AdaCore launches GNAT-on-MINDSTORMS for academic community

Summary:
Free Software solution for LEGO MINDSTORMS added to GNAT Academic Program

Full Text:
SAN JOSE, Calif. and PARIS, March 31, 2009 - Embedded Systems Conference - AdaCore, provider of the highest quality Ada tools and support, today announced that GNAT-on-MINDSTORMS is now available to members of the GNAT Academic Program (GAP). This product is a full GNAT (GPL Edition) Ada development environment for the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robotic building system and serves as a tool for learning how to engineer real-time embedded systems.

The GNAT Academic Program, initiated in 2004 by AdaCore, provides a collaborative platform where educational materials and resources can be developed and shared. Any accredited institution that uses the Ada programming language for teaching or research can sign up at no expense or obligation, and will then have access to an integrated binary distribution of the GNAT Ada development environment (GPL Edition), as well as support. There are currently more than 150 members of GAP worldwide.

LEGO MINDSTORMS is used for designing and building real robots. Through the software included in the set, robots can be programmed to perform actions, such as reacting to light, sound, touch and ultrasonic stimuli, as well as activating motors or responding to wireless communication via the BlueTooth protocol. GNAT-on-MINDSTORMS users with MINDSTORMS sets can use the GNAT software to create entire embedded systems, including software, hardware, sensors and wireless communications at a simple level. This introduces the concepts found in real high-integrity embedded systems and the benefits of the Ada language.

“The release of GNAT-on-MINDSTORMS continues our commitment to education in the field of software and system engineering,” said Matteo Bordin, AdaCore´s lead engineer on the project. “We chose LEGO MINDSTORMS because it provides the perfect teaching vehicle. It contains all the components typical of an embedded system, coupled with the ability to really stretch the imagination via a fun, easy to use platform.”

“We see many interesting new uses of Ada in the academic community, particularly in the area of safe and secure embedded systems, which are getting increased attention,” said Robert Dewar, AdaCore President and CEO. “GNAT-on-MINDSTORMS provides another important component in our academic offering and will allow universities to experiment with the use of Ada in robotic control using inexpensive devices.”

Ada is designed specifically for creating large, long-lived applications where reliability, efficiency and safety are vital. Major projects in areas such as avionics, space, transport, air traffic control and military systems are built on Ada´s strengths. AdaCore has been closely involved with the Ada language since its inception, and the various editions of the company´s GNAT development environment combine industry-leading technology with expert on-line support to provide a natural solution where efficient and reliable code is critical.

About AdaCore
Founded in 1994, AdaCore is the leading provider of software solutions for Ada, a state-of-the-art programming language designed for large, long-lived applications where safety, security, and reliability are critical. AdaCore's flagship commercial product is the GNAT Pro development environment, which comes with expert on-line support and is available on more platforms than any other Ada technology. AdaCore has an extensive world-wide customer base; see http://www.adacore.com/home/company/customers/ for further information.

Ada and AdaCore´s commercial GNAT Pro product see a growing usage in high-integrity and safety-certified applications, including commercial aircraft avionics, military systems, air traffic management/control, railroad systems and medical devices, and in security-sensitive domains such as financial services.

AdaCore has North American headquarters in New York and European headquarters in Paris. www.adacore.com

LEGO and MINDSTORMS are trademarks of the LEGO Group. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Contact:
Jamie Ayre
AdaCore
press@adacore.com

Jessie Glockner
Rainier Communications (for AdaCore)
Tel: +1 508-475-0025 x140
adacore@rainierco.com