STMicro brings smartphone style to simple appliances

The folks at STMicroelectronics have announced the availability of innovative software and associated microcontrollers that will allow simple, low-cost, high-tech electronic equipment to become more compelling and easy to use.

STM32Java provides an efficient toolbox for creating advanced graphical user interfaces (GUI) for products such as kitchen appliances, office machines, industrial tools or medical instruments based on ST’s highly efficient STM32 microcontrollers. Allowing design techniques similar to those used in the mobile industry, it is also ideal for building small machine-to-machine (M2M) communication apps for Internet of Things (IoT) devices like remote sensors.

The STM32Java product line features a state-of-the-art fully integrated Java solution for STM32 microcontrollers. STM32Java provides an Integrated Development Environment with its Java compiler, several Java platforms optimized for STM32 microcontrollers, standard libraries and related tools, the means to connect Java and C seamlessly, functionally accurate simulators, starter-kits and predefined STM32 part numbers for device production.

A website dedicated to STMicroelectronics’ embedded Java platform, now live at www.stm32java.com, connects engineers with all the resources required for developing applications using STM32Java, including orderable software and evaluation boards, free downloads, videos, documentation and support.

ST worked with the industry-leading Java platform vendor IS2T to adapt the software for a perfect match with the STM32 microcontrollers. By making available special software royalty-paid STM32 microcontrollers (STM32J), ST also provides a simplified business model that allows customers to bring new products to market quickly and cost-effectively.


“Even very small systems with limited resources, can now have smartphone-smooth user interfaces that are clear, intuitive and attractive,” said Dominique Jugnon, Microcontroller Development Tools Manager, STMicroelectronics. “STM32Java is the first commercial-quality development platform that truly enables product developers to realize that goal.”

Following up on the STM3220G-JAVA Starter Kit introduced in May 2012, STM32Java is a complete, out-of-the-box development environment that provides customers with everything they need to build Java apps for embedded deployment, supported by royalty-paid microcontrollers.

STM32Java is priced at $2600 per seat per year.

About Java development for embedded systems
STM32Java allows embedded developers to take advantage of Java Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), which is inherently better suited to GUI development than traditional structured programming languages such as C. The object-oriented nature also simplifies support and maintenance of Java applications.

Also included in STM32Java are libraries such as a widget library and tools with capabilities like storyboarding, font designing and simulation on PC enabling developers to quickly define and optimize the GUI’s behavior. The simulation tool allows the GUI to be evaluated quickly on a PC, using the very same Java code as compiled for the target hardware.

Developing in STM32Java brings a number of additional benefits such as RAM usage optimization, and run-time exception checking, as well as design, development and debugging support that increase engineering productivity and reduce product time-to-market. Moreover, engineers can take advantage of portability of compiled Java code at the binary level, to leverage investment in software development across a wide range of projects.

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