ECS2012

As I have in previous years, this week I am attending the Embedded Conference Scandinavia [ECS] in Stockholm, Sweden. This event seems to get bigger every year and is certainly for foremost embedded conference in the region.

I was pleased to have two proposals for papers accepted …

My two sessions cover well trodden ground:

USB 3 – An Introduction for Embedded Software Developers

USB is widely deployed in embedded devices of all kinds, resulting in simple interconnectivity and interoperability. This simplicity comes at a cost: the internal functions of USB are quite complex. This is of no consequence to the user of a USB-enabled device, but the embedded software developer does need some understanding of USB internals. Even if a commercial USB stack is employed, an appreciation of how it works enables it to be used optimally.

In this session, the history and internal operation of USB will be reprised in detail. Then, the changes and enhancements that come along with USB 3 will be reviewed.

How to Measure RTOS Performance

In the world of smart phones and tablet PCs memory might be cheap, but in the more constrained universe of deeply embedded devices, it is still a precious resource. This is one of the many reasons why most 16- and 32-bit embedded designs rely on the services of a scalable real-time operating system (RTOS). An RTOS allows product designers to focus on the added value of their solution while delegating efficient resource (memory, peripheral, etc.) management. In addition to footprint advantages, an RTOS operates with a degree of determinism that is an essential requirement for a variety of embedded applications. This session takes a look at “typical” reported performance metrics for an RTOS in the embedded industry.

If you would like a copy of my slides for either/both of these, please comment or email.