Qt for MCUs 2.9 Brings a Zephyr Backend, Linux Support, Functional Safety Features
New release also includes a starter course targeting Espressif's ESP32-S3-BOX-3 development board, flash size improvements, and more.
Qt Group has announced the release of its graphical user interface (GUI) application framework Qt for MCUs (Microcontroller Units) version 2.9, delivering support for Zephyr-compatible devices and generic Linux systems alongside a new virtual keyboard module — while teasing Qt for MCUs 2.10, which will bring a lightweight mapping system in March next year.
"We are excited to announce Qt for MCUs 2.9, which comes with many key features to enable Qt for MCUs to support more use cases in the IoT [Internet of Things], consumer, and automotive segments," says Qt Group's Sumitabh Ghosh of the new release. "If you're an existing Qt for MCUs developer, you can download Qt for MCUs 2.9 from the Qt Maintenance Tool, located at the root of your Qt for MCUs installation directory."
First released in 1995, the Qt framework supports a range of platforms from Microsoft's Windows and Apple's macOS to Linux and QNX — while Qt for MCUs, as the name implies, offers a resource-light take on the project specifically targeting microcontroller platforms. This now, Ghosh explains, now includes a generic backend support the Zephyr real-time operating system (RTOS) — with support for hardware acceleration on NXP's RT i.MX RT1050, RT1060, and RT1064 crossover microcontrollers.
The new release also brings support for generic Linux distributions running on mciroprocessor units, including single-board computers. "This means," Ghosh explains, "QT Quick Ultralite applications can now run on any device running a Linux [kernel] which features a linuxFB or a DRM graphics backend" — including entry-level hardware lacking an on-board 3D graphics accelerator. The virtual keyboard module, meanwhile, has been promoted to a stable feature release with support for custom layouts and new languages — on top of the 39 languages included at launch.
For the automotive and industrial sectors, meanwhile, Qt for MCUs 2.9 brings a technical preview of the Qt Safe Renderer's safe monitoring feature — designed for projects with functional safety requirements, in which items marked as safe are continuously checked for proper operation. "Stay tuned for an official Qt Safe Render release (2.2)," Ghosh promises, "which will add the support of remaining Qt Safe Renderer features."
Other improvements in the new release include an up-to-four-percent reduction in flash footprint for Qt Quick Ultralite applications through improved optimization, hardware accelerated JPEG decoding on Renesas' RHA850 D1M1A microcontroller, an improved platform porting guide, and a course on developing with Qt for MCUs using Espressif's ESP32-S3-BOX-3 as a target.
Ghosh has also teased features for the upcoming Qt for MCUs 2.10 release, due in March 2025, which will include QT Location for MCUs — "a lighter alternative [to] Qt Location APIs," he explains, "to render maps on microcontroller-powered instrument clusters and wearable devices" — and support for the Infineon Traveo T2G 6M_Lite evaluation kit via the Infineon ModusToolbox toolchain.
More information on the new release is available on the Qt Group website, with the full framework available to download as a 10-day trial for commercial users or a free Community Edition for open-source projects.