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Solutions for Industrial Computing

The Solutions for Industrial Computing Blog is the place for conversation and discussion about industrial computers, systems and controllers; communications and connectivity; software and control; and power strategies. Here, you'll find everything from application ideas, to news and industry trends, to hot topics and cutting edge innovations.

Smart Energy Apps Move to ZigBee

Posted September 22, 2011 10:00 AM by embeddedreporter

Operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency that can be used almost anywhere, the ZigBee wireless protocol provides a low-cost, low-power mesh network ideal for green and global embedded applications such as smart energy and smart home initiatives.

Dr. Oyvind Strom, Senior Director of Wireless Microcontrollers at Atmel Corporation recently answered questions from Embedded Computing Design about ZigBee specifications and implementation requirements for ensuring device interoperability.

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Optimizing Motor Control Designs with Integrated FPGA Design Flows

Posted September 08, 2011 8:00 AM by embeddedreporter

Industrial motor-driven equipment accounts for more than two-thirds of industrial energy consumption, making their efficient electrical operation a vital component in factory expenses. The replacement of traditional drives with variable speed drives (VSD) in motor-driven systems provides significant efficiencies that can translate to up to 40% in energy savings. Because of the flexibility, performance, integration, and design flow, FPGA architectures provide an effective platform for VSD systems.

Optimizing motor control designs requires versatile tools (and a practical tool flow) to help model and simulate the system, implement complex algorithms with low latency, and have the ability to integrate the system together and fine tune the performance to the exact needs of the motor drive.

The system integration and embedded development tools described in this article help designers quickly build the interfaces that connect a processor to a hardware accelerated motor control algorithm designed in DSP Builder.

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Multicore Processors and Embedded Virtualization

Posted September 01, 2011 8:00 AM by embeddedreporter

The advent of multicore processor technology has the potential to revolutionize the way embedded systems are designed. While different technologies are being developed to solve the problem of distributing application functionality among the processors on a multicore chip, the most promising emerging technology from an embedded systems perspective is embedded virtualization. Using global object networking, embedded designers can scale applications with a software platform that maintains determinism, enables upgradability, and reduces development costs.

Embedded virtualization has several positive implications for OEMs. For example, once there is a means for splitting up applications to run on multiple cores while maintaining determinism, the solution can subsequently enable real-time applications to scale the number of cores they use, upward or downward. With scalability, OEMs can offer a range of price/performance options for their products without requiring changes to the software.

Virtualization is not a new concept in computer science, but it has gathered new interest with the advent of multicore processors. Though virtualization is recognized as a way to keep multiple processor cores busy, it's important to note that most types of server or client virtualization are not designed to meet the needs of time-critical embedded processing. These approaches to virtualization most often treat all processors on a multicore chip the same way. In these systems, a single Operating System (OS) assigns tasks to processors as they become available in an attempt to keep all processors as heavily loaded as possible with processing tasks.

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Digital Video Drives the Design of Next-Generation Personal Computing Devices

Posted August 18, 2011 8:00 AM by embeddedreporter

One of the innumerable jokes floating around the Internet is a timeline of the evolution of the computer (see sidebar.) Aside from the humor, this visual highlights the unrelenting drive toward miniaturization that has characterized the computer from its inception.

What is a Computer? In recent years, the line between computers and other electronic devices has been blurring. Take a typical modern "smart" cell phone. It features a high-resolution display; runs an operating system, features a Web browser and scores of other applications (a.k.a. apps); and incorporates a state-of-the-art microprocessor, wireless connectivity, and gigabytes of storage. You may not think of it as a computer, but in fact this device offers far more raw computing power and capability than a top-of-the-line laptop or desktop PC from just a decade ago.

Neither of these technology shifts shows any sign of lessening; in fact, they are accelerating. Throw in a wildly competitive marketplace and ever-shorter life cycles, and the net result is a pressure-packed environment for anyone involved in the design and manufacturing of computers and other electronic devices. Semiconductor manufacturers, original design manufacturers (ODMs), and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are scrambling to keep up with the marketplace - and each other.
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Calibrating Disposable Medical Devices

Posted August 11, 2011 8:00 AM by embeddedreporter

FDA regulations for medical devices require manufacturers to develop and monitor production practices to ensure that the end device conforms to its specifications. A calibration program is a major part of this quality system to verify the accuracy and precision of measurements. Walt describes the techniques, tools, and equipment used to calibrate a disposable medical device.

Medical devices that rely on one or more embedded sensors not only need testing, but also sensor calibration. Digital circuits can be subject to pass/fail testing. However, sensors require precise testing or calibration to be accurate. Calibration ensures that different individual devices give the same result. Sensors needing calibration include temperature, pressure, acceleration, strain, and displacement.

Medical devices must meet FDA regulations regarding device traceability and validation. The calibration process must ensure traceable measurements where the start and end of a calibration chain can be followed. Disposable devices add another constraint because the cost must be kept low without sacrificing accuracy and traceability.

The following discussion explains how the temperature and pressure sensors in a disposable catheter met accuracy requirements while maintaining low cost and meeting FDA requirements for traceability to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

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Low Power: Key Issue for System Integration in Mobile Devices

Posted August 04, 2011 8:00 AM by embeddedreporter

The hardware and software worlds are colliding, and integration is providing a spark that will require system developers to keep a sharp eye on overall power demands. Innovative techniques can enable developers to validate whether software is correctly controlling the power-saving capabilities in the hardware platform and verify that the device can meet the power requirements in real system conditions.

As the lines blur between hardware and software development and integration, engineers tend to overlook the importance of developing these systems with power in mind. Even if a hardware design is optimized, the embedded software delivered within these systems must correctly and efficiently use the power-saving capabilities built into the hardware.

Teams developing these latest and greatest electronic systems need techniques focused on relieving the pressure of hardware/software integration. Techniques such as Power Shut-Off (PSO, also known as power gating), Multi-Supply Voltages (MSV), and Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) can leverage platforms and advanced system-level verification capabilities such as emulation. Engineers require new forms to measure and dynamically analyze power requirements for integrating embedded software with hardware, which must be tested in real-world system modes by leveraging virtual platforms.

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