diff --git a/include/libcamera/camera_manager.h b/include/libcamera/camera_manager.h
index 56a3f32d8b6f..cb6a6d084a4a 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/camera_manager.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/camera_manager.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ namespace libcamera {
 
 class Camera;
 class DeviceEnumerator;
+class EventDispatcher;
 class PipelineHandler;
 
 class CameraManager
@@ -27,11 +28,17 @@ public:
 
 	static CameraManager *instance();
 
+	void setEventDispatcher(EventDispatcher *dispatcher);
+	EventDispatcher *eventDispatcher();
+
 private:
 	CameraManager();
+	~CameraManager();
 
 	DeviceEnumerator *enumerator_;
 	std::vector<PipelineHandler *> pipes_;
+
+	EventDispatcher *dispatcher_;
 };
 
 } /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/include/libcamera/event_dispatcher.h b/include/libcamera/event_dispatcher.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c20518c6866d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/libcamera/event_dispatcher.h
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019, Google Inc.
+ *
+ * event_dispatcher.h - Event dispatcher
+ */
+#ifndef __LIBCAMERA_EVENT_DISPATCHER_H__
+#define __LIBCAMERA_EVENT_DISPATCHER_H__
+
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+class EventNotifier;
+class Timer;
+
+class EventDispatcher
+{
+public:
+	virtual ~EventDispatcher();
+
+	virtual void registerEventNotifier(EventNotifier *notifier) = 0;
+	virtual void unregisterEventNotifier(EventNotifier *notifier) = 0;
+
+	virtual void registerTimer(Timer *timer) = 0;
+	virtual void unregisterTimer(Timer *timer) = 0;
+
+	virtual void processEvents() = 0;
+};
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
+
+#endif /* __LIBCAMERA_EVENT_DISPATCHER_H__ */
diff --git a/include/libcamera/event_notifier.h b/include/libcamera/event_notifier.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..278a5ff6f9e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/libcamera/event_notifier.h
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019, Google Inc.
+ *
+ * event_notifer.h - Event notifier
+ */
+#ifndef __LIBCAMERA_EVENT_NOTIFIER_H__
+#define __LIBCAMERA_EVENT_NOTIFIER_H__
+
+#include <libcamera/signal.h>
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+class EventNotifier
+{
+public:
+	enum Type {
+		Read,
+		Write,
+		Exception,
+	};
+
+	EventNotifier(int fd, Type type);
+	virtual ~EventNotifier();
+
+	Type type() const { return type_; }
+	int fd() const { return fd_; }
+
+	bool isEnabled() const { return enabled_; }
+	void setEnabled(bool enable);
+
+	Signal<EventNotifier *> activated;
+
+private:
+	int fd_;
+	Type type_;
+	bool enabled_;
+};
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
+
+#endif /* __LIBCAMERA_EVENT_NOTIFIER_H__ */
diff --git a/include/libcamera/libcamera.h b/include/libcamera/libcamera.h
index f9556a8bce62..785babefa1c8 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/libcamera.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/libcamera.h
@@ -9,5 +9,6 @@
 
 #include <libcamera/camera.h>
 #include <libcamera/camera_manager.h>
+#include <libcamera/event_dispatcher.h>
 
 #endif /* __LIBCAMERA_LIBCAMERA_H__ */
diff --git a/include/libcamera/meson.build b/include/libcamera/meson.build
index 6f87689ea528..d7cb55ba4a49 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/meson.build
+++ b/include/libcamera/meson.build
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 libcamera_api = files([
     'camera.h',
     'camera_manager.h',
+    'event_dispatcher.h',
+    'event_notifier.h',
     'libcamera.h',
     'signal.h',
+    'timer.h',
 ])
 
 install_headers(libcamera_api,
diff --git a/include/libcamera/timer.h b/include/libcamera/timer.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..97dcc01f493d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/libcamera/timer.h
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019, Google Inc.
+ *
+ * timer.h - Generic timer
+ */
+#ifndef __LIBCAMERA_TIMER_H__
+#define __LIBCAMERA_TIMER_H__
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+#include <libcamera/signal.h>
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+class Timer
+{
+public:
+	Timer();
+
+	void start(unsigned int msec);
+	void stop();
+	bool isRunning() const;
+
+	unsigned int interval() const { return interval_; }
+	uint64_t deadline() const { return deadline_; }
+
+	Signal<Timer *> timeout;
+
+private:
+	unsigned int interval_;
+	uint64_t deadline_;
+};
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
+
+#endif /* __LIBCAMERA_TIMER_H__ */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/camera_manager.cpp b/src/libcamera/camera_manager.cpp
index db2bc4b7424e..0dbf31f47039 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/camera_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/camera_manager.cpp
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@
  */
 
 #include <libcamera/camera_manager.h>
+#include <libcamera/event_dispatcher.h>
 
 #include "device_enumerator.h"
+#include "log.h"
 #include "pipeline_handler.h"
 
 /**
@@ -37,10 +39,15 @@
 namespace libcamera {
 
 CameraManager::CameraManager()
-	: enumerator_(nullptr)
+	: enumerator_(nullptr), dispatcher_(nullptr)
 {
 }
 
+CameraManager::~CameraManager()
+{
+	delete dispatcher_;
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Start the camera manager
  *
@@ -176,4 +183,37 @@ CameraManager *CameraManager::instance()
 	return &manager;
 }
 
+/**
+ * \brief Set the event dispatcher
+ * \param dispatcher Pointer to the event dispatcher
+ *
+ * libcamera requires an event dispatcher to integrate event notification and
+ * timers with the application event loop. Applications shall call this function
+ * once and only once before the camera manager is started with start() to set
+ * the event dispatcher.
+ *
+ * The CameraManager takes ownership of the event dispatcher and will delete it
+ * when the application terminates.
+ */
+void CameraManager::setEventDispatcher(EventDispatcher *dispatcher)
+{
+	if (dispatcher_) {
+		LOG(Warning) << "Event dispatcher is already set";
+		return;
+	}
+
+	dispatcher_ = dispatcher;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \fn CameraManager::eventDispatcher()
+ * \brief Retrieve the event dispatcher
+ * \return Pointer to the event dispatcher, or nullptr if no event dispatcher
+ * has been set
+ */
+EventDispatcher *CameraManager::eventDispatcher()
+{
+	return dispatcher_;
+}
+
 } /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/event_dispatcher.cpp b/src/libcamera/event_dispatcher.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..61013f218887
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libcamera/event_dispatcher.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019, Google Inc.
+ *
+ * event_dispatcher.cpp - Event dispatcher
+ */
+
+#include <libcamera/event_dispatcher.h>
+
+/**
+ * \file event_dispatcher.h
+ */
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+/**
+ * \class EventDispatcher
+ * \brief Interface to manage the libcamera events and timers
+ *
+ * The EventDispatcher class allows the integration of the application event
+ * loop with libcamera by abstracting how events and timers are managed and
+ * processed.
+ *
+ * To listen to events, libcamera creates EventNotifier instances and register
+ * them with the dispatcher with registerEventNotifier(). The event notifier
+ * \ref EventNotifier::activated signal is then emitted by the dispatcher
+ * whenever the event is detected.
+ *
+ * To set timers, libcamera creates Timer instances and register them with the
+ * dispatcher with registerTimer(). The timer \ref Timer::timeout signal is then
+ * emitted by the dispatcher when the timer times out.
+ */
+
+EventDispatcher::~EventDispatcher()
+{
+}
+
+/**
+ * \fn EventDispatcher::registerEventNotifier()
+ * \brief Register an event notifier
+ * \param notifier The event notifier to register
+ *
+ * Once the \a notifier is registered with the dispatcher, the dispatcher will
+ * emit the notifier \ref EventNotifier::activated signal whenever a
+ * corresponding event is detected on the notifier's file descriptor. The event
+ * is monitored until the notifier is unregistered with
+ * unregisterEventNotifier().
+ *
+ * Registering multiple notifiers for the same file descriptor and event type is
+ * not allowed.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \fn EventDispatcher::unregisterEventNotifier()
+ * \brief Unregister an event notifier
+ * \param notifier The event notifier to unregister
+ *
+ * After this function returns the \a notifier is guaranteed not to emit the
+ * \ref EventNotifier::activated signal.
+ *
+ * If the notifier isn't registered, this function performs no operation.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \fn EventDispatcher::registerTimer()
+ * \brief Register a timer
+ * \param timer The timer to register
+ *
+ * Once the \a timer is registered with the dispatcher, the dispatcher will emit
+ * the timer \ref Timer::timeout signal when the timer times out. The timer can
+ * be unregistered with unregisterTimer() before it times out, in which case the
+ * signal will not be emitted.
+ *
+ * When the \a timer times out, it is automatically unregistered by the
+ * dispatcher and can be registered back as early as from the \ref Timer::timeout
+ * signal handlers.
+ *
+ * Registering the same timer multiple times is not allowed.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \fn EventDispatcher::unregisterTimer()
+ * \brief Unregister a timer
+ * \param timer The timer to unregister
+ *
+ * After this function returns the \a timer is guaranteed not to emit the
+ * \ref Timer::timeout signal.
+ *
+ * If the timer isn't registered, this function performs no operation.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \fn EventDispatcher::processEvents()
+ * \brief Wait for and process pending events
+ *
+ * This function processes all pending events associated with registered event
+ * notifiers and timers and signals the corresponding EventNotifier and Timer
+ * objects. If no events are pending, it waits for the first event and processes
+ * it before returning.
+ */
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/event_notifier.cpp b/src/libcamera/event_notifier.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..edaf66725dc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libcamera/event_notifier.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019, Google Inc.
+ *
+ * event_notifier.cpp - Event notifier
+ */
+
+#include <libcamera/camera_manager.h>
+#include <libcamera/event_dispatcher.h>
+#include <libcamera/event_notifier.h>
+
+/**
+ * \file event_notifier.h
+ * \brief Event notifier
+ */
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+/**
+ * \class EventNotifier
+ * \brief Notify of activity on a file descriptor
+ *
+ * The EventNotifier models a file descriptor event source that can be
+ * monitored. It is created with the file descriptor to be monitored and the
+ * type of event, and is enabled by default. It will emit the \ref activated
+ * signal whenever an event of the monitored type occurs on the file descriptor.
+ *
+ * Supported type of events are EventNotifier::Read, EventNotifier::Write and
+ * EventNotifier::Exception. The type is specified when constructed the
+ * notifier, and can be retrieved using the type() function. To listen to
+ * multiple event types on the same file descriptor multiple notifiers must be
+ * created.
+ *
+ * The notifier can be disabled with the setEnable() function. When the notifier
+ * is disabled it ignores events and does not emit the \ref activated signal.
+ * The notifier can then be re-enabled with the setEnable() function.
+ *
+ * Notifier events are detected and dispatched from the
+ * EventDispatcher::processEvents() function.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \enum EventNotifier::Type
+ * Type of file descriptor event to listen for.
+ * \var EventNotifier::Read
+ * Data is available to be read from the file descriptor
+ * \var EventNotifier::Write
+ * Data can be written to the file descriptor
+ * \var EventNotifier::Exception
+ * An exception has occurred on the file descriptor
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \brief Construct an event notifier with a file descriptor and event type
+ * \param fd The file descriptor to monitor
+ * \param type The event type to monitor
+ */
+EventNotifier::EventNotifier(int fd, Type type)
+	: fd_(fd), type_(type), enabled_(false)
+{
+	setEnabled(true);
+}
+
+EventNotifier::~EventNotifier()
+{
+	setEnabled(false);
+}
+
+/**
+ * \fn EventNotifier::type()
+ * \brief Retrive the type of the event being monitored
+ * \return The type of the event
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \fn EventNotifier::fd()
+ * \brief Retrive the file descriptor being monitored
+ * \return The file descriptor
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \fn EventNotifier::isEnabled()
+ * \brief Retrieve the notifier state
+ * \return true if the notifier is enabled, or false otherwise
+ * \sa setEnable()
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \brief Enable or disable the notifier
+ * \param enable true to enable the notifier, false to disable it
+ *
+ * This function enables or disables the notifier. A disabled notifier ignores
+ * events and does not emit the \ref activated signal.
+ */
+void EventNotifier::setEnabled(bool enable)
+{
+	if (enabled_ == enable)
+		return;
+
+	enabled_ = enable;
+
+	EventDispatcher *dispatcher = CameraManager::instance()->eventDispatcher();
+	if (enable)
+		dispatcher->registerEventNotifier(this);
+	else
+		dispatcher->unregisterEventNotifier(this);
+}
+
+/**
+ * \var EventNotifier::activated
+ * \brief Signal emitted when the event occurs
+ *
+ * This signal is emitted when the event \ref type() occurs on the file
+ * descriptor monitored by the notifier. The notifier pointer is passed as a
+ * parameter.
+ */
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/meson.build b/src/libcamera/meson.build
index 3ec86e75b57e..61fb93205b34 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/meson.build
+++ b/src/libcamera/meson.build
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ libcamera_sources = files([
     'camera.cpp',
     'camera_manager.cpp',
     'device_enumerator.cpp',
+    'event_dispatcher.cpp',
+    'event_notifier.cpp',
     'log.cpp',
     'media_device.cpp',
     'media_object.cpp',
     'pipeline_handler.cpp',
     'signal.cpp',
+    'timer.cpp',
 ])
 
 libcamera_headers = files([
diff --git a/src/libcamera/timer.cpp b/src/libcamera/timer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..57c49aa2ef36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libcamera/timer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019, Google Inc.
+ *
+ * timer.cpp - Generic timer
+ */
+
+#include <time.h>
+
+#include <libcamera/camera_manager.h>
+#include <libcamera/event_dispatcher.h>
+#include <libcamera/timer.h>
+
+#include "log.h"
+
+/**
+ * \file timer.h
+ * \brief Generic timer
+ */
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+/**
+ * \class Timer
+ * \brief Single-shot timer interface
+ *
+ * The Timer class models a single-shot timer that is started with start() and
+ * emits the \ref timeout signal when it times out.
+ *
+ * Once started the timer will run until it times out. It can be stopped with
+ * stop(), and once it times out or is stopped, can be started again with
+ * start().
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \brief Construct a timer
+ */
+Timer::Timer()
+{
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Start or restart the timer with a timeout of \a msec
+ * \param msec The timer duration in milliseconds
+ *
+ * If the timer is already running it will be stopped and restarted.
+ */
+void Timer::start(unsigned int msec)
+{
+	struct timespec tp;
+	clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &tp);
+
+	interval_ = msec;
+	deadline_ = tp.tv_sec * 1000000000ULL + tp.tv_nsec + msec * 1000000;
+
+	LOG(Debug) << "Starting timer " << this << " with interval " << msec
+		   << ": deadline " << deadline_;
+
+	CameraManager::instance()->eventDispatcher()->registerTimer(this);
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Stop the timer
+ *
+ * After this function returns the timer is guaranteed not to emit the
+ * \ref timeout signal.
+ *
+ * If the timer is not running this function performs no operation.
+ */
+void Timer::stop()
+{
+	CameraManager::instance()->eventDispatcher()->unregisterTimer(this);
+
+	deadline_ = 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief
+ * \return true if the timer is running, false otherwise
+ */
+bool Timer::isRunning() const
+{
+	return deadline_ != 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \fn Timer::interval()
+ * \brief Retrieve the timer interval
+ * \return The timer interval in milliseconds
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \fn Timer::deadline()
+ * \brief Retrieve the timer deadline
+ * \return The timer deadline in nanoseconds
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \var Timer::timeout
+ * \brief Signal emitted when the timer times out
+ *
+ * The timer pointer is passed as a parameter.
+ */
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */