Tech Focus
Connectivity, power & security at ESC DESIGN East
Welcome home . . .
Simplify embedded Wi-Fi connectivity with Near-Field Communications
Optimizing for low power in embedded MCU designs
Using sensor controllers to reduce power consumption in mobile computing
Editor's Note
A given of modern embedded systems design is that with ubiquitous wired and wireless connectivity, many aspects of the development process have had to be re-evaluated. This is particularly true of securing and protecting connected devices and operating them in ways that sacrifice neither power efficiency nor performance. My Editor's Top Picks of new articles that deal with some of these issues are:
Simplify embedded Wi-Fi connectivity with NFC Optimizing for low power in embedded MCU designs Using sensor controllers to reduce mobile power
In addition, this week at ESC DESIGN East there are about 30 classes available to bring you up to speed on the latest information on these issues. In addition to a panel session on “Internet of Things, Intelligent Systems, Smarter Planets and Future Cities (TH-2007) ,” My Editor's Recommendations are:
Embedded IPv6: What's the beef? (ESC-4003) by Thomas Cantrel of Green Hills Software Using RFID for wireless systems connectivity (ESC-3023) by Tego's Bob Hamlin
Reactive or proactive power management (ESC-2008) by Adam Kaise, Mentor Graphics Maximizing battery life on embedded platforms (ESC-2015) by ARM's Christopher Shore
Security fundamentals for embedded software (ESC-1010) by David Kalinsky Embedded security by design (ESC-3005) presented by Bruce Douglass of IBM
(Editor's Note: You may have noticed that the newsletter format has a new look. Embedded.com has a new look also as part of its relaunch this week as an independent online site. Read “Welcome Home” by Colin Holland for more details. )
Development
A Framework for Considering Security in Embedded Systems
The need for security in many embedded systems is not always readily apparent, and too many embedded systems designers are paying too little attention to the subject, despite the increased wired and wireless connectivity of such designs.
Enhance system security with better data-at-rest encryption
Embedded systems designers can protect sensitive data that's on a device's hard drive (data-at-rest) by using encryption techniques.
Best practices: Improving embedded operating system security
Bill Graham reviews some of the security best practices that embedded systems need to pay attention to in their designs, particularly those requiring the use of real time embedded operating systems (RTOS)in mission and safety critical systems used in industrial and medical devices.
Security fundamentals for embedded software
Even if your device is not connected to the Internet, you need to protect it from malicious attacks. Here are some simple protections you can institute to make your system more impenetrable.
Smart management is the key to smart grid meter security
Addressing the security of meters in emerging smart grid applications requires a secret key management strategy that does not store keys on any node, authenticates each node, verifies communications, and uses temporary communication keys that are rotated often.
Expanding the Embedded Universe: Migrating From IPv4 to IPv6
With the imminent exhaustion of IPv4 address space, and a mounting number of embedded devices pushing the limits, it is time to move to IPv6. Here's how IPv6 corrects three problem with IPv4 and what you need to know to make the shift.
Clearing up the mesh about wireless networking topologies: Part 1
A two part series updates you on wireless mesh networking, comparing traditional approaches such as Zigbee to more deterministic topolologies such as Wireless HART, 6LowWPAN, and adhoc on demand vector routing (AODV). Part 1: The basics.
Pick the right wireless sensor/controller for your connected MCU-based design
Kim Rowe takes you step by step through the process of selecting the hardware and software building blocks necessary for building a wirelessly connected microcontroller design.
Build wireless M2M and IoT sensor networks: High quality and low power design
In the conclusion of a four part series, the authors of “Ad hoc wireless networks,” look at the remaining challenges in wireless sensor network design relating energy efficient hardware design, synchronization, transport layer protocols and real time communications.
Software Matters for Power Consumption
Whether you are creating an operating system, firmware, or even device drivers, the way you write the software could affect the power consumption of the resulting product. Here are four approaches to minimizing power consumption through software.
A new way to benchmark energy costs of embedded processor performance
A guide to developing certifiable measurements of performance and energy consumption for processors and embedded systems and the measurement techniques incorporated into EEMBC's EnergyBench can be used for making necessary tradeoffs.
Energy efficient C code for ARM devices
Here is an overview of some of the techniques for optimizing C-code for use on the ARM architecture. (Paper from ARM TechCon 2010.)
Products
LDRAcover verifies test coverage to meet stringent safety and security levels
LDRAcover is a stand-alone code coverage tool that verifies the source code of an application has been fully structurally tested.
LDRArules programming rule checker assures standards compliance
LDRArules is a programming rule checker that brings together a collection of rules from a broad spectrum of programming standards.
Microchip USB 8-bit PIC MCUs need no external crystal
Microchip Technology Inc. has expanded its certified Full-Speed USB 2.0 Device PIC microcontroller portfolio with three new Enhanced Midrange 8-bit families.
Software platform for Internet of Things
Wind River Intelligent Device Platform from Wind River is a complete software development environment built exclusively for machine-to-machine (M2M) applications.
GrammaTech introduces static analysis for Java
CodeSonar for Java from GrammaTech, Inc., is a tool that works on all Java code, including code written for Android.
GrammaTech CodeSonar 3.8 does source-code analysis up to six times faster with lower false positive rate
CodeSonar 3.8 is significantly faster and more precise than its predecessor, with fewer false positives, making it much easier to analyze projects with millions of lines of code.
Wind River debuts Yocto-based embedded Linux
In the latest version of its Linux platform, Wind River has incorporated much of the Yocto Project open source development infrastructure and achieved Yocto Project compatible registration.
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