Beaglebone: GPIO Programming on ARM Embedded Linux

Note: This video was made before the Linux device tree was implemented on the beaglebone (beaglebone black uses Linux 3.8.11). I have a new video coming in a few days that explains how to do the same thing on the beaglebone black using device tree overlays.

In this video I extend my series on introducing the Beaglebone and developing applications using embedded Linux to demonstrate how we can build an application that uses its GPIOs (General Purpose Input/Outputs). The example demonstrates a simple LED output circuit and a simple pushbutton input circuit that we can connect to the Beaglebone GPIOs directly. I then go through the steps on how we can configure and access these GPIOs using Sysfs in embedded linux and then demonstrate how we can write a C/C++ program that works directly with these pins. Finally I demonstrate how we can use polling to wait for a GPIO input such as a button press or key press. This application is relevant to all flavours of embedded Linux.

The code that the final application is based on is available at: https://www.ridgerun.com/developer/wi...

The source code in this video is available through githhub: git clone git://github.com/derekmolloy/beaglebone

The 4,500 page document that I mention 15 minutes in is available for download from Texas Instruments' Website. It is called "AM335x ARM(r) Cortex(TM)-A8 Microprocessors(MPUs)". The version I have is "Literature Number: SPRUH73C" from Oct'11(revised Dec'11).

If you use this video in your research, please cite:

Molloy, D. [DerekMolloyDCU]. (2012, May, 3). Beaglebone: GPIO Programming on ARM Embedded Linux [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaIpz0...

Please find more information on these videos at: http://www.derekmolloy.ie/