Kernel System
Design
Embedded Linux & Android Development Services
- Flexible work approach: we cover all your technical needs — from minor adjustments to full-cycle product ownership — and assemble teams with the required experts within 2-5 weeks.
- Broad technical expertise in creating pre-built and custom solutions, optimising system performance, integrating drivers, peripherals, and protocols, and enabling seamless connectivity.
- 20 years of experience in embedded Linux development and early adoption of Android, with a proven track record of commercial projects on both platforms.
Pavel Moroshek, Head of Embedded Engineering Unit at Promwad
Embedded Linux development services
Our embedded Linux development services provide customised kernel and driver design to optimise your device and system according to your specific requirements.
Linux device driver & kernel development
What we do within our Linux kernel and driver development services:
- Develop drivers for x86, ARM, RISC-V, PowerPC, SPARC, and other processor architectures.
- Build file systems from scratch and modify existing ones.
- Сonfigure task scheduling and management system.
- Build a networking stack.
- Engineer-specific codes for low-level architecture.
- Perform device tree configuration.
- Set up memory management systems.
- Develop framebuffer, V4L2, and USB interfaces.
Board support package (BSP) development
Our embedded Linux Board Support Packages (BSP) development includes:
- Creation of BSP with boot loaders (U-Boot, custom).
- Development of drivers, protocol stacks, and system interfaces.
- Power-on self-test sequence development.
- Profiling and code optimisation.
- Documentation development.
- Contribution to mainline open-source projects.
Asymmetric multiprocessor processing (AMP)
We utilise asymmetric multiprocessing, where multiple operating systems run on a multi-core chip.
One core runs Linux, managing data transfer, protocol support, and user interface access. The other core executes a real-time operating system (RTOS), handling real-time processes.
More of our services for Linux
Linux system design
What we do within embedded Linux system design services:
- Cloud integration.
- OTA updates.
- OS migration.
- IoT and embedded security implementation.
- Customisation of Linux distributions.
- GStreamer-based video and audio software solutions development.
Developing and porting middleware
We develop middleware, the linking software that connects different apps, systems and components, using technologies like XML, SOAP, web services, and service-oriented architecture.
- Streaming audio and video.
- Graphics libraries and app.
- User libraries.
- Open source software.
- Networking applications.
- Development tools.
- File system and flash utilities.
- Real-time tools.
Optimisation
During our technical audit of Linux-based client systems, our team:
- Identifies vulnerabilities and addresses them to enhance system security.
- Reduces energy consumption and system start-up time.
- Optimises processor performance for improved efficiency.
- Enhances the operation of RAM, ROM, and flash memory to improve overall system performance.
Embedded Android development services
Drivers and BSP development for Android
We provide Android BSP development (software modules or collections of modules) and driver design for different processor architectures. Our expertise lies in modifying and configuring the Android core software to ensure support for all features of a specific hardware platform.
Android kernel driver programming
We develop custom drivers for the Android kernel to simplify application integration and ensure hardware compatibility. Our services also include the following:
- Integrating peripherals and off-the-shelf components.
- Engineering and integrating hardware.
- Designing user drivers and loaders.
- Conducting testing and validation.
- Implementing Android OS versions.
- Developing custom Android ROM.
- Assisting with migration to/from Android OS.
Android system design
We have deep expertise in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and vendor-specific SDKs. By collaborating with leading vendors such as HiSilicon and Amlogic, our team delivers customised solutions for your hardware systems. Our services include:
- DTS and bootloader customisation.
- Custom partition table.
- OTA A/B updates.
- Recovery customisation.
- Security (Android Verified Boot, SELinux).
- DRM (Verimatrix, Widevine).
- Storage subsystem (Vold, SDcardFS, ext4, exFAT, NTFS, VFAT).
- Network subsystem (Wi-Fi, BT, Ethernet).
- Graphic subsystem (HDMI, CEC, HDCP).
- System service integration.
- Seamless migration to new versions of Android.
- Exoplayer customisation and integration.
Industries We Serve
Telecom &
Networking
Digital TV &
Video Streaming
AI &
Computer Vision
Automotive
Industrial Automation &
Robotics
Healthcare &
MedTech
Surveillance &
Security Systems
Smart systems &
IoT
Chip Vendors We Collaborate With
Our Tech Map in Linux & Android Development
Bootloader
Das U-Boot, Barebox, RedBoot, Coreboot, TianoCore, EDK II, EFIDroid, GNU GRUB, SPL, AT91Bootstrap
Linux for FPGA
Xilinx Microblaze, Zynq 7000, Zynq Ultrascale+, Intel (Altera) Nios2
Embedded Linux build systems and distros
Yocto Project, OpenEmbedded, Buildroot, PetaLinux, Debian, Isar, Ubuntu, Ubuntu for the Internet of Things, Arago, OpenWRT, ELBE, Android (AOSP), LTIB
Linux driver development
V4L2 (Video4Linux), Direct Rendering Infrastructure (DRI), Direct Rendering Manager (DRM), Kernel Mode Setting (KMS), Graphics Execution Manager (GEM), framebuffer (fbdev) | ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) | SysFs (sys), ProcFs (proc), Misc device, UIO device | DMA, QDMA, XDMA, RAM, MMU, physical memory operations, page allocator, logical memory | Multiple device instances, PCIe & USB hardware devices, GPIO, SPI, I2C, UART (TTY), CAN, LIN hardware devices, Bluetooth and BLE, Wi-Fi hardware devices | SCSI subsystem (disk controller & block drives, logical file systems)
OTA
SWUpdate, RAUC, Mender, OSTree. Ethernet, network controllers & device drivers, network interface & protocols | HI peripherals device drivers, abstract devices and HID class drivers, HI systems, Kernel Crypto API | Energy model of device, power management, JESD204B.
AMP, Asymmetric Multiprocessing (Linux + RTOS/Linux + Bare metal) & Hypervisors
OpenAMP, OpenMCAPI, jailhouse, Xenomai, rpmsg, remoteproc, KVM, Xen
Directory service/Authentication/Authorization/Accounting
LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS, Diameter
RPC/IPC/Serialize/Deserialize
Protocol Buffers (Protobuf), gRPC (Remote Procedure Calls), REST API, JSON, XML, YAML, D-Bus, ZeroMQ, RabbitMQ
IoT/Cloud platforms
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Bosch IoT, OpenRAN
Multimedia
HLS/DASH/multicast streaming, DVB, ATSC broadcasting, GStreamer, FFmpeg, OpenCV, libVLC , Qt QtMultimedia, ExoPlayer, OpenMax, Android MediaCodec API
Graphical user interfaces (GUI)
GTK+, Qt, QML, WxWidgets, Electron, Flutter, Android Studio, Tkinter, Slint
MPU/SoC/CPU architecture
ARM, ARM 64, MIPS, IA-64, m68k, Nios II, MicroBlaze, OpenRISC, powerpc, RISC-V, s390, SuperH, Sparc, UltraSPARC, x86, Xtensa, LoongArch, ARC
Our Case Studies in Kernel Software Development
Why Promwad
Expert team assembly
To ensure the perfect match for your project, we carefully select engineers with the experience, mindset, and technical knowledge necessary for your industry and specific business requirements.
All-in-one product development
In addition to Android & Linux kernel embedded systems, our services cover hardware design, prototyping, application development, UI/UX design, and assistance in selecting manufacturers for mass production.
Your technical product owner
We can manage the entire embedded kernel development lifecycle. Our team provides guidance during the ideation stage, updates your solutions with new technologies, and ensures continuous post-launch maintenance.
We Work With
Startups
We assist startups in kernel driver and module programming by providing engineering teams to address specific challenges, fill resource gaps, and fasten their growth.
Enterprises
We leverage our expertise in automotive, telecom, and industrial automation to provide embedded Android & Linux kernel development services for businesses.
Tech Partners
We can be your reliable technology partner, creating Android & Linux kernel and device driver projects. Our team is ready to become an integral part of your project.
Our Engagement Models
Time & Material
– Payments for actual hours worked
– Regular reporting of time and results
– Regular communication with the team
– Connecting / disconnecting engineers on request
– Flexible development process
Dedicated Team
– Fixed monthly costs
– Custom-built team with specific competencies
– Fully dedicated engineering team
– Comprehensive IT infrastructure
– Max efficiency for complex projects
Project-Based
– Budget control
– Reduced risk
– Flexible resource allocation
– Clear scope
– Predictable timeline
– Quality control
Do you need a quote for your embedded kernel development?
Drop us a line about your project! We will contact you today or the next business day. All submitted information will be kept confidential.
FAQ
How do you approach compatibility and customisation in Linux kernel programming?
Within our kernel engineering services, we thoroughly analyse our client's hardware specifications and the overall functionality of the solution. Thus, we ensure the kernel is tailored to the specific hardware platform, optimising its performance and ensuring seamless integration into your infrastructure. We also consider your application’s specific needs, such as the use of UFS IP or edge AI development, to tailor the kernel's features and capabilities accordingly.
How can embedded kernel development enhance the performance of my Linux system?
Kernel plays a crucial role in enhancing the performance of your OS. By optimising the kernel configuration and fine-tuning various parameters, we can maximise resource utilisation, reduce latency, and improve overall system responsiveness. Through our extensive firmware design services, we can further enhance your system’s performance.
Additionally, we also leverage core-level optimisations, such as implementing efficient memory management, I/O scheduling algorithms, and power management techniques, to achieve optimal performance for your specific use case.
What level of support and maintenance do you provide for embedded Linux kernel development projects?
For our clients, we provide comprehensive support and maintenance services before and after the deployment stage. Our team ensures that your core software remains up-to-date with the latest security patches and bug fixes, minimising vulnerabilities and enhancing system stability.
How do you ensure scalability and reliability in Linux kernel module and device driver programming for large-scale deployments?
By carefully designing the system architecture, we ensure that it can accommodate increased workloads, handle concurrent processes, and scale seamlessly as your requirements grow.
We implement fault-tolerant mechanisms, such as redundancy and failover support, to enhance system reliability and minimise downtime. Additionally, our engineers test and optimise performance to identify bottlenecks that need to be “expanded" to guarantee the scalability and reliability of your solution.
What is the relationship between a kernel system and device drivers?
They are closely related components of an embedded OS:
- The kernel is the core software that manages system resources, provides abstractions for hardware devices, and handles low-level operations.
- Device drivers, however, are software components that facilitate communication between the operating system kernel and specific hardware devices. They enable the kernel to control and interact with various peripherals, such as network interfaces, storage devices, and input/output devices.
Proper integration of device drivers within the kernel system is crucial for seamless hardware functionality and efficient system operation.