Articles on design.
Comprehensive, searchable list of parts, tools and third-party IP.
Processor Tracker
Real-time updates for select processors and development tools.
Featured Articles
Robert Cravotta
The State of Voice User Interfaces
Published September 20th, 2011
Max Baron
Forward to the Past: A Different Way to Cope with Dark Silicon
Published February 8th, 2011
Voices of Industry
Unit testing: why bother?
Published October 25th, 2011
By Mark Pitchford at LDRA
This article is part of our ongoing Voices of Industry project. If you would like to submit an article, please contact us.
The Embedded Insights Lowdown
Embedded Insights "Basics"
The "Basics" Information Center is the home for original and supplemental material for tutorials and coursework. The inaugural material contains low power optimization datasheets that apply the concepts presented in Robert Cravotta's presentation in the EE Times Fundamentals on Low Power Design using the Intel Atom processor course to processors from a variety of companies and processor architectures. The datasheets represent an experiment with providing system level information about a processor's low power resources and features that will be added to the Embedded Processing Directory. Check out the datasheets and let us know how you think we can make them better.
Embedded Processing Directory
Last Updated February 21st, 2010!
The Embedded Processing Directory collects a wealth of information from more than 80 processor manufacturers and IP core suppliers into a single repository that embedded developers use to research and select the processors that will become the heart of their designs. Designers are able to drill down through the information in the compendium based on company name, architecture size, and target application space. If you are a manufacturer and would like to find out how to participate in this effort and include your parts, please contact us.
Embedded Insights Newsletter
2011, Issue 9 - Published September 16th, 2011!
The Embedded Insights Newsletter is a free bi-weekly e-newsletter for embedded developers that includes information and insights into design principles and industry trends. Each issue highlights articles, tools, and the "word on the street" for embedded systems. Rotating features include summaries of past questions of the week and highlights from active discussions in the embedded insights channels, as well as some light-hearted features. The newsletter is sent out on Thursdays.
We, at Embedded Insights, respect your privacy. We will not share your personal information without your explicit permission.
Recent Channel Updates
Do you employ “Brown M&Ms” in your designs?
Posted by Robert Cravotta on January 25, 2012
A rock band used a contract requirement using a bowl of M&Ms with the brown ones removed as a nearly costless cost way to see how well a contractor followed their large list of requirements. Do you employ any nearly costless methods to verify the environmental conditions that your systems are asked to operate on to improve quality and reliability?
Are you using accelerometers and/or gyroscopes?
Posted by Robert Cravotta on January 18, 2012
The Nintendo 3DS provides a unique 3D feel by combining a 3D display with an inertial sensing capability. Inertial sensing has been used to help protect equipment from the impact of a fall, and it has found use in binoculars and cameras to provide superior image quality. Are you using or aware of accelerometers and/or gyroscopes being used in similarly innovative ways?
Is College necessary for embedded developers?
Posted by Robert Cravotta on January 11, 2012
A recent bill mandates that high school students must apply for college. Does college prepare students for embedded development, or does the amount of on-the-job learning that is required dwarf the contribution that college could provide?
Are you using Arduino?
Posted by Robert Cravotta on January 4, 2012
The Gingerbreadtron is a recent example of an Arduino project. Is this open source electronics prototyping platform finding its way into your projects or does it squarely target casual or hobby projects?
Is the rate of innovation stagnating?
Posted by Robert Cravotta on December 28, 2011
An article suggests that the rate of innovation is stagnating and that large companies might be holding back their innovations. Do these observations have merit?
Processor Tracker
NEW
Processor Tracker
Processor Tracker™ is a new publication that provides developers with product and ecosystem data for select processors and development tools. The publication tracks updates and newly available product specs, data sheets, support features, development tool capabilities, and more. These updates are incorporated in Processor Tracker™ as they become available in real-time.
Word on the Street
SOC Central
SOCcentral.com provides news, articles and a host of other information about ASIC, FPGA and SoC design, intellectual property (IP), EDA and EDA tools, and directory listings for more than 2000 suppliers.
Low-Power Publications
Low-Power Design and Low-Power Wireless are design sites that are all about energy efficient design. The power management techniques first developed for portable devices apply equally well to their plugged-in brethren. The site features staff written and aggregated news as well as in-depth design articles.
Gabe on EDA
GABE on EDA hosts thoughtful analysis of the semiconductors and EDA industry. It also offers reference tables of EDA vendors and the EDA Market information service.
Energy Harvesting Network
The Energy Harvesting Network is an EPSRC funded network of UK academic and industrial researchers and end-users of EH (energy harvesting) technology. The primary objectives of the Network are to: identify new challenges in EH research; facilitate the interaction and mobility of EH researchers; and support the dissemination of the advances in the science and the developments of the technology. A total of 88 people from 61 companies and institutions are currently registered with the Energy Harvesting Network.