#embedded firmware

[rhosigmaa]

Get expert firmware development services for embedded, IoT, and industrial devices. Secure, real-time, and performance-driven solutions delivered end-to-end.

[adafruit]

Solenoids go clicky-clacky 🔩🔊🤖

We're testing out an I2C-to-solenoid driver today. It uses an MCP23017 expander. We like this particular chip for this usage because it has push-pull outputs, making it ideal for driving our N-channel FETs and flyback diodes. The A port connects to the 8 drivers, while the B port remains available for other GPIO purposes. For this demo, whenever we 'touch' a pin on port B to ground, the corresponding solenoid triggers provide an easy way to check speed and power usage.

[allie-leth]

My worker firmware works! It flashed itself over, now just to add some roll back, security, and validation features. But effectively this means I never have to plug in another ESP32 to send them firmware. I can just tell them to post to MQTT from the worker firmware for logging and post the firmware binary to my local file server. This makes my life so much easier while building out this mesh of meshes multi-protocol com lib. Hell yeahhh

[el-ffej]

IMO: Absolutely, positively spot-on. Been a software engineer from 1980 to 2016, and this just nails the tech industry economics (and phases) that I saw then, and that I see now.

Must-read. Brilliantly written and on target. Kudos and applause, OP.

If anyone wants to know why every tech company in the world right now is clamoring for AI like drowned rats scrabbling to board a ship, I decided to make a post to explain what's happening.

(Disclaimer to start: I'm a software engineer who's been employed full time since 2018. I am not a historian nor an overconfident Youtube essayist, so this post is my working knowledge of what I see around me and the logical bridges between pieces.)

Okay anyway. The explanation starts further back than what's going on now. I'm gonna start with the year 2000. The Dot Com Bubble just spectacularly burst. The model of "we get the users first, we learn how to profit off them later" went out in a no-money-having bang (remember this, it will be relevant later). A lot of money was lost. A lot of people ended up out of a job. A lot of startup companies went under. Investors left with a sour taste in their mouth and, in general, investment in the internet stayed pretty cooled for that decade. This was, in my opinion, very good for the internet as it was an era not suffocating under the grip of mega-corporation oligarchs and was, instead, filled with Club Penguin and I Can Haz Cheezburger websites.

Then around the 2010-2012 years, a few things happened. Interest rates got low, and then lower. Facebook got huge. The iPhone took off. And suddenly there was a huge new potential market of internet users and phone-havers, and the cheap money was available to start backing new tech startup companies trying to hop on this opportunity. Companies like Uber, Netflix, and Amazon either started in this time, or hit their ramp-up in these years by shifting focus to the internet and apps.

Now, every start-up tech company dreaming of being the next big thing has one thing in common: they need to start off by getting themselves massively in debt. Because before you can turn a profit you need to first spend money on employees and spend money on equipment and spend money on data centers and spend money on advertising and spend money on scale and and and

But also, everyone wants to be on the ship for The Next Big Thing that takes off to the moon.

So there is a mutual interest between new tech companies, and venture capitalists who are willing to invest $$$ into said new tech companies. Because if the venture capitalists can identify a prize pig and get in early, that money could come back to them 100-fold or 1,000-fold. In fact it hardly matters if they invest in 10 or 20 total bust projects along the way to find that unicorn.

But also, becoming profitable takes time. And that might mean being in debt for a long long time before that rocket ship takes off to make everyone onboard a gazzilionaire.

But luckily, for tech startup bros and venture capitalists, being in debt in the 2010's was cheap, and it only got cheaper between 2010 and 2020. If people could secure loans for ~3% or 4% annual interest, well then a $100,000 loan only really costs $3,000 of interest a year to keep afloat. And if inflation is higher than that or at least similar, you're still beating the system.

So from 2010 through early 2022, times were good for tech companies. Startups could take off with massive growth, showing massive potential for something, and venture capitalists would throw infinite money at them in the hopes of pegging just one winner who will take off. And supporting the struggling investments or the long-haulers remained pretty cheap to keep funding.

You hear constantly about "Such and such app has 10-bazillion users gained over the last 10 years and has never once been profitable", yet the thing keeps chugging along because the investors backing it aren't stressed about the immediate future, and are still banking on that "eventually" when it learns how to really monetize its users and turn that profit.

The pandemic in 2020 took a magnifying-glass-in-the-sun effect to this, as EVERYTHING was forcibly turned online which pumped a ton of money and workers into tech investment. Simultaneously, money got really REALLY cheap, bottoming out with historic lows for interest rates.

Then the tide changed with the massive inflation that struck late 2021. Because this all-gas no-brakes state of things was also contributing to off-the-rails inflation (along with your standard-fare greedflation and price gouging, given the extremely convenient excuses of pandemic hardships and supply chain issues). The federal reserve whipped out interest rate hikes to try to curb this huge inflation, which is like a fire extinguisher dousing and suffocating your really-cool, actively-on-fire party where everyone else is burning but you're in the pool. And then they did this more, and then more. And the financial climate followed suit. And suddenly money was not cheap anymore, and new loans became expensive, because loans that used to compound at 2% a year are now compounding at 7 or 8% which, in the language of compounding, is a HUGE difference. A $100,000 loan at a 2% interest rate, if not repaid a single cent in 10 years, accrues to $121,899. A $100,000 loan at an 8% interest rate, if not repaid a single cent in 10 years, more than doubles to $215,892.

Now it is scary and risky to throw money at "could eventually be profitable" tech companies. Now investors are watching companies burn through their current funding and, when the companies come back asking for more, investors are tightening their coin purses instead. The bill is coming due. The free money is drying up and companies are under compounding pressure to produce a profit for their waiting investors who are now done waiting.

You get enshittification. You get quality going down and price going up. You get "now that you're a captive audience here, we're forcing ads or we're forcing subscriptions on you." Don't get me wrong, the plan was ALWAYS to monetize the users. It's just that it's come earlier than expected, with way more feet-to-the-fire than these companies were expecting. ESPECIALLY with Wall Street as the other factor in funding (public) companies, where Wall Street exhibits roughly the same temperament as a baby screaming crying upset that it's soiled its own diaper (maybe that's too mean a comparison to babies), and now companies are being put through the wringer for anything LESS than infinite growth that Wall Street demands of them.

Internal to the tech industry, you get MASSIVE wide-spread layoffs. You get an industry that used to be easy to land multiple job offers shriveling up and leaving recent graduates in a desperately awful situation where no company is hiring and the market is flooded with laid-off workers trying to get back on their feet.

Because those coin-purse-clutching investors DO love virtue-signaling efforts from companies that say "See! We're not being frivolous with your money! We only spend on the essentials." And this is true even for MASSIVE, PROFITABLE companies, because those companies' value is based on the Rich Person Feeling Graph (their stock) rather than the literal profit money. A company making a genuine gazillion dollars a year still tears through layoffs and freezes hiring and removes the free batteries from the printer room (totally not speaking from experience, surely) because the investors LOVE when you cut costs and take away employee perks. The "beer on tap, ping pong table in the common area" era of tech is drying up. And we're still unionless.

Never mind that last part.

And then in early 2023, AI (more specifically, Chat-GPT which is OpenAI's Large Language Model creation) tears its way into the tech scene with a meteor's amount of momentum. Here's Microsoft's prize pig, which it invested heavily in and is galivanting around the pig-show with, to the desperate jealousy and rapture of every other tech company and investor wishing it had that pig. And for the first time since the interest rate hikes, investors have dollar signs in their eyes, both venture capital and Wall Street alike. They're willing to restart the hose of money (even with the new risk) because this feels big enough for them to take the risk.

Now all these companies, who were in varying stages of sweating as their bill came due, or wringing their hands as their stock prices tanked, see a single glorious gold-plated rocket up out of here, the likes of which haven't been seen since the free money days. It's their ticket to buy time, and buy investors, and say "see THIS is what will wring money forth, finally, we promise, just let us show you."

To be clear, AI is NOT profitable yet. It's a money-sink. Perhaps a money-black-hole. But everyone in the space is so wowed by it that there is a wide-spread and powerful conviction that it will become profitable and earn its keep. (Let's be real, half of that profit "potential" is the promise of automating away jobs of pesky employees who peskily cost money.) It's a tech-space industrial revolution that will automate away skilled jobs, and getting in on the ground floor is the absolute best thing you can do to get your pie slice's worth.

It's the thing that will win investors back. It's the thing that will get the investment money coming in again (or, get it second-hand if the company can be the PROVIDER of something needed for AI, which other companies with venture-back will pay handsomely for). It's the thing companies are terrified of missing out on, lest it leave them utterly irrelevant in a future where not having AI-integration is like not having a mobile phone app for your company or not having a website.

So I guess to reiterate on my earlier point:

Drowned rats. Swimming to the one ship in sight.

[smacsoftwares]

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Ready to bring your devices to life with seamless software integration? Let’s get started! 🔋💡

Read more at https://smacsoftwares.com/embedded-software-development/

[creativeera]

Embedded Computing Marled is Anticipated to Witness High Growth Owing to Wide Adoption Across End-use Industries

Embedded computing refers to a computer system that is part of a larger mechanical or electrical system designed to perform a dedicated function. Embedded systems are designed for specific control functions within embedded products and machines and operate under the direct control of an embedded program. Some key features of embedded systems include rugged construction, low power usage, real-time operating capabilities and compact size. Embedded devices are commonly found in industrial equipment, automobiles, consumer electronics, home appliances and medical devices to control electronic systems. Their key advantage is the ability to control electronic processes in a precise, flexible and cost-effective manner.

The global embedded computing market is estimated to be valued at US$ 112.45 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 174.38 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% from 2024 to 2031.

Wide adoption across industries such as industrial automation, transportation, healthcare, telecommunication and consumer electronics is fueling market growth. Embedded systems allow streamlining of electronic processes, reducing downtimes and operation costs for end-use industries. Key Takeaways Key players operating in the embedded computing market are Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Inc., Advantech Co., Ltd., Avalue Technology Inc., Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Dell Technologies Inc., Emerson Electric Co., Fujitsu Limited, General Electric Company, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Honeywell International Inc., Intel Corporation, Kontron ST AG, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Rockwell Automation, Inc., and Texas Instruments Incorporated. The Embedded Computing Market Demand offers significant opportunities for system integrators and solution providers through new product development and capability expansion. Growing digitization trends across industry verticals will continue to generate strong demand for embedded systems with advanced computing and connectivity features. Leading embedded computing companies are focusing on global expansion strategies through partnerships, joint ventures and acquisitions to solidify their presence in emerging economies of Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. These regions offer high growth potential driven by ongoing modernization of infrastructure and growing electronics manufacturing activities. Market Drivers Wide adoption across industrial automation applications is a key driver for the embedded computing market. Use of embedded systems allows streamlining of electronic processes, reducing downtimes and operation costs for industrial equipment manufacturers. Growing connectivity trends through Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will further propel demand. Rising electronics content in automobiles is positively impacting the market. Advanced driver assistance systems, infotainment systems and vehicle networking require powerful embedded computing solutions. Strict fuel efficiency and vehicle emissions norms will accelerate integration of embedded computing hardware. Market Restrain Design complexity of developing embedded system on a chip (SoC) poses challenges, especially for integrating advanced Embedded Computing Companies capabilities with low power requirements. This increases new product development timelines and costs. Limited standardization across various embedded system platforms inhibits seamless interoperability, data exchange and application portability. This poses difficulties for globally distributed product development activities.

Segment Analysis Automotive industrial and transportation is dominating the embedded computing market due to increasing implementation of advanced driver-assistance systems, connected vehicles solutions, electric vehicles, and autonomous vehicles. According to recent surveys over 65% of all new light vehicles shipped will have features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and blind spot monitoring by 2030. All these emerging technologies are driving the growth of embedded systems in automotive applications. Security and defense is another major sub segment in the embedded computing market owing to rising implementation of thermal weapon sights, combat management systems, imaging payloads and guidance systems in warships, aircraft carriers and fighter jets. Real-time information, enhanced situational awareness and integrated mission capabilities are some key priorities for embedded systems in defense applications. Various nations are also focusing on developing autonomous weapons which will further augment demand in coming years. Global Analysis North America dominates the global embedded computing market with a share of over 35% due to substantial research funding and presence of major OEMs in the region. US and Canada are hub for embedded technology development owing to advancement in networking infrastructure, IoT penetration and adoption of Industry 4.0 concepts. Asia Pacific shows fastest growth momentum led by China, India, Japan and South Korea. Low manufacturing cost and government initiatives to digitize industries are driving Asia Pacific market. Intensifying Sino-US trade war may impact supply chain dynamics in long run. Europe captures around 25% market share led by Germany, United Kingdom and France.

Get more insights on Embedded Computing Market

About Author:

Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/money-singh-590844163)

[bermondseysblog]

Automotive Embedded Systems: A Bridge to Smart Mobility

In the rapidly evolving landscape of the automotive industry, Automotive Embedded Systems are pivotal in transitioning traditional vehicles into smart mobility solutions. Bermondsey Electronics Limited is at the forefront of this transformative era, integrating sophisticated embedded firmware and software to enhance vehicle intelligence and connectivity.

Embedded systems in automotive technology represent a core component where hardware and software seamlessly converge to perform specific, mission-critical functions. From advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) to infotainment and telematics, these systems are the backbone of modern vehicles. By ensuring high reliability and real-time performance, Embedded Firmware and Software development is a crucial area of focus for us at Bermondsey Electronics Limited.

The integration of Embedded Machine Learning is setting a new benchmark in the automotive sector. This innovative approach allows vehicles to learn from vast amounts of data generated during operation, leading to improved safety features, predictive maintenance, and a personalized user experience. Embedded ML not only enhances the vehicle's capabilities but also paves the way for autonomous driving technologies.

As we continue to develop and refine our embedded systems, our commitment at Bermondsey Electronics Limited remains firm: to deliver cutting-edge solutions that propel the automotive industry toward a future where smart mobility is not just a concept, but a reality. Join us on this journey as we bridge the gap between traditional automotive practices and the dynamic world of smart mobility through pioneering embedded systems.

[srqrobotic]

SRQ Robotics: Pioneering Advanced Embedded Systems and IoT Solutions

In an era where technology is rapidly evolving, SRQ Robotics emerges as a leader in Embedded Systems Development and IoT Technologies. Specializing in IoT solutions and algorithm development, SRQ Robotics is setting new benchmarks in the tech industry.

At the heart of SRQ Robotics' innovation lies a diverse range of microcontrollers, including ESP32, NRF52, Arduino, STM32, and PSoC6, forming the foundation of their state-of-the-art solutions. Their expertise extends to developing advanced IoT technologies with capabilities in wireless communication and seamless website & dashboard integrations, revolutionizing interconnected systems.

SRQ Robotics showcases exceptional skill in sensor technology and communication systems, utilizing a wide array of sensors such as IMUs, Accelerometers, Gyroscopes, BMS, Ultrasonic Sensors, ToF sensors, GPS, Encoders, Digital Pressure Sensors, and Temperature Sensors. Their proficiency in custom library development in Arduino, C++, C, and Python ensures efficient and harmonious system integration.

The company's excellence in WiFi, Bluetooth, and BLE systems is marked by custom data packet structures, emphasizing speedy and reliable communication. This meticulous attention to communication protocols underscores their commitment to performance and reliability in the realm of Embedded Systems and IoT Technologies.

SRQ Robotics' prowess in digital signal processing is evident in their implementation of advanced algorithms for signal refinement and data extraction. Their noise filtering algorithms guarantee the reliability and accuracy of their systems.

Offering end-to-end services, SRQ Robotics excels from electronic component selection and circuit schematic designing to PCB designing, prototyping, manufacturing, and rigorous testing and debugging. Their dedication to quality extends to precise firmware implementation, ensuring flawless project realization.

Their diverse project portfolio spans remote patient monitoring systems, innovative fitness trackers, smart agriculture management systems, advanced drone flight controllers, and industrial machine controller circuits. Each project reflects their holistic approach and commitment to excellence.

SRQ Robotics is not just an organization; it's a beacon of innovation in the tech world, redefining industry standards and leading the way in Embedded Systems and IoT Technologies.

For more details please visit: - https://www.srqrobotics.com/

Contact Info:

SRQ Robotics

Email:  info@srqrobotics.com

Phone No.: +1 (737) 710-1504

[alexanderkorotynskiy]

We are a development partner for electronics, embedded software and applications

We are a Czech company with innovative thinking. We connect worlds of software and��electronics. We manage projects to create high added value and to give our customers an edge over the competition. We like to approach our work systematically and we are convinced that order and correct system create half of success.

Our customers are both bigger and smaller companies.

Most of our customers do expect long term cooperation in development of electronic devices or software development. Some of our customers use only partial services such as PCB design or embedded software and apps development. We also provide electronics production for our partners.

We are convinced that mutual communication is the right basis for successful partnerships. That’s why we focus on proper communication between our team and customers.

[rhosigmaa]

The Embedded Firmware Development Guide

Introduction

Embedded firmware development is the process of developing software that will be directly developed and integrated into the hardware to control specific functionalities. It is part of what makes various electronic systems, from consumer devices to industrial equipment. The software created is for running with limited resources, such as memory and processing power, while granting precise control of hardware operation.

This is development in software directly handling hardware functions of a device. Unlike normal software, embedded into the hardware, it has become part of the whole system. This software manages tasks such as sensor operations, communication with other devices, and power management.

It should be optimized and efficient as much as possible since the computing capabilities in these systems are generally limited. When it comes to consumer electronics, industrial machines, or IoT devices, the role of embedded firmware development is very important in ensuring proper functionality and efficiency of pieces of hardware.

Key Phases of Embedded Firmware Development

Requirement Gathering and System Design

This stage involves getting familiar with what the hardware does, how the firmware interacts with all components, and its processing speed and memory. Key points include processing speed, memory, and power consumption.

Hardware-Software Interaction

The architecture of the firmware of embedded systems should be aligned with that of the hardware. It demands developers to gain real insight into the communication between processor, memory, and peripherals so that effective software can be developed to achieve optimized performance.

Real-Time Constraints

Most of the embedded systems are real-time, as the firmware should respond to the events or inputs within some bounds of time. This can be achieved using either a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) or bare-metal programming by directly controlling the hardware or through task priority.

Power Efficiency

Many of these embedded devices utilize low-power supplies, and so the programmer putting together the embedded firmware makes a conscious effort to produce energy-effective code and make the most out of the hardware features available, such as low-power modes, to get the most life out of the batteries in IoT gadgets and wearable tech, for example.

We at Rhosigma, has the most superior service in the business of embedded firmware development services. Ensure that your hardware is working correctly and safely. Contact us today.

Testing and Debugging of Embedded Firmware Development

Embedded firmware development must be heavily tested to ensure that the system will work seamlessly under real conditions. Some of the critical testing techniques include:

Unit Testing This process involves the division of the firmware into smaller components, by which each of the parts is tested for its individual functions. Before integrating them, each part of this firmware is verified separately.

System Testing

System testing proves how well the firmware works with hardware combined. In this step, all hardware components are checked to see whether they are actually working under proper control of the firmware.

Stress Testing

These tests are conducted by pushing the device to its extreme limits as well as simulating extreme conditions, such as low power or high load, in order to identify potential problems or failures in the firmware.

Debugging

Debugging involved a tough process in the development of embedded firmware. It is compared with traditional software debugging. Firmware interfaces directly with hardware, and tracking down issues may sometimes prove challenging to diagnose using hardware-software interaction tools that include a JTAG debugger or in-circuit emulator (ICE).

Challenges in Embedded Firmware Development

Only a Limited Resource

Embedded systems are often characterized by strict limitations imposed on their processing power, memory, and energy consumption. Firmware developers must find ways to optimize their performance for it to fit within such constraints and still be able to deliver reliable performance.

Security Issues

The embedded systems are expanding as part of the Internet of Things (IoT), which introduces some new security concerns. In firmware development for embedded systems, strong security has to be incorporated to avert vulnerabilities like undue access or tampering.

Real-Time Requirements

Most embedded systems operate with real-time constraints. The firmware must respond before external events without any kind of delay. Thus, effective task management and timely programming are prime requisites in such cases.

Future of Embedded Firmware Development

As technology advances, so does the complexity in the design of embedded systems; therefore, there is a growing need to develop efficient firmware. Smarter devices, an entire ecosystem of IoT, and autonomous systems require embedded firmware that performs more complex and sophisticated jobs, real-time processing of data, and enhanced security.

The future of embedded firmware development will be most likely focused on better automation, better seamless integration with cloud services, and better security. Firmware will also be more adaptive in terms of being able to handle future upgrades and functionalities without the need for changes in hardware.

Conclusion

Embedded firmware development is now an integral part of modern technology. It acts as a backbone for efficient, secure, and reliable hardware operations. From industrial machines to consumer gadgets and IoTs, embedded firmware development ensures the intended functioning of hardware is possible.

Want reliability? We provide expert embedded firmware development services, where your devices run with efficiency, meet real-time constraints &  secure. Contact us today.

Also Read:

Firmware Development

[adafruit]

ESP32-P4 booting up and running CircuitPython 🚀🐍

Core CircuitPython dev Scott has been chugging away at adding ESP32-P4 support to CircuitPython - and today tossed us a bin file that runs on the Eval board we got last week from Espressif. Native USB is still in progress, but we can connect to the REPL and save files using the USB-Serial converter. It's so fast at 400mhz, and with 16 or 32 MHz of PSRAM, it's going to be an awesome board for embedded Python! More soon!

[digitalcreationsllc]

Make Noise Spectraphon updated | Juno Daily

New firmware fixes bugs and adds features to the excellent spectral oscillator module. [embedded content] A new revision of the Make Noise Spectraphon’s firmware fixes critical bugs and also adds two new options to the excellent spectral oscillator module. The sub-oscillator signal is now available as an output in both modes, while new button-press combinations allow you to delete user arrays…

[industrydesignservices]

Teksun Inc is an ISO 9001:2015 certified IoT and AI Solutions Company specializing in Product Engineering Services supporting ODM & OEM for numerous B2B Applications & Use Cases. To know more about browse: https://teksun.com/ Contact us ID: marketing@teksun.com

[utopicwork]

Out of curiousity, how did you get into doing this sort of computer work? Especially more low level stuff. :]

How can other people get into it / what would you like to see people make in the future in this area?

- Aspiring Programmer

I was an extremely poor kid, in middle school I learned about piracy which led to me getting into FOSS software for media conversion so I could load a bunch of media onto my psp. A short time later I learned about cfw, custom firmware, for psps when I was trying to figure out how pirating games for the system worked, that led to my first hardware hacking, at the time you needed to make a "magic battery" in order to save money on hacking the system which luckily for me I was able to do with a busted battery. That was really my big start because it was so exciting to be a poor kid with access to tons of games and media all of a sudden. Since then I've been very interested in firmware work and embedded systems, though I definitely didnt know thats what it was at the time.

For getting into software/hardware hacking/programming in a similar way I'd seriously recommend getting a cheap SBC, something like a Raspberry Pi Zero or just a Raspberry Pi is a good place to start especially since there are tons of projects for those boards that you can hack on and tons of very useful programs like pi-hole which does DNS ad blocking.

As to what I'd like to see people do: more projects dealing with media on these kinds of systems, video djing, glitch art, etc, because usually you're limited to something like VLC for media.