Analog Devices' Blackfin Brings 20:20 Vision to Portable X-Ray System; Blackfin's flexibility, price and performance drive Inno

Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI), a global leader in
high-performance semiconductors for signal processing applications,
announced that its ADSP-BF533 Blackfin(R) processor is providing core
control and signal processing capabilities to the Innov-X portable
x-ray system, a breakthrough instrument used to examine the recovered
hull of the S.S. Hunley, the first combat submarine of the American
Civil War.
   The portable device, which houses an HP iPAQ for instrument
calibrations, employs an X-ray method called X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
to determine the composition of solid materials. Blackfin enables this
method by processing "pulse" data gathered by the Innov-X system,
measuring energy or wavelength emissions that can be matched to
specific elements on the periodic table. In addition, Blackfin
delivers Innov-X multiple, independent DMA controllers that support
automated data transfers with minimal overhead for the processor core.
   In sum, Innov-X, replaced a field programmable gate array (FPGA)
with the Blackfin processor for its best-in-class programmability,
integration and cost effectiveness. That integration, which Innov-X
found eliminated the need for separate digital signal and control
processors, greatly reduced bill of material (BOM) costs and
simplified hardware and software design tasks.
   "Other processors offered similar performance, but none came close
to matching the flexibility of Blackfin to handle the array of complex
processing tasks inherent in elemental analysis," said Alan Peevers,
the Innov-X consultant who designed the portable X-ray unit. "Simply
put, no other processor on the market provides the combination of
signal processing and performance at such low cost."
   In Blackfin, Innov-X found all the features it was looking for on
a single chip: a high-speed parallel peripheral interface (PPI);
direct memory access (DMA) controllers to transfer high-speed data to
on-chip memory; general purpose I/O (GPIO) pins to communicate with
its I(2)C bus (a control bus that provides the communications link
between integrated circuits); a universal asynchronous
receiver/transmitter (UART) port to interface with peripherals; and
several timers, including a watchdog timer.
   It was not only the hardware that separated Blackfin from the
competition: its superior toolset helped Innov-X cut development time
down to three weeks. Using VisualDSP+++, an integrated software
development and debugging environment (IDDE), enabled the Innov-X
design team to manage projects from beginning to end on one single
interface. The design team combined the tool's edit/compile/download
cycle functionality with the EZ-Kit Lite, an evaluation board that
facilitates architecture evaluations via PC-hosted toolsets.
   "The combination of signal and control processing capabilities
offered by the Blackfin processor makes it ideal for demanding
processing requirements, such as those needed by Innov-X," said John
Croteau, General Manager, Convergent Platforms and Services Group,
Analog Devices, Inc. "For portable applications, Blackfin cannot be
beat - not only is it fully integrated and ideal for applications that
are space constrained, but its enhanced Dynamic Power Management (DPM)
capabilities enable device operation to 0.8V and extend battery life
in portable applications. Once again, where there is design
innovation, there is Blackfin."

   A Convergent Future Demands Blackfin-Class Processing

   Analog Devices' Blackfin(R) embodies a new breed of 16/32-bit
embedded processor with the industry's highest performance and power
efficiency for applications where a convergence of capabilities -
multi-format audio, video, voice and image processing; multi-mode
baseband and packet processing; and real-time security and control
processing - are critical. It is this powerful combination of software
flexibility and scalability that has gained Blackfin widespread
adoption in convergent applications such as digital home
entertainment; networked and streaming media; automotive telematics
and infotainment; and digital radio and mobile TV.

   About Analog Devices

   Innovation, performance, and excellence are the cultural pillars
on which Analog Devices has built one of the longest standing, highest
growth companies within the technology sector. Acknowledged
industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal
conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 60,000 customers,
representing virtually all types of electronic equipment. Celebrating
40 years as a leading global manufacturer of high-performance
integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing
applications, Analog Devices is headquartered in Norwood,
Massachusetts, with design and manufacturing facilities throughout the
world. Analog Devices' common stock is listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the ticker "ADI" and is included in the S&P 500 Index.

   Blackfin is a registered trademark of Analog Devices, Inc. All
other trademarks included herein are the property of their respective
owners.