Crank Software

Crank Software is an innovator in embedded user interface solutions.

Storyboard

Embedded GUI development framework for the creation of brilliant graphics across MCUs and MPUs.

What makes Storyboard different?

Designed by our team of embedded experts that understand the importance of UX design and development, Storyboard is trusted by major household brands across multiple industries as their preferred framework to create GUI apps for products that succeed. More often than not, they also win design and UX awards!

User interface innovation is critical and going to market with a mediocre touchscreen UX is not acceptable. Storyboard helps product teams to iterate around app design and enhance the UX with ease, resulting in sophisticated GUIs that deliver exceptional user experiences.

Storyboard capabilities

Experience rapid GUI development to target deployment. From a design tool file to an embedded GUI application in minutes, Crank Storyboard makes it easier for designers and developers to rapidly create optimized embedded GUIs that focus on delivering a brilliant UX.

Import content

Import your GUI graphics content from design tools like Photoshop and Sketch, or work natively in Storyboard.

Add animations

Capture movement and motions in a click with Animation Record and Animation Timeline features.

Manage iterations

Capture movement and motions in a click with Animation Record and Animation Timeline features.

Test & validate

Validate your prototype functionality with the Storyboard Simulator or directly on your target hardware device.

Debug & optimize

Get actionable insights into your GUI application data to help make better decisions as you build out your project.

All hardware & OS options

Have the freedom to create GUIs that scale across markets and embedded targets.

Reduce costs

Reduce your overall costs with a smaller footprint and reusable GUI components for other products and devices.

Boost innovation

Validate designs earlier and get to market faster so you can focus on your next award-winning idea.

Create engaging user experiences

A smartphone experience has become the standard for touchscreens across all industries. Colors, animations, haptics and other touchscreen GUI elements are critical components of a rich UX, all of which are easy to create and refine with Storyboard.

To get a glimpse of a Storyboard-built GUI on your platform, we've created demo images to help test and evaluate the GUI potential of your hardware.

Download Sample GUI Application

Iterate on design without destroying work done

Because of its unique parallel workflows and decoupled designer and developer working environments, Storyboard eliminates the reluctance that used to come with design iteration. Now, product teams can work on optimizing the end-UX more effectively because design changes don't delay or break development work.

Learn more

Never start from scratch with supported platforms

Storyboard’s unique architecture allows it to be compatible with all hardware and OS platforms, giving you the freedom to create applications that scale markets and embedded devices.

You also have the freedom to incorporate modern visual or 3D elements into your project. Storyboard supports VG Lite, OpenGL and a host of other rendering technologies, including our award-winning Hybrid Rendering, to ensure your project is able to take advantage of ecosystem updates as they happen.

Our Compatibility

Supported embedded hardware platforms

Storyboard supported microprocessors and microcontrollers

Storyboard’s unique architecture allows it to be compatible with MCUs, crossover processors and MPUs, giving you the freedom to create applications that scale markets and embedded hardware. Our extensive library of runtime engines have been optimized to take advantage of unique platform features to increase performance and leverage the memory management functions of the underlying system.

De-risk your embedded project by introducing a GUI design and development framework that enables support for hardware platform scalability and ultimately GUI flexibility.

Browse all supported partners here.
  • AM3358 Beaglebone
  • BeagleBone Black
  • AM335x family
  • AM437x EVM
  • AM57xx family
  • AM62x
  • Jacinto J-6
  • DA1470x
  • nRF5340
  • Raspberry Pi 3
  • Raspberry Pi 4

Don’t see a hardware platform that you're evaluating for your project?

This list is not exhaustive because Storyboard works with all hardware! Let us show you why and how.

Talk to us

Storyboard supported SOMs

Embedded Artists | Toradex | Boundary Devices | iWave | TQ | Dave Embedded Systems | Keith & Koep | DIGI | Beacon EmbeddedWorks

  • Xilinx Zync 7000
  • i.MX 8 SMARC SoM
  • i.MX 8M
  • SMARC SoM
  • i.MX 8M Mini/Nano SoM
  • i.MX 8 Pico ITX SBC
  • Digi ConnectCore 6UL
  • Digi ConnectCore MP1
  • Digi ConnectCore 6UL Kit
  • Digi ConnectCore MP157 Kit

Operating systems

See how Storyboard has the flexibility to address different operating systems and embedded graphic project requirements.

The power to choose the right operating system for your embedded project

With Storyboard, you have a choice when it comes to selecting the UI-based OS that is best for your embedded project. With support for a wide range of operating systems, Storyboard gives you the option to select the best OS to power your embedded product, whether it’s for a resource-constrained microprocessor or a high-performance microprocessor, or to easily switch it up when project needs change.

Supported operating systems for your MCU

Not all embedded systems are created equal. While some offer large memory with management functions, others offer you a smaller resource, cost-effective design. This is why sometimes you need a smaller OS that was designed for your smaller embedded hardware. With Storyboard, you can develop optimized user experiences to resource-constrained targets including: FreeRTOS, Integrity, iTron, MQX, Segger, ThreadX, μClinux, µC/OS-II, µC/OS-III, VX Works, and XIP Linux... and more!

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Don't see your OS listed? Wondering what the best OS is for your embedded UI project?

Just Ask Us

Supported operating systems for your MPU

Whether it's Android or Linux server, different operating systems offer a unique mix of features and capabilities for embedded hardware. With Storyboard, you can easily scale from MCU to MPU (or vice versa) to support a diverse product line. Supported OS include Android, iOS, Linux OS, Mac OS, QNX, VX Works, WEC 2013, Windows, Wince, and WinCompact 7... and more!

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