LinkIt and Aster from MediaTek

Along with the MT7681 and MT7688 SoC for wearable and home devices, MediaTek will also be releasing “Aster” SoC and “LinkIt” development platform. LinkIt development platform will be mainly geared towards working with Aster.

LinkIt is especially designed to develop for wearable networking equipment operating systems and supporting touch GUI infrastructures. LinkIt platform will support development for Android and iOS devices.

From J.C. Hsu, General Manager of New Business Development at MediaTek:

“MediaTek is now in a unique position to assume leadership by accelerating development for wearables and IoT, thanks to our LinkIt platform,”

From MediaTek:

“The launch of LinkIt is a part of MediaTek’s wider initiative for the developer community called MediaTek Labs™ which will officially launch later this year. MediaTek Labs will stimulate and support the creation of wearable devices and IoT applications based on the LinkIt platform.”

According to MediaTek, the key features of MediaTek Aster and LinkIt:

• MediaTek Aster, the smallest SoC in a package size of 5.4×6.2mm specifically designed for wearable devices.
• LinkIt integrates the MediaTek’s Aster SoC and is a developer platform supported by reference designs that enable creation of various form factors, functionalities, and internet connected services.
• Synergies between microprocessor unit and communication modules, facilitating development and saving time in new device creation.
• Modularity in software architecture provides developers with high degree of flexibility.
• Supports over-the-air (OTA) updates for apps, algorithms and drivers which enable “push and install” software stack (named MediaTek Capsule) from phones or computers to devices built with MediaTek Aster.
• Plug-in software development kit (SDK) for Arduino and VisualStudio. Support for Eclipse is planned for Q4 this year.
• Hardware Development Kit (HDK) based on LinkIt board by third party.

The purpose of LinkIt is to provide a turnkey reference software development kit (SDK) for developers to help bring products to market as quickly as possible.

Aster SoC aka MT2502, comes in at a tiny 5.4*6.2mm, but is a full on SoC with CPU and RAM, and configurable by manufacturers to include Bluetooth, 2G and GPS modules.