This is what is keeping me busy at the moment… (very, very busy!). I have presently drafted 9 of the 14 chapters. This book on the BeagleBone is due for publication in Dec. 2014. A provisional description is available at: http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-BeagleBone-Techniques-Building-Embedded/dp/1118935128/

There is a website to support this book at: www.exploringbeaglebone.com

Derek.

___

[This is a draft description, please see the website for the final description of the content in this book: www.exploringbeaglebone.com]

The BeagleBone is a small, low-cost computing platform that can be adapted for 1000s of electronic applications, such as smart buildings, robot control and environmental sensing. It uses the free Linux operating system, which allows it to do very complex tasks, such as connecting to the Internet, acting as a web server and streaming live video data. 

Available books on the topic skirt over the engineering principles, often requiring readers to have the exact same electronics hardware in order to follow their recipe. This approach often only imparts superficial knowledge as, when the design needs to be changed, the reader does not have the necessary skills. Exploring BeagleBone’s aim is that readers will be able to build systems that use any type of electronics, electronic modules or external peripherals. The book caters for beginners, providing all of the engineering skills that they need to transition to being an expert user.

The first part of the book deals with the basics of using the BeagleBone, ensuring the reader can use the platform and that they have all of the necessary electronics, Linux and programming skills in order to build basic embedded Linux applications. The second part deals with the intermediate topics of interfacing, controlling and communicating with almost any type of electronics component or module. The final part of the book looks at how the BeagleBone can be used for advanced applications including: high-speed socket communication, touch screen displays, video streaming, computer vision and real-time interfacing using the BeagleBone’s programmable real-time units.

Chapters will fully integrate the video content on the author’s YouTube channel and his web/blog site. In addition, there will be a full git repository that will structure all of the code, scripts and associated supplementary materials against the chapter structure.

Chapters include:

  • CH1 Introduction to the BeagleBone
  • CH2 The BeagleBone Software
  • CH3 Embedded Linux Primer
  • CH4 Practical Electronics Primer
  • CH5 Practical Programming Primer
  • CH6 Interfacing – Not so Basic Input/Output
  • CH7 Cross-Platform Development
  • CH8 Interfacing to BBB Buses
  • CH9 Interfacing – Applications
  • CH10 BeagleBone – IoT
  • CH11 BeagleBone with a Display
  • CH12 The Seeing and Hearing BeagleBone
  • CH13 Real-Time Interfacing – The PRU-ICSS

The ideal reader for this book would be a Maker or Engineering Student who has taken on embedded Linux out of a love of technology and a desire to acquire new knowledge.