Thought Leadership

An embedded software article: The simplest possible UI

October 19, 2015 • 2 MIN READ
By Colin Walls

My latest embedded.com article has been published:

The simplest possible UI

It is very easy to think that all embedded systems are complex devices, with powerful CPUs – maybe more than one – and a rich array of peripherals. This might include a display screen, on which extensive user information may be displayed. However, there are many systems that are the other end of the complexity scale. Deeply embedded systems typically have no user interface, which is a challenge to the software designer who needs to communicate some simple information to the user. A common solution is the provision of a simple LED indicator. This article reviews how such a humble “UI” can be used to good effect.

Of course, for many systems, something a little more sophisticated is required. A full UI needs rather more code and the UI solutions from Mentor Embedded give the opportunity to get to the market quickly.

Colin Walls

I have over thirty years experience in the electronics industry, largely dedicated to embedded software. A frequent presenter at conferences and seminars and author of numerous technical articles and two books on embedded software, I am a member of the marketing team of the Mentor Graphics Embedded Systems Division, and am based in the UK. Away from work, I have a wide range of interests including photography and trying to point my two daughters in the right direction in life. Learn more about Colin, including his go-to karaoke song and the best parts of being British: http://go.mentor.com/3_acv

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This article first appeared on the Siemens Digital Industries Software blog at https://blogs.stage.sw.siemens.com/embedded-software/2015/10/19/an-embedded-software-article-the-simplest-possible-ui/