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The Microsoft .NET Micro Framework
combines the reliability and efficiency of
managed code with the premier development tools
of Microsoft Visual Studio to deliver
exceptional productivity for developing embedded
applications on small devices.
The .NET Micro Framework brings a rich,
managed-code environment to smaller, less
expensive, and more resource-constrained
devices. Requiring only a few hundred kilobytes
of RAM and an inexpensive processor, the .NET
Micro Framework was built from the ground up to
let you build applications using familiar Visual
Studio development tools.
With .NET Micro Framework SDK, you can
develop your embedded solutions in C# using a
subset of the .NET libraries focused on embedded
applications. Your development environment is
Visual Studio, where you can take advantage of
its powerful editing, object browsing, project
management, and debugging capabilities. These
capabilities are available when using the .NET
Micro Framework SDK's extensible device
emulation system or on real hardware.
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The .NET Micro Framework extends Microsoft's
offerings for creating embedded systems by
providing a managed-code environment focused on
small devices. It brings a new level of
efficiency and reliability to embedded devices
that don't need the advanced capabilities of
Windows XPEmbedded or Windows CE with the .NET
Compact Framework.
Greater Productivity
The Microsoft .NET Micro Framework SDK
supports development of embedded applications in
the C# language using a subset of the .NET
libraries, and is fully integrated with the
Microsoft Visual Studio development environment.
This lets you use your experience with these
tools and technologies on embedded platforms and
take advantage of the robustness of managed
code. And you can also leverage existing
solutions where .NET is used on the client or
server.
 | Extend the reach of your C# and .NET
experience to small embedded devices with
the managed-code environment of the .NET
Micro Framework.
|
| Powerful Visual Studio-based development
and debugging environment lets you focus on
the code not the tools.
|
| Quickly develop, test, and debug code
even before actual hardware is available
using the extensible emulator. |
Support For Small Devices
The Microsoft .NET Micro Framework is
targeted toward a new generation of less
expensive, more power-efficient 32-bit
processors. Fastexecution lets the process run
at smaller duty cycles than on previous
platforms, spending more time in power-efficient
sleep modes.
| Requires only a few hundred kilobytes of
RAM, and as little as 512K of flash memory.
|
| Supports processors with or without an
MMU.
|
| Exposes power management interfaces to
managed code that enables your application
to maximize battery life. |
Robust Managed-Code Environment
An on-device implementation of a subset of
the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR) brings
the advantages of .NET development to small
devices.
| Enables writing of simpler, more
fail-safe code through built-in support for
garbage collection and exception handling.
|
| Safeguards against errant execution by
supporting only "safe" IL instructions.
|
| Allows straightforward support for new
hardware with the ability to write device
drivers in C# for hardware connected through
standard interfaces, such as SPI, I2C, GPIO,
and USART. |
Microsoft .NET Micro Framework SDK includes:
Microsoft Visual Studio Integration:
The .NET Micro Framework SDK integrates into
the Visual Studio environment, supporting C#
development with productivity-boosting features
such as on-device debugging, object browsing,
IntelliSense, and integrated build and
deployment.
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Extensible Emulator:
Extend the core emulator included in the SDK to
reflect your target hardware capabilities. Add
simulated peripheral devices, such as displays,
sensors, and servo controls. Then deploy to your
customized emulator and test your code on the
virtual hardware. Want to see the impact of a
faster clock speed or try a different I/O
configuration? Just change the parameters in the
XML-based configuration file.
Supported CPUs:
The .NET Micro Framework is supported by a
number of ARM7- and ARM9-based processors.
Minimum of 256KB RAM and 512K Flash/ROM required
for development and deployment.
To develop for Microsoft .NET Micro
Framework 2.0, you need:
| Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows
Server 2003
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| Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Standard
Edition or greater |
| |
.NET Micro Framework |
Windows CE |
Windows XPe |
|
Example Devices |
Sensor
Nodes, Aux displays, Health Monitoring,
Remote Controls, Robotics |
GPS
Handhelds, PDAs,
Automotive, Set Top Boxes |
Thin
Clients, ATMs, Kiosks |
|
Device Features |
Connected,
Small, Wearable, Graphical UI |
Connected,
Graphical UI, Server, Browser, RAS,
DirectX |
PCclass
performance,
PC networking |
|
Footprint |
250-500KB
managed code
Full featured |
300KB+
without managed code
12MB with managed code |
40MB +
Depending on features |
|
Power |
Very low
power |
Low power |
Mains
power |
|
CPU |
ARM7,
ARM9, No MMU |
X86, MIPS,
SH4, ARM,
with MMU |
X86 |
|
Real-time |
Not
Real-time |
Hard
Real-time |
Real-time
capable through 3rd party extensions |
|
Managed vs. Native Code |
Managed
via .NET Micro Framework,
native code through interop only. |
Supports
both,
managed code requires .NET Compact
Framework |
Supports
both, managed code
requires .NET Framework |
|
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