includes OpenSource hardware like Arduino and its ecosystem.
The project is made up of software and hardware, this project page is concerned with the software and hardware interfacing:
Interested in contributing? Why not join the Amino Community
I am currently finalising the hardware reference design platform for Amino, and with it the basic specifications.

I will add links to the hardware reference in due course.
By the way the current download points to a very old version of the docs, please do not use these as they are very out of date, we will add new versions shortly.
Images:


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Andy
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Post by Andy »

Sounds very interesting - what sort of applications have you in mind?
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Folknology
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Post by Folknology »

Well the Amino project was initially aimed at DSP applications like audio,voice,video and robotics and relatively high bandwidth projects (compared with traditional MCU targets). The original idea was to use an MCU + FPGA to provide the bandwidth, but XCore proved a better candidate from and OpenSource perspective, see my post about it ( http://folknologylabs.wordpress.com/201 ... no-fusion/ ).

Initially it is a software project targeting boards as mentioned above (and maybe Sparkfun's), later I will be designing one or more boards optimised for the project, with flexible Module expansion. The software itself is aimed at simplifying development of both the Apps and their modules, perhaps having driver like modules that can be dynamically loaded.

Is this of interest for your project or just general?

regards
Al
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errordeveloper
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Post by errordeveloper »

sounds very good.

could be good to have something which could interpete some input format ..

hm, the best would be to have something PureData (PD) compatible ..or may be we could implement SupperCollider (SC) emulation ?

the only thing is really about porting from PC based system to a chip ..

hm, btw i found some reference to CSound project from back in a day,
the person was writing about running csound on motorolla chips ..
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Folknology
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Post by Folknology »

Porting would be difficult to Amino, most of the familiar OS parts just wouldn't be in place to make the port possible. Memory would also be very limited and likely to make porting impossible.

Rather I think the modules have to be built from scratch and loaded dynamically as required using PiXC would be nice.

There could however be a tool that runs on the PC that could help in patching and assembling the applications in a modular fashion, similar to the concepts you point to.

These tools would then effectively orchestrate Amino.
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russf
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Post by russf »

As you know, I'm interested in how we build software components and compose them quickly into solutions. I hope to be able to contribute to and benefit from what you are doing.

Best,
--r.
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Folknology
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Post by Folknology »

I like the idea of being able to layer something Like Max/MSP on top but haven't quite figured the user interface. Obviously this could be done remotely via a PC/Mac, on the other hand maybe it could be controlled by more physical/virtual combinations. I'm open to both approaches and am looking for folks with more audio/music coding experience to step up and perhaps get involved.

Please let me know if your interested
regards
Al
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Folknology
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Post by Folknology »

I have created the Amino Github repository for all information and files for this project.

http://github.com/folknology/Amino

At the moment some basic documentation has been added

more to come soon

regards
AL
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lilltroll
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Post by lilltroll »

Have you published more info about the Hardware?
It looks like: A stereo Audio CODEC, Eternet, USB, flash, card-reader?, Conection for stand alone power supply.
How does the programmer works?
Probably not the most confused programmer anymore on the XCORE forum.
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Folknology
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Post by Folknology »

I am currently working on two designs that share common daughter boards. here is the hardware feature list, much as you guessed lilltroll :-)


USB CS4270 SMCS USB3318 ULPI PHY
Ethernet via SMCS LAN8710 100BaseT
Flash Card (mini)
Stereo Audio CODEC (2*3.5" jacks)
Shieldlet expansion (see docs)


For the codec I am considering Cirrus Logic CS4270 unless there is a better suggestion, pricing is important.

Of course some of this could change as working the BOMs and assembly costs at the moment working towards some pricing targets.

Programming through Xide but would like to extend that to other tools if the right people step up and help - Matlab, Max/MSP anything that helps really, maybe even Processing etc...

regards
Al
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