[HH] Rascal single board computer

[Tom Metro]

I didn't know we had a single board computer aimed at hobbyists being
developed locally. In this article/video the developer, Brandon
Stafford, is being interviewed at Artisan's Asylum.

The interesting twist on this one is that it uses an ARM core
(AT91SAM9G20), and runs Linux, but has Arduino shield compatible
connectors, so you can use Arduino peripherals. The other innovation it
offers is that you can program it (in Python) by interacting with a
web-based code editor running on the device. See http://rascalmicro.com/
for details.

Both hardware and software are licensed under Creative Commons and other
open source licenses.

That aside, at $180 (hoped to be $100 - $150 in volume) it generally
doesn't beat other ARM options, unless you happen to need 2 USB jacks or
some other specific hardware bit it happens to have. If he does manage
to get the price down to $100 or less, it'll be a good option for some
projects.

Too late to get Brandon for next week's BLU meeting? (The boards
themselves are currently on backorder.)


Rascal Micro hands-on (video)
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/13/rascal-micro-hands-on-video/

  Not far from the bustling labs of Northeastern University is the even
  more bustling hacker space known as Artisan's Asylum.

Ummm...they're no where near each other. I think the NU mention was only
to plug other Engadget articles talking about hardware hacking projects
happening there. (When did NU get into this stuff? Sadly, not much of
what the linked articles cover was happening there when I attended.)


  ...the Rascal Micro. This tiny board is home to an ARM-based SOC and
  has its hungry, open-sourced eyes on competitors like Arduino and
  Beagle. Brandon Stafford, the creator, boiled down its primary selling
  points to this: "it's maybe 25 times faster, has 1,000 times more
  storage." Where as the Arduino excels at making things blink, move or
  Tweet, the Rascal Micro has enough power to function as a full-fledged
  web server.

  The original version of the board sold for about $180, but Stafford
  has managed to get the price down and future shipments should settle
  in between $100 and $150.
  [...]
  What makes the Rascal special is its integrated Linux kernel ROM,
  microSD slot, Ethernet port and duo of USB jacks. ...there's a pile of
  female headers on the board, that are capable of accepting any Arduino
  shield.

  Stafford himself has used his creation to power his home sprinkler
  system and even had a simple, but impressive, demo waiting for us when
  we swung by his booth.

Booth? They never mention what show this was. Are they referring to an
AA rental space?


Also written up here:
http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/ARM-board-for-Arduino-shields-1618480.html

 -Tom