MFoES (Mounted Family of Embedded Systems) is an open-source, modular embedded systems project focused on vehicle-mounted, low-power, mission-oriented displays and control nodes.
Originally inspired by real-world military MFD (Multi-Function Display) concepts, MFoES is designed to run on ARM-based embedded platforms (starting with Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W), prioritizing reliability, clarity, and physical interaction over raw compute power.
Block I — Prototype / Simulation Phase
- UI simulated on PC using SDL + DisplayLink
- Physical buttons wired and mapped
- Display tested on external TFT panels
- Touch support planned (GT911-capacitive panels)
Hardware bring-up on Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is in progress.
Block I-A — Embedded Bring-Up (Planned)
The next phase of MFoES focuses on moving away from desktop-style stacks and toward a true embedded deployment model.
Planned directions:
-
Buildroot-based system for minimal, fast-boot Linux
-
Framebuffer-first rendering (no X11 / Wayland)
-
Evaluation of three UI paths:
- Pure framebuffer rendering (direct
/dev/fb0) - DRM/KMS-based rendering
- Hybrid mode (SDL on top of framebuffer/DRM)
- Pure framebuffer rendering (direct
-
Direct boot into MFoES UI (no desktop, no login manager)
-
GPIO input handling without desktop abstractions
The goal is to achieve:
- Sub-5-second boot to UI
- Deterministic rendering behavior
- Lower memory footprint
- Vehicle-appropriate reliability
SDL is currently used for rapid prototyping and simulation, but is not considered a hard dependency for the final embedded deployment.
- PC (Windows, Linux) — simulation and UI development
- Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W
- HDMI / DSI TFT displays (10.4-17 inch)
This project is licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL-2.0).
- You are free to use, modify, and distribute MFoES
- Modifications to MFoES source files must remain open
- MFoES may be combined with proprietary systems
See the LICENSE file for full details.
Contributions are welcome.
Guidelines:
- Keep changes modular and readable
- Respect the embedded-first philosophy
- Avoid unnecessary dependencies
- Test UI changes on low-resolution displays
MFoES is a civilian open-source project inspired by real-world vehicle and embedded system design.
It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any military organization. Any resemblance to real systems is purely conceptual and educational.
