A Bridge From Mars To Venus


In a now-famous 1992 pop psychology book titled "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus," author John Gray posited that most relationship troubles in couples stem from fundamental differences in socialization patterns between men and women. The analogy that the two partners came from different planets was used to describe how two people could perceive issues in completely different and sometim... » read more

Embedded World 2022: Structural Changes In Ecosystems


As my train approaches Nuremberg for the Embedded World conference—which this year is in June versus its usual timing in February—I am reviewing my past related blogs back to 2012. My complaints about the cold weather have been a common thread in past blogs, but with a weather forecast of 28°C/80°F, I will probably ask for cooler weather at the end of the day. Past key themes included tec... » read more

Continuous Integration And Deployment Flows With Virtual Prototypes


Not so long ago, embedded software developers huddled side by side in chilly bring-up labs, integrating and testing their code on physical prototypes of the final systems. Beyond the inconvenience, there were two major issues with this approach. The cost of replicating prototypes across a large software team was considerable, and these systems had to be maintained and managed. It became common ... » read more

Where Do Memory Maps Come From?


A memory map is the bridge between a system-on-chip (SoC) and the firmware and software that is executed on it. Engineers may assume the map automatically appears, but the reality is much more involved. The union of hardware (HW) and software (SW) demands both planning and compromise. The outcome of this merger will not be fully realized until the magical day when the system comes to life. T... » read more

Revolution In Embedded Security


The growth of computing, graphics, neural processing power, communication bandwidth, and storage capacities have enabled amazing solutions. These innovations have created great value for society, and that value must be protected from exploitation by adversaries. This whitepaper explores many of these major technology changes and how Rambus’ security offerings help in tackling the new embedded... » read more

Embedded Security Using Cryptography


In the previous blog post, “Securing Offload Engines for a Robust Secure SoC System,” we briefly looked at some of the methods employed for achieving embedded security, i.e., cryptography, hardware partitioning and isolation, and hardware root of trust. In this blog, and subsequent blogs, we will explore more about each of these approaches in detail. Cryptography is not a new concept. It... » read more

Embedded Processor Requirements And OS Choice


For each embedded product, software developers need to consider whether they need an operating system; and if so, what type of an OS. Operating systems vary considerably, from real-time operating systems with a very small memory footprint to general-purpose OSes such as Linux with a rich set of features. Choosing a proper type of operating system for your product – and consequently w... » read more

Optimizing What Exactly?


You can't optimize something without understanding it. While we inherently understand what this means, we are often too busy implementing something to stop and think about it. Some people may not even be sure what it is that they should be optimizing and that makes it very difficult to know if you have been successful. This was a key message delivered by Professor David Patterson at the Embedde... » read more

IoT Debugging Crosses The Hardware-Software Divide


By Paul Hill and Gordon MacNee Debugging is an important part of embedded design; one that necessarily crosses the hardware/software divide. At a system level, the functionality of an embedded design is increasingly defined by firmware, so avoiding bugs requires engineers with specific disciplines to work closely together during the design phase of a project. It can also mean resisting the u... » read more

Is There Finally A Silver Bullet For Software?


As I am in Nuremberg for the annual embedded world conference, the overall mood here seemed a bit muted and slow on day one. There are rumors of 200 exhibitors of the roughly 1100 having pulled out due to the global health situation—we are all asked not to shake hands and smile instead—and the rainy weather doesn't help much either. With the weather turning to snow on day two, the attendanc... » read more

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