Linux and ARM7

Embedded in a patient?

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Op Wed, 22 Feb 2006 02:20:45 +0100 schreef snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com :

It depends. If the device can hurt, mistreat or kill the patient, then no. If you want an RTOS, then no. Otherwise, it basically depends on requirements of graphics, I/O, response time and memory.

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nothing such non-predictable should be used in medical devices. but since I know that some companies use ARM7 with RT linux in critical areas, it should work if errors cant harm anybody.

Linux is not realtime and thus it's timing behavior is not 100 % predictable. Moreover Linux is huge and thus there might be weakly tested spots. So critical stuff might better be done in another environment (Not Windows, of course, as this is even less predictable.)

You might want to take a look at stuff like "PIKE OS" (e.g.

This is a small real time OS that is commercially supported and certified and works together with Linux. So you can do the non-critical stuff (GUI, Network etc) in Linux. (I never used it so don't ask...)

-Michael