Microcontrollers (MCUs) are small programmable computers providing memory and interfaces for peripheral devices. They are employed as embedded systems amongst others in telecommunication equipment, consumer and household electronics as well as in control and monitoring systems.

At the end of the 1990’s several developers begin to implement the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) on 8-bit microcontrollers. TCP/IP controls the Internet data exchange between computers in local networks as well as online. The aim is to make low priced, energy efficient small systems network compatible.

At this time, Dave Hudson, a software developer from Great Britain is working on “Liquorice,” an open source operating system with TCP/IP Stack, optimized for 8-bit microcontrollers. At the same time Harald Kipp, the developer and owner of egnite GmbH starts devising the appropriate hardware for this; an AVR microcontroller board adapted from the Atmega 103 and the Ethernet controller RTL8019AS. He calls this hardware “Ethernut,” a play on words, which encompasses both the Ethernet capability as well as the minimal size of the board.

As Dave Hudson ceases working on Liquorice, Harald Kipp continues, with a project he calls “Nut/OS” that further develops software according to his objectives. In 2001 he registers Ethernut and Nut/OS with SourceForge as a combined open source hardware and software project.

Shortly after this there are numerous enquiries for Ethernut boards and a small batch goes into production. At first universities, research institutes and those with an interest in microcontroller boards are the main purchasers, but with time commercial interest grows. The first large contract that egnite obtains is for 50 boards that comes from a Japanese building automation company.

That microcontroller board from the year 2001 is still being produced in updated form and enjoys high demand.

Today the development of hardware and software entails plenty of creativity as well as yearlong development. New high-capacity versions as well as MP3 applications have supervened or are in development.. The number of those getting involved in projects concerned with Ethernut and Nut/OS, increases with every year.

The active international community has a decisive role to play in this development, working together with us on ever more superior solutions, realizing desired functions as well as supporting the open source project in other ways.

We wish you a very warm welcome.