gEDA-user: FYI [Fwd: [Balloon] Balloon 4]

[Peter Clifton <pcjc2@xxxxxxxxx>]

-------- Forwarded Message --------
> From: David Bisset <david_bisset@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Reply-to: david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: balloon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Balloon] Balloon 4
> Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:30:41 -0000
> 
> There has been a flurry of activity over the last few months trying to
> see what sort of design might constitute Balloon 4.
> 
>  
> 
> There is now an agreement with Toby Churchill Ltd that will fund the
> development of an Open Hardware board based around their requirements
> for an embedded processor to replace Balloon 3.
> 
>  
> 
> We are still trying to decide on a processor but current thinking is
> that it should be based on OMAP 3.
> 
> This will allow us to tap into a vast amount of open source hardware
> and software expertise.
> 
>  
> 
> The emphasis will remain on designing an embeddable processor board
> with good accessible IO and onboard programmable logic.
> 
>  
> 
> Because the design intent is that the board will be embedded into
> products it is important that any IO can be broken out to standard
> connectors off board.
> 
>  
> 
> The design team would welcome suggestions of what to include, and what
> not to include, given that we wish to differentiate from other boards
> in the market, and that the board will be used in products that will
> have to gain CE mark approvals.
> 
> *It is not our intent to design yet another netbook.*
> 
>  
> 
> One major change from the way that the Balloon 3 project worked has
> also been agreed.
> 
>  
> 
> For Balloon 4 we will open the design at the schematic level,
> publishing the schematic designs and full PCB design files.
> 
> It is intended that these will be published in Altium format as that
> is the CAD package of choice for the design process.
> 
> However we will also explore the possibility of publishing the files
> for one of the Open ECAD packages such as gEDA.
> 
> This will allow third parties to develop their own instantiations of
> the Balloon 4 design.
> 
>  
> 
> This move recognises the fact that the barrier to production is the
> finance required to get a PCB like this into production and the
> expertise needed to design and debug it, rather than the IP in the
> design.
> 
>  
> 
> It is intended that the schematic design will be created as modular
> blocks and that these will be published individually.
> 
> Each block will then be tagged with a confidence level indicating the
> level of prototyping, manufacturing and testing that has been applied
> to it. In this way others can contribute modules at a schematic level
> without breaking the core design.
> 
>  
> 
> For this reason the term âBalloon 4â will now refer to the collection
> of schematic design modules rather than a specific PCB instantiation.
> 
> The BOHL will be modified to encompass this change and the onus will
> be on organisations that decide to use the Balloon 4 design to make
> the instantiations they create Open and available for purchase.
> 
>  
> 
> Any comments and thoughts are welcome, both on the design and the more
> open design approach.
> 
>  
> 
> David Bisset
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
Peter Clifton

Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA

Tel: +44 (0)7729 980173 - (No signal in the lab!)
Tel: +44 (0)1223 748328 - (Shared lab phone, ask for me)



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