.NET Micro Framework

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Lua error in Module:Infobox at line 199: malformed pattern (missing ']'). The .NET Micro Framework (NETMF) is an open-source .NET platform for resource-constrained devices with at least 256 KB of flash and 64 KB of RAM. It includes a small version of the .NET CLR and supports development in C#, Visual Basic .NET, and debugging (in an emulator or on hardware) using Microsoft Visual Studio. NETMF features a subset of the .NET base class libraries (about 70 classes with about 420 methods), an implementation of Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), a GUI framework loosely based on Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), and a Web Services stack based on SOAP and WSDL. NETMF also features additional libraries specific to embedded applications.

The .NET Micro Framework aims to make embedded development easier, faster, and less expensive by giving embedded developers access to the modern technologies and tools used by desktop application developers. Additionally, it allows desktop .NET developers to use their skills in the embedded world, enlarging the pool of qualified embedded developers.

The .NET Micro Framework is part of the .NET Foundation. Announced at the Build 2014 conference, the .NET Foundation was created as an independent forum to foster open development and collaboration around the growing collection of open-source technologies for .NET.

Features

The unique features of the .NET Micro Framework (relative to other .NET platforms) are:

  • A memory footprint of about 300 KB; for comparison, the next smallest .NET implementation, the .NET Compact Framework running on Windows CE, needs about 12 MB
  • Can run directly "on the metal" without an operating system; running on an OS is also possible
  • Supports common embedded peripherals and interconnects, including flash memory, EEPROM, GPIO, I²C, SPI, Serial port, USB
  • Optimized for energy-efficiency in battery-powered devices
  • Does not require a memory management unit
  • Provides multithreading support even when running on single-threaded operating systems
  • A hardware abstraction layer allows porting to additional architectures
  • A managed device driver model allows drivers for many devices to be written in C#
  • Execution constraints to catch device lockups and crashes
  • Transparent support for storing objects in non-volatile memory

Due to the constraints under which it operates, the .NET Micro Framework does have some limitations beyond those imposed by its slimmed-down libraries. For example, the platform does not support symmetric multi-processing, multi-dimensional arrays, machine-dependent types, or unsafe instructions. The CLR is an interpreter rather than a just-in-time compiler, and uses a simpler mark-and-sweep garbage collector instead of a generational approach. Interoperation between managed and native code currently has a number of limitations. The .NET Micro Framework does not support any .NET languages other than C# and Visual Basic[3] at this time.

Support

The .NET Micro Framework is currently supported on ARM architecture processors (including ARM7, ARM9 and Cortex-M architectures) and it has been supported on Analog Devices Blackfin in the past. The Porting Kit is now available along with the source code as a free download under the Apache 2.0 license at the Microsoft Download Center.

The .NET Micro Framework has its roots in Microsoft's SPOT initiative and was used in MSN Direct products such as smart watches before being made available to third-party developers early in 2007. It is a common platform for Windows SideShow devices and has seen adoption in other markets, such as energy management, healthcare, industrial automation, and sensor networks.

Microsoft allows developers to create applications using the .NET Micro Framework without charge, and makes an SDK available for free download that can be used with all versions of Visual Studio, including the free Express editions.[4]

History

In November 2009, Microsoft released the source code of the framework to the development community under the Apache 2.0 license.[5]

In January 2010, Microsoft launched the netmf.com community development site to coordinate the ongoing development of the core implementation with the open-source community.

On 9 January 2010, GHI Electronics announced FEZ Domino, the first member of the product line called FEZ (Freakin' Easy!), a combination of open-source hardware with a proprietary closed-source version of .NET Micro Framework.[6]

On 3 August 2010, Secret Labs announced the Netduino, the first 100% open-source electronics platform using the .NET Micro Framework.[7]

In February 2011, Novell posted a preview of the Mono 2.12 C# compiler, the first open-source compiler for .NET Micro Framework.[8]

Hardware

Multiple vendors make chips, development kits and more that run .NET Micro Framework.[9]

Netduino by Secret Labs

Netduino is an open-source electronics platform using the .NET Micro Framework.[10]

GHI Electronics

GHI Electronics makes several modules that support the .NET Micro Framework:

  • EMX Module[11]
  • ChipworkX Module[12]
  • USBizi144 Chipset[13] and USBizi100, whose only difference is the lack of USB host support in the USBizi100[14]

GHI Electronics also makes the ".NET FEZ" line of very small open-source hardware boards with proprietary firmware, targeted for beginners. They are based on the USBizi chipset and all its features. The FEZ Domino board offers USB host. Even though FEZ is targeted for beginners, it's also a low-cost starting point for professionals wanting to explore NETMF (.NET Micro Framework).[15] Some of these boards are physically compatible with the Arduino.

Mountaineer boards

Mountaineer boards, part of the Mountaineer Group, make a small range of open-source open-hardware boards that make use of the .NET Micro Framework. Mountaineer have ported the .NET Micro Framework for use on the STM32 family of microcontrollers featured on their Mountaineer boards and elsewhere.[16][17][18]

STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics, creators of the STM32 family of microcontrollers, make low-cost discovery boards to showcase the controllers. STMicroelectronics provide ports of the .NET Micro Framework to run on them.[19]

Netmfdevices

Netmfdevices is an open-source electronics platform using FEZHacker and .NET Micro Framework.[20]

Micromint

The Micromint Bambino 200 is the first multi-core SBC compatible with the .NET Gadgeteer framework. The Micromint Bambino 200 is powered by an NXP LPC4330, the first dual-core ARM Cortex-M microcontroller. Its Cortex-M4 and Cortex-M0 cores are both capable of 204 MHz. With 264 KB SRAM onboard and 4 MB of flash, developers can fulfill demanding requirements in monitoring, instrumentation, data acquisition, process control and many other applications. The Bambino 200E has all the same features as the Bambino 200, but has increased flash memory to 8 MB, 10 Gadgeteer sockets, an Ethernet port, microSD socket, and other features.

.NET Gadgeteer devices

Several manufacturers make boards and modules compatible with the .NET Gadgeteer rapid-prototyping standard for the .NET Micro Framework.

See also

References

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External links

  1. ↑ SDK v4.3 (QFE2-RTM
  2. ↑ .NET Micro Framework - License
  3. ↑ .NET Micro Framework only supports C# and Visual Basic
  4. ↑ .NET Micro Framework 4.0 SDK
  5. ↑ Microsoft to Open Source the .NET Micro Framework
  6. ↑ FEZ: open-source electronics boards with many open-source component drivers using .NET MF
  7. ↑ Netduino: open-source electronics platform using .NET MF
  8. ↑ Experimental Mono support for Mac/Linux
  9. ↑ Compatible Device Matrix
  10. ↑ Netduino Homepage
  11. ↑ GHI Electronics EMX Module
  12. ↑ GHI Electronics ChipworkX Module
  13. ↑ GHI Electronics USBizi144 Chipset
  14. ↑ GHI Electronics USBizi100 Chipset
  15. ↑ GHI Electronics .NET Micro Framework FEZ (Fast and Easy)
  16. ↑ Mountaineer Boards
  17. ↑ The Mountaineer Group
  18. ↑ mountaineer.org NETMF for STM32
  19. ↑ UM1676: Getting started with .Net Micro Framework on the STM32F429 Discovery kit
  20. ↑ Netmfdevices Homepage
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