Implementing FreeRTOS with RISC-V on SparkFun RED-V
Let's explore a Real-Time Operating System for RISC-V.
This week we’re showcasing the SparkFun RED-V RedBoard! It’s a low-cost, Arduino-compatible development board featuring the Freedom E310 SoC, which implements the RISC-V ISA (Instruction Set Architecture).
RED-V and FreeRTOS!
The RISC-V ISA completely changes the computing business model. Instead of traditionally having to buy a specific vendor’s ISA (which is locked under licenses, royalties and NDAs), the RISC-V architecture allows users to extend the core to fit their specific needs. No need to wait for a vendor to mitigate security flaws or for you to get support - you can customize, mitigate, and scale the core exactly how you want to.
We explore how to utilize this open source hardware with open source software - specifically with the resources and documentation from FreeRTOS, a Real-Time Operating System that provides kernels and libraries specifically ported for MCUs like the RED-V board. Hopefully, this opens your eyes to dozens of new possibilities that can be accomplished with this kind of open source hardware!
The RED-V RedBoard comes in the familiar Arduino Uno R3 form factor, while the RED-V Thing Plus comes in a Feather foot print. In addition to their SiFive Freedom E310 cores, each includes 32 MB of QSPI flash, an NXP K22 ARM Cortex-M4 for USB connectivity and operating as a JTAG interface, and Qwiic connectors to make I2C easy. The modern USB-C connectors make it easy to program and, for more advanced users who prefer to use the power and speed of professional tools, we've also exposed the JTAG connectors. Additionally, each board comes programmed with a simple bootloader, making the RED-V the best way to start prototyping and developing your RISC‑V applications.
