The Value of Good Partnerships

Seaweed Systems understands that selling embedded graphics products isn't like selling shrink-wrapped software. It requires an understanding of project requirements, the environment in which its software is to run, and support to see their customers' products to completion. Seaweed Systems invests heavily in establishing long-term relationships with its customers and every supplier whose products interact with its software, including graphics devices, COTS hardware, real-time operating systems, and graphics-development tools. Nothing beats a team of vendors whose products integrate seamlessly, whose engineers have experience working together, and who can quickly resolve issues without multiple layers of overhead. Good working relationships are key assets for getting software through DO-178B certification, and they are also key assets for customers wishing to minimize risk, reduce cost, and speed time to market.

Partnerships with Customers

Seaweed Systems is dedicated to the embedded graphics market. In this niche market, survival depends on building good, long-term relationships with customers and consistently delivering on commitments. Recognizing this fact, Seaweed Systems offers a range of products that can be assembled to best support its customers' projects, from graphics-processing hardware to certifiable OpenGL® software. Then, Seaweed Systems supports its customers through the development and, if needed, the certification process, to assure customers that its software never creates an obstacle to certification. Seaweed Systems' customers include most major aerospace & defense contractors, and its software has been used on a large number of U.S. and international military aircraft and ground vehicles.

Learn More about Seaweed Systems' Customers.

Graphics Devices

Current graphics device technologies are complex — making the hardware and software inseparable, and requiring close partnerships between graphics-device manufacturers and driver providers. From a technical standpoint, close partnerships are essential, as Seaweed Systems must understand its partners' graphics devices sufficiently well to write a truly certifiable driver for those products. Seaweed Systems has hardware engineers who work closely with its graphics-device partners, and who have access to product design documents for use in this process.

From a business standpoint, Seaweed Systems acts as a one-stop shop for its customers, providing both the graphics devices and the driver software to its customers. To this end, Seaweed Systems has established long-term relationships with its partners, enabling it to better support the embedded market. Seaweed Systems understands that embedded systems have a product lifecycle much longer than that consumer devices that most COTS graphics-device manufacturers support. To support the specific needs of the embedded-systems market, Seaweed Systems has established a Supply Guarantee Program that ensures a constant flow of parts to its customers throughout their product lifecycles.

Learn More about Seaweed Systems' Graphics partners.

OpenGL Standards

Seaweed Systems is a good corporate citizen, giving back to the industry as a contributing member of the Khronos Group. This industry group, with the endorsement of the OpenGL Architecture Review Board, has announced a 3D subset of the OpenGL API for small-footprint, safety-critical applications. Seaweed Systems chairs the Khronos Group's safety-critical working group, and delivers DO-178B certifiable software that is compliant with the OpenGL SC (Safety-Critical) specification for small-footprint, safety-critical devices.

Learn More about the Khronos Group.

Real-Time Operating Systems

The operating systems used in safety-critical systems are designed to support applications with real-time performance requirements, and they have a significant impact on the optimal design of OpenGL graphics drivers. Seaweed Systems works closely with key real-time operating system suppliers, including Wind River Systems, Green Hills Software, and LynuxWorks. These operating-system vendors recognize Seaweed Systems as a key partner in their ability to provide complete solutions, one reason why Seaweed Systems is often invited to participate with these vendors at trade shows, and during co-marketing sales activities.

Learn More about Seaweed Systems' real-time operating system partners.

Graphics Development Tools

Understanding that qualifiable graphics tools can generate readily-certifiable graphics software, Seaweed Systems works closely with vendors like Quantum3D, Esterel Technologies, Presagis, Tilcon, Disti, and Altia to ensure that their products work well with technology from Seaweed Systems. Seaweed Systems has Joint Marketing Agreements with all of these graphics development tool providers to enable this cooperation.

Learn More about Seaweed Systems' Graphics Development Tool Partners.

Hardware Platforms

As embedded-systems developers discover how they can use COTS products to speed their products to market, minimize risk, and reduce development costs, some are turning to COTS hardware platforms for their products. Seaweed Systems' partnership with embedded platform vendors helps customers leverage the combined experience of Seaweed Systems and some of the leaders in embedded-systems hardware.

Learn More about Seaweed Systems' Hardware Platform Partners.