FPGA stands for Field Programmable Gate Array. It is essentially programmable hardware. The answer to such a query is no, Android cannot be ported to an FPGA. You would basically need a 32-bit cpu core placed on the FPGA along with supporting hardware. Then port Linux onto it, then Android. Android works pretty well on ARM v5 or newer architectures as well as x86. So your best bet is to use an FPGA-cpu like the Altera ARM chip.
Eric Wong (hdmp4.com) wrote: > On Jun 26, 2:49 am, tapas kundu <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi all, >> >> We are doing our masters project at IITD, our supervisor has asked us >> to consider getting the Andoid OS working on FPGA. >> > > What exactly is that? > >> This project is very important for us as it has 18 credits out of >> total 61. So we want to be very sure that we would get this done. >> >> These are the questions we'll like to ask. >> >> Has someone already ported Android on FPGA? Is there a project people >> are working on with this as their aim? >> > > Sorry, don't know anything about that. > >> Android works on Linux with Java running on top of it. To get this to >> work we would first need Linux to work on FPGA with Graphics and also >> have Java running on top of it. How is this supposed to be done? Has >> it been done? >> > > Does your board runs linux? if yes, it is possible to port Android > over. If not, don't think about it. > Keep in mind Android's minimal requirement of ARM9 200Mhz or better. > > I would say about 90% of the work is to upgrade your board's linux > kernel to the latest one that Android uses, which is 2.6.25 for > Android 1.5. Supposedly 2.6.29 for Android 2.0 and then apply the > Android patches. Putting on the Android file system itself should not > be too difficult.... > >> If I download the Android OS and build on linux 32 bit. Will it work >> on x86 architecture (for testing purposes)? >> > > Technically, no. If it was that easy, everyone will be selling Android > laptops or netbooks more than a year ago. > Realistically, yes after putting xx man hours on it. You basically > need to do a complete port for it to work, except the emulator. > Find the Eeepc Android port. > >> On the webpagehttp://source.android.com/downloadthis line is written >> To build the Android files in a Mac OS environment, you need an Intel/ >> x86 machine. The Android build system and tools do not support the >> obsolete PowerPC architecture. >> Is the same statement valid even if build in ubuntu linux environment? >> >> How much time/effort you people think would be required? There are 2 >> people (Tapas and Ashish) doing the same project which will go on for >> about an year? >> > > Depends on your experience.....I think it will probably take both of > your entire master degree to complete the work. > >> Can we get some papers published for our work? >> > > Why don't you try to find if someone had published any work on it? > >> Thanks and Regards, >> Tapas Kundu >> Ashish Srivastava >> > > Lastly, I am not a developer but I am co-coordinating an Android > project for my company, building Android hardware, currently > completing our Android port. > If you think there is any possibilities that you can have your master > project relating to whatever we are doing, feel free to contact me to > discuss. > > Cheers > Eric > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ unsubscribe: [email protected] website: http://groups.google.com/group/android-porting -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
