Hello,
I am a mobile application developer and this is the first time i
have entered into developing an embedded application from scratch. I know
that the title is a bit misleading and there will be rebuts in the grounds that Android is an OS and Qt is a framework and C/C++ is a language. Let me
explain my requirement.
I need to develop an embedded device which will be installed in a vehicle
and it will periodically send telemetrics data to the cloud server using
GSM modem. The telemetrics will include
1. GPS position data
2. Accelerometer readings
3. Image/Video data
4. It needs to light up a bulb on the device to visually indicate rash
driving to the driver based on algorithms derived from
acceleration/deceleration values

I am looking forward to suggestions in the following areas:-

1. How to select an appropriate processor, sensor components? Who will
design the board? Do the silicon suppliers provide consultancy in that area
or does an hardware engineer select the processors, components and designs
the board,the board design is then given to the silicon supplier as made to
order specs?
2. Android: Is it feasible to to port Linux for Android. Then port Android
on top of that. Write Android ready device drivers and then hook it to the
Android APIs. Then write an Android application. My device will not have a
display or a HMI. So is Android really adding value to my solution and is
it worth to go through all the efforts mentioned above?
3. Qt: I am least experienced in Qt. But my understanding is that Qt can
take place of Android as an application framework. The process and
questions pretty much remain the same as for Android.
4. C/C++: Or write C/C++ programs which will directly interact with the
device drivers and achieve the need.

Merry Christmas!

 

1. How to select an appropriate processor, sensor components? Who will
design the board? Do the silicon suppliers provide consultancy in that area
or does an hardware engineer select the processors, components and designs
the board,the board design is then given to the silicon supplier as made to
order specs?

ans. "As an application developer you must not be knowing much about hardware stuff(my guess!). So basically you'll need to look for the one who knows about sensors, microcontrollers, actuators...an electronics professional".

2. Android: Is it feasible to to port Linux for Android. Then port Android
on top of that. Write Android ready device drivers and then hook it to the
Android APIs. Then write an Android application. My device will not have a
display or a HMI. So is Android really adding value to my solution and is
it worth to go through all the efforts mentioned above?

ans. "Looking at the above description, I think android will not help much. Of course it'll be much more useful for future explorations but your current requirements do not suffice use of android".

3. Qt: I am least experienced in Qt. But my understanding is that Qt can
take place of Android as an application framework. The process and
questions pretty much remain the same as for Android.

ans. "Don't know about QT".

4. C/C++: Or write C/C++ programs which will directly interact with the
device drivers and achieve the need.

ans. "C is excellent language. FYI all the API's in android are written in C".