Microchip launches free open source C++ Ensemble graphics toolkit

The GUI toolkit for Linux® enhances 32-bit microprocessor functions for low- and medium-resolution graphics displays

Graphical user interface (GUI) and interactive touch screen provide intuitive experience for users in applications such as robotics, machine control, medical user interfaces, automotive instrumentation, and home and building automation systems. The well-designed GUI enables users to process information faster and interact with products more effectively. Microchip Technology Inc. today announced the launch of a new GUI development kit for Linux-based 32-bit microprocessors (MPU) to help designers of industrial, medical, consumer electronics and automotive graphics displays The development cost shortens the time to market.

Microchip's new Ensemble graphics toolkit is a free and open source C++ GUI toolkit for SAMA5 based on Arm® Cortex®-A5 processor and ARM926EJ-S™ processor, including system-in-package and modular system products And SAM9 series microprocessor. The Ensemble graphics toolkit is optimized for Microchip 32-bit microprocessors running the Linux operating system. By accelerating the underlying hardware including available graphics controllers and video decoders, the new toolkit provides a high-performance user experience on mid- and low-end graphics displays up to XGA (1024 × 768 pixels) resolution.

The optimized code takes up less memory and saves bill of materials costs. Compared with other graphics solutions that rely on high-performance cores and 3D graphics acceleration, the efficient performance of the new toolkit helps developers create rich GUIs for Microchip's energy-efficient microprocessors. In addition, the Ensemble graphics toolkit and Linux can optimize cold start to achieve fast boot, and the cold start time is less than three seconds required for applications such as car dashboards.

Rod Drake, vice president of Microchip’s MPU32 business unit, said: “When other tools require higher performance, higher power consumption, and higher cost microprocessors, our new free development kit can optimize processing power and help development People provide a modern graphical user interface with an excellent user experience through solutions with lower cost, lower power consumption and longer service life, while providing a high-end appearance."

Microchip's Ensemble graphics toolkit is license-free and royalty-free, and is freely available to all GUI developers. The Ensemble graphics toolkit combines Microchip's bare metal, RTOS-centric MPLABÒ Harmony graphics development kit embedded software development framework to provide a zero-cost, royalty-free graphics user experience.

Ensemble graphics toolkit is fully integrated with Microchip's Linux4SAM, which supports Linux for a long time. In addition to supporting Microchip's microprocessor series, Linux4SAM also includes driver support for various other components, including maXTouchÒ series touch controllers, storage devices, power management and analog devices, wired and wireless network components and modules. Linux4SAM is updated regularly and supports all Microchip microprocessors throughout the product life cycle.