The Free and Open Source Developers’ European Meeting (FOSDEM) took place on February 3 – 4 in Brussels, drawing thousands of software developers from around the globe. This year, the Zephyr Project made a significant mark at FOSDEM, participating in various presentations and engaging with the community at large.
Feb 3, Saturday Highlights:
The Zephyr Project took center stage with a series of compelling presentations and community engagements. Daniel Baluta kicked off the day with an insightful session on the Sound Open Firmware project, underscoring its pivotal role in audio DSP firmware development. The integration of Sound Open Firmware with Zephyr RTOS was a highlight, showcasing the collaborative spirit driving innovation within the open source ecosystem.
Following this, enthusiasts and developers gathered for the Zephyr Project Hour at the café in building F. It was a delightful opportunity for attendees to mingle, share ideas, and deepen their understanding of the Zephyr platform.In 2023, participants gathered around one large table at the cafe; however, this year, the engagement expanded to cover two full tables, doubling the number of participants interested in the Zephyr ecosystem.
The day continued with thought-provoking presentations, including “Power to the People Technology for Access to Energy” by Vivien Barnier and Martin Jäger. This session underscored the transformative potential of open source technology in addressing global challenges, particularly in providing access to energy in remote and underserved communities. The Zephyr Project’s role in powering innovative solutions was highlighted, reinforcing its commitment to driving positive change through collaborative development.
Another talk, “How open source projects approach Functional Safety” by Nicole Pappler & Philipp Ahmann, offered valuable insights into integrating open source solutions into safety-critical applications. By examining projects like ELISA and the Zephyr Project, the presentation demonstrated the evolution of open-source’s role in ensuring safety and reliability across diverse domains.
Mohammed Billoo’s presentation, “Zephyr and RISC-V: I Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghosts,” demonstrated the integration of Zephyr with the RISC-V architecture, showcasing new opportunities for embedded software applications.
Next was Benjamin Cabe’s talk, “From an artificial nose weekend hack to a future-proof IoT device.” He shared his journey from a weekend project to a Zephyr-powered IoT device, emphasizing the importance of open source in extending and maintaining such projects.
The day concluded with a Zephyr community dinner at an Italian restaurant, fostering a sense of community beyond the event.
Feb 4, Sunday Highlights:
On Sunday, the momentum continued with Nicole Pappler and Stanislav Pankevich’s illuminating talk on the application of the SPDX Safety Profile in the Safety Scope of the Zephyr Project. This session shed light on the challenges of maintaining safety-critical projects and showcased how SPDX relationships offer a robust framework for ensuring compliance and traceability.
Throughout the weekend, Zephyr Project members actively participated in FOSDEM, contributing to the vibrant atmosphere of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and community building. Zephyr Project maintainers further extended their reach by actively engaging with visitors at the Linux Foundation Europe stand at FOSDEM. At the stand, the maintainers shared their knowledge, discussed the latest developments in the Zephyr RTOS, and exchanged insights with stand visitors.
The Zephyr Project’s engagement at FOSDEM 2024 exemplifies the commitment to open source and the continuous development of the Zephyr RTOS.
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