The smallest .NET edition, Micro, is now supported on Analog Devices' Blackfin platform. This makes it the first processor supported by .NET built specifically for digital signal processing.
According to Paul McDougal of InformationWeek,
Blackfin is Analog Devices' 16/32-bit embedded processor for smart devices such as set-top boxes and industrial sensors. It's also used in consumer appliances. The United Kingdom's Cambridge Audio, for instance, has placed Blackfin processors into CD players that enhance signals from compact discs in order to create higher-resolution sound.
.NET Micro is designed specifically for very small devices and can run with less than 640 KB of RAM. Using a .NET language like C#, developers can target devices normally programmed with C and assembly.
The .NET Micro SDK is free to all developers with Visual Studio 2005 Standard and above. It includes device emulators that take into account the performance characteristics of the target device, allowing developers to try out different configurations before investing in hardware.