Emerging trends in embedded systems and applications

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7/18/2010 08:25 PM EDT
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The embedded systems industry was born with the invention of microcontrollers and since then it has evolved
into various forms, from primarily being designed for machine control applications to various other new verticals
with the convergence of communications.

Various classes of embedded systems such as home media systems, portable players, smart phones,
embedded medical devices and sensors, automotive embedded systems have surrounded us and with
continued convergence of communications and computing functions within these devices, embedded systems
are transforming themselves into really complex systems, thus creating newer opportunities and challenges to
develop and market more powerful, energy efficient processors, peripherals and other accessories.

An embedded system is more than the electronics as most people perceive it. It has electronics both digital
and analog, special purpose sensors and actuators, software, mechanical items etc., and with design
challenges of space, weight, cost and power consumption. Its important characteristics are low-power, real-
time responsiveness, low thermal dissipation, small physical form factor/footprint, low radiation/emission,
ruggedness in design and impervious to external radiations etc.

In order to achieve key requirements, generally embedded systems are restricted to limited resources in terms
of computing, memory, display size etc. With continued convergence of other technologies a lot more
functionalities are being pushed into embedded devices which were once part of traditional computing
platforms. This further adds a major decision challenge for architects and product managers on selection of
processors, operating systems, standards of usage etc., as demands on functionality increase with time to
market decreases.


Patterns insight from the applications of embedded systems in real life

Embedded systems are more than part of human life. For instance, one cannot imagine life without mobile
phones for personal communication. Its presence is virtually unavoidable in almost all facets of human
endeavor. While we search on patterns in each of these application spaces, we can clearly identify the trend as
to where the future of embedded systems is heading.

Multicore in embedded

With a lot functionalities being added, the need for high performance in embedded systems has become
inevitable and so developers are increasingly leaning towards multicore processors in their systems design
decision. While this range of new applications also demands low thermals in small form factor setting, the
mechanicals and packaging is also becoming a sub specialization of its own.

Conventionally, chip manufacturers developed faster single core processors to meet the ever increasing
performance requirements but soon they realized that increasing frequency, though offered certain benefits had
drawbacks too such as:

It drove to higher power consumption and so the higher thermals;

Overall cost increased as the peripherals surrounding also needed to operate at matching speed, which
was truly not practical in all cases, there by driving the costs.

This paradigm is a serious drawback for embedded computing requirements, so semiconductor manufacturers
have recognized that the way forward is to build processors that run at lower frequency and voltages but
include parallel cores onto single chip. The overall performance increases because multicores can perform
more than one task at given point of time.

Today most of the gaming consoles are multicore and so are smartphones, which are indeed getting 'smarter'.
While this multicore paradigm offers benefits, there is also ample opportunity for the engineers to
realign/relearn on this new design space on architecture, design, programming, debugging and testing so that
they are well informed and are aware about the optimal use of new power that a multicore offers.

If the benefits are not harnessed by developers then the purpose gets defeated. The eco-system for usage of
multicore is still emerging and it depends on how fast or rapidly designers are opting for change and
standardization. IDE companies have already taken lead in this regard by making necessary changes and
adding support for the new multicores and this will clearly be one of the key factors of success of usage of
multicores in embedded systems.


Another recent development is that the chip suppliers are now making and marketing new chips aiming at
specific markets. For instance, Intel launched an embedded processor aiming at the Point of sale terminal and
other retail computing applications. Intel's Celeron CPU is extensively being applied to new IP STB designs.
Intel is also developing chips for home media systems and portable media players.

Companies like Transmeta, Philips semiconductor, Netsilicon etc., are all aiming at embedded apps. Philips is
all set to introduce its LPC2000 series MCU based on ARM7 kernel, which has flash memory, RAM, ADC, CAN
and PWM channel and can be applied to automotive electronics, industry control and medical equipment,
Netsilicon as another example has NET+ARM series processors, among which NS9775 is a 32bit, 200MHz
microprocessor including four independent video channels, TI too, is planning new in its most successful
OMAP architecture series. Transmeta has Crusoe TM5700 and TM9500 and both offers better performance
and form factor is halved compared to its last generation products.

Although the demand for processing is ever increasing for new embedded applications, traditional applications
are still in mainstream and they are now offering ultra low cost and power requirements and increased onchip
memory (both RAM and Flash) with new interfaces are key differentiators companies like Atmel Corp.,
Microchip Technology Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, RDC Semiconductor Co. Ltd, Epson and other
companies are featuring their respective MCU products in these space.

Embedded operating systems

Traditionally embedded systems did away with an operating system (OS), it had lightweight control
program/monitor to offer limited I/O and memory services, however, as the systems became complex, it was
inevitable to have OS which offered low latency real-time response, low foot print both in time and space and
give all traditional functionality such as memory protection, error checking/report and transparent interprocess
communication, which can be applied to communications, consumer electronics, industry controls, automotive
electronics and aerospace/national defense.

Emerging multicore also needs multimission, multithread, multiprocess, multiprocessor, multiboard debugging
and has to operate on open source tool chains such as eclipse etc., most of the new designs today are moving
away from proprietary OS and tool chains and are more and more opting for opensource platforms both of
development and deployment as the key market differentiator for them is cost.

Royalty free licensing deployment is the key for reducing the end user costs so OS like Linux embedded and
new OS such as Android are making inroads into places where traditionally Windows CE/Vxworks etc., used to
play. Today many new handhelds and smart phones are embracing Andriod.

Even Wind River (acquired by Intel has embraced Linux and now offers it in its portfolio of products. Eclipse,
the open source project for building development platforms offers an environment that crosses over RTOS
boundaries. It comprises extensible frameworks, tools and runtimes for building, deploying and managing
software throughout its lifecycle.


Embedded digital security and surveillance

In the ever increasing interconnected world, Digital embedded security is no more an option but a necessity as
it is very critical for more transactions happening over embedded devices as front ends. Due to constrained
resources on systems, embedded systems have challenges in implementation on full fledged security systems
therefore the concept of 'embedded security' offers a new differentiator for embedded product marketing.

Digital security and surveillance is currently in the host of new applications in the embedded arena which is
benefiting from multicore phenomenon. Older systems needed more human intervention, but new systems
offer intelligent systems to operate multisite, integrated and net centric systems that optimizes the resources
needed to complete the job. The applications based on computer vision and tracking offers multiple benefits in
capturing, post processing and identification and alerting of security video in realtime.

Convergence embedded systems and applications

The retail segment is one of the fastest growing segments in emerging markets and the trend in retail markets
is moving towards improving the user experience, which is most certainly setting trend towards increased
performance, connectivity and rich graphics.

A point-of-sale terminal (PoS) is a great example of this - the latest PoS devices incorporate dual-display for
advertising, complex accounting applications and are increasingly connected to a central server for remote
management. Back end integration with web/online stores from these embedded devices offers to bring in
latest offers onto their connected mobiles instantly if they are planning to buy certain item. The location based
marketing applications and convergence of Bluetooth based retail communication marketing space is offering
new paradigms of sales and marketing which is beneficial for both sellers and buyers.

Healthcare

Electronic medical device and other technological innovations with the convergence of biotech, nanotech,
manufacturing tech, communication tech and device, sensor technologies are making breathtaking
transformations in healthcare delivery and creating new health care paradigms.

Bio med devices tech is being applied into wide variety of analytical problems including medicine, surgery and
drug discovery, these devices are portable diagnostic imaging and home monitoring such as cholesterol
monitors, blood glucose meters and with recent innovations paving way for miniaturization of devices,
replacement organs and tissues, earlier use of more accurate diagnostics, and advances in information
technology, became available thru Silicon Chip revolution.

The fastest growing markets within medical for semiconductors are home monitoring and diagnostic devices,
telemetry, and diagnostic imaging applications. Interestingly the convergence of wireless communication with
the sensors created the BAN body area network which is today used to monitor, heart ECG, pulse rate,
temperature, oxygen, blood pressure etc., sleep disorders can also be monitored using a clip device fixed to
head band.

For instance, Corventis develops wireless cardiovascular solutions that offer unprecedented visibility into a
patients health status anytime, anywhere across the world. It has developed complete systems sensors to
monitor various critical health parameters network to communicate between sensors and gateway, gateway
application on an iphone and backend clinical application that can store, analyse and help clinical professionals
to have unprecedented access to their patients critical system parameters. All these happened because of
advancement of sensor, computing, communication technologies.

Automotive

With drive across the world to improve on emission controls and bring in efficiency in usage of fossil fuels, the
automotive segment is challenged by various factors and embedded systems are clearly the ways and means
of achieving multiple objectives in this segment taking it from infotainment systems, engine control unit, Car-
area-network, fuel management, safety systems all need embedded to be in it.

Traffic management and prediction systems are being developed for large cities across the world today and the
critical systems that has to support this is M2M or V2V communication networks that, form adhoc networks,
seamlessly gather information from multiple sources, fuse and make decision that not only help the car users
but also city traffic managers.

The realtime management of this is possible only by having embedded computing and communication systems
that are part of the vehicle and the network. The usage of vehicle tracking and fleet tracking has already been
beneficial for the operators by reducing their opex and downtime which has enhanced the customer
satisfaction.

This apart, media oriented systems transport (MOST) is one of the technologies being deployed by OEMs for
multimedia and infotainment networking. This technology is designed to provide an efficient and cost-effective
fabric to transmit audio, video, data and control information between devices attached even to the harsh
environment of an automobile.


Entertainment

While we have seen mobiles, handhelds, ipods etc., have changed the landscape of the personal
entertainment in the world in the recent past, the emerging trend is adding more intelligence in the personal
entertainment, communication devices by converging the social networks, city information, location based
services and choices and profile of the users.

All these are going to be delivered through the continuous gathering of intelligence, choices and users and
recent transactions. The devices are becoming multimodal, iPod and other new androids offer gesture
recognition and also the new devices are offering augmented reality applications that are going to be future
killer applications for smart phones integration of real physical world with the virtual computing world this
drives the camera, display, MEMS based position and other tracking device technology to advance in the smart
phone/tablets.


Localization and internationalization

For all these devices to be sold in world-wide markets, they need to be supported both locally and
internationally. The access to global markets can happen only with localization/personalization of features in
the device with multi-language support and also backend support offices that offer customized localized
services. The usage of different font technologies & adapting newer ones are the key for embedded systems
that are human centric to survive and thrive in the market so more and more device manufacturers are working
with local partners to ensure that their embedded devices and support systems are localized and offer multi-
language local culture flavor in definitive terms. -

Lastly, the future of embedded lies in how faster people adapt to the changes offered by convergence
communications, nano, manufacturing and develop super applications that advance the society and human
needs, lets hope that our future is also embedded into it.




Now if we look at the future trends in hardware of embedded system then we have

Microprocessors / Microcontrollers: In what concerns microprocessors and
microcontrollers, computing performance, which has always been an important issue, will see
its relative importance reduced as a requirement due to the current availability of low cost
devices with enough processing power for most practical embedded applications. Also, the
embedding of network controllers in processors fostered the development of distributed
embedded systems. This has contributed to the sustained utilization of a considerable number
of processors with 8/16 bits, instead of their announced death.

Dedicated and programable hardware: Dedicated hardware may also play an important
role by removing some sources of non-determinism of real-time applications. To support this
kind of flexibility in the presence of realtime constraints, the coprocessor implements
additionally a timeline-based schedulability analysis that is used to control the admission of all
changes in the communication requirements.

Integrated communications: As is was previously referred, the integration of processing and
communication capabilities in low-cost hardware components, e.g, in microcontrollers, produced
a strong impact in embedded systems. This fact has been fostering the large-scale use of
distributed architectures in embedded systems, with positive impact on systems scalability,
composability and dependability. Particularly, the trend is towards highly distributed
architectures with high number of nodes, most of which will be relatively simple, dedicated to
specific functions, e.g. intelligent sensors. On its turn, this trend also influences the hardware
design itself, simplifying it at the node level, and transferring a substantial part of the overall
complexity to the network.