The Future of Embedded Systems: Displays and SBCs Driving Innovation

Developing an Android system directly from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is a common path for companies building Android-based single-board computers, industrial HMIs, smart panels, and other embedded products. Compared with using a ready-made vendor firmware, an AOSP-based approach offers deeper control over system behavior, update policies, and hardware integration—but it also introduces additional engineering complexity.

This article explains how engineers typically approach creating an AOSP-based Android image for custom hardware, focusing on practical design and integration considerations rather than step-by-step build commands.

What AOSP Is—and What It Leaves to You

AOSP provides the core of Android: the framework, runtime, system services, build system, and a reference Linux kernel environment. What it deliberately does not include is full support for your specific hardware. Drivers, board configurations, multimedia enablement, and many optimizations are left to device manufacturers.

Because of this, every AOSP-based product depends on a hardware enablement layer—often called a BSP—that connects Android’s generic code to real components such as displays, touch controllers, storage devices, and wireless modules. The maturity of this layer has a major impact on development time and system stability.

Setting Up the Development Environment

Android system builds are resource-intensive. Most teams use a Linux workstation or build server with ample CPU cores, memory, and disk space. A typical environment includes:

• A supported Linux distribution (often Ubuntu LTS)
• The correct Java version for the target Android release
• The repo tool for managing AOSP repositories
• Standard development utilities and scripting tools

Once the environment is ready, engineers initialize the AOSP source tree for a specific Android version and synchronize the required repositories.

Starting from a Reference Platform

Very few products build Android support entirely from scratch. Instead, development usually starts with a reference design from the SoC vendor. This reference platform typically includes:

• A vendor-maintained Linux kernel
• Hardware drivers for GPU, display, video codecs, audio, and connectivity
• Proprietary binary components required by the SoC
• Example device and board configuration files

This reference acts as a baseline. Engineers then adapt it to match their own PCB layout, peripheral selection, and product requirements.

Kernel and Hardware Configuration

The Linux kernel is a critical foundation of any Android system. For embedded hardware, kernel work often includes:

• Enabling and configuring required drivers
• Adjusting clock, memory, and power domains
• Creating or modifying device tree files

Device trees describe how components are wired on the board. Displays, touch ICs, power regulators, sensors, and buses must all be accurately defined. Errors here often lead to boot failures or subtle runtime issues.

Kernel compatibility also matters. Android versions are tied to specific kernel feature sets, and mismatches can cause stability or performance problems.

Board Configuration and System Layout

Beyond the kernel, Android requires board-level configuration files that define how the system image is built. These settings control:

• Partition layout and sizes
• Boot image format
• Feature flags and system properties
• Compatibility with the bootloader

These files act as the glue between the kernel, bootloader, and Android framework. A clean and well-organized board configuration makes later updates much easier.

Hardware Abstraction Layer Integration

The Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) is how Android’s framework communicates with low-level drivers. While many standard HAL definitions exist, they must be correctly implemented for each device.

Common HAL areas include:

• Graphics and display
• Audio
• Camera
• Sensors
• Power and thermal management

Incomplete or unstable HAL implementations can result in systems that boot successfully but fail under real use, such as during video playback or sleep/wake cycles.

Bootloader and System Startup

The bootloader initializes hardware and loads Android images into memory. For embedded devices, it must support the chosen storage medium, memory configuration, and partition scheme.

Modern Android systems also rely on verified boot mechanisms. During early development, these features are often disabled for convenience. For production devices, they must be carefully re-enabled to meet security and reliability requirements.

Building, Flashing, and Early Testing

Once all components are in place, the AOSP build system generates multiple images, including boot, system, vendor, and userdata images. These are typically flashed using fastboot or vendor-specific tools.

Initial validation focuses on fundamentals:

• Stable kernel boot
• Working display and input
• Android services starting correctly
• Basic user interaction

Debugging at this stage relies heavily on serial console output, kernel logs, and Android’s logging tools.

Optimization and Validation

After the system is functional, attention shifts to refinement. Typical tasks include:

• Improving boot time
• Tuning CPU and GPU performance
• Reducing power consumption
• Verifying suspend and resume behavior
• Long-duration stress testing

Embedded products often prioritize stability and predictability over raw performance. Careful tuning helps ensure reliable operation in real-world environments.

Long-Term Maintenance Considerations

An AOSP-based system is not finished at first boot. Security updates, kernel patches, and hardware revisions must be handled throughout the product’s lifecycle.

Maintaining a clear separation between upstream AOSP code, vendor changes, and board-specific customizations makes long-term support far more manageable. Teams that invest in clean source organization early typically save significant effort later.

Conclusion

Creating a custom Android system from AOSP is a substantial engineering effort, but it offers unmatched flexibility and control for embedded products. Success depends on a solid understanding of Android internals, Linux kernel integration, and hardware-specific enablement.

For devices that require a tailored user experience, controlled updates, and long-term platform ownership, an AOSP-based approach remains a powerful foundation—provided it is built with careful planning and realistic expectations.