Linux Fondation is very known for Linux but there is another project called Zephyr OS that is getting a lot of interest.

Contrary to some “false” open OS, Zephyr is really open and is backed by most chip makers, in particular by Nordic Semiconductor with their last BLE 5 Wireless MCU nrf52840 that we use in our hardware design.

In 2015, even though Zephyr was at a very early stage, we found that this project was technically meaningful and ready to bridge the gap between the widespread Linux for Cortex Ax and the void for Cortex Mx. Since then, we have been committing and helping Zephyr Os to mature and to be ready to run in Smart Personal Protective Equipment that are critical equipment.

A few months ago, we contributed to wireless firmware update a.k.a FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) in reference the known OTA for smartphone. Being able to update an equipment on field is absolutely critical for safety, security and features reasons. It creates a huge value for our customers and makes our product more secure and more versatile than most of our competitors. Concretely, it means that our end-users can use our latest Android mobile app and update their smart PPE using BLE connection.

Of course, there is still a lot to do and I could for instance mention (security certification, external memory drivers…)  but we believe Zephyr has a great ambition and a great chance to know the same success as its brother: LINUX !