GPS mapping takes top award in Raisonance STM32 Primer2 design competition

PR Log (Press Release) – Sep 29, 2009 – Raisonance announced the winner of the $5,000 top prize in this second edition of the STM32 Primer Design Competition. The winning application, called OpenStreetMap4 Primer2 (OSM4 Primer2), integrates global positioning system (GPS) capability into the STM32 Primer2 - the Raisonance application development platform for STM32 microcontrollers.


OSM4 Primer2 includes the application software sources and design information for a GPS receiver add-on. The application allows the geo-localization of a Primer2 and the display of its location on maps from OpenStreetMap.org. OpenStreetMap.org provides maps that can be freely downloaded and used in GPS applications. OSM4 Primer2 includes a PC software that downloads these maps and transforms them into a format that can be stored on the Primer2 microSD card and displayed on its LCD screen. The application software on the Primer2 manages the GPS receiver and extracts the position location then displays if on the appropriate map from the microSD card.



OSM4 Primer2 won the top award, edging out 16 other finalists with applications that included games, an alcohol breathalyzer and an MP3 player. The eight prize winners in this second edition of the STM32 application design contest won prizes ranging from the $5000 cash prize to a combination development tools and cash. Total prizes valuing $10000 were awarded to the eight award winners. Complete results are posted on the dedicated STM32 Primer web site, www.stm32circle.com.



The STM32-Primer2 includes everything users need to explore and learn about STM32 features and then create and fine tune their own applications including an unlimited software development toolset (GNU C compiler, Ride7 development environment, RFlasher programming software), the CircleOS task scheduler, debugging/programming via USB, plus an add-on module with wrapping area to facilitate new hardware designs.



The STM32 Primer application design contests are organized the tool’s creator, Raisonance, and sponsored by STMicroelectronics. The contests are a catalyst aimed at inspiring engineers and hobbyists to use the remarkable STM32 ARM Cortex-M3 core-based devices, which combine the computing power of a 32-bit core with the efficiency, code size and price that allow them to rival 16-bit controllers in deeply embedded applications. The design contests are key events in the activities surrounding the dedicated STM32 website – www.stm32circle.com. At the site, registered users can download source code, documentation and hardware design information for contest applications and approximately 50 other applications. Applications help new STM32 users learn the ins and outs of developing applications from their peers. This speeds engineers initials steps and move rapidly to creating their own applications. And the strategy of competition with in a supporting community appears to be a good one, as the stm32circle approaches 10,000 registered users.