Distributed software execution using a Trusted Execution Environment

Asaf Shen (Discretix)

More sensitive commerce- and entertainment-related credentials assets are finding their way onto devices with open operating systems, creating a wider array of attack vectors. The prevalent approach to mitigate this threat is based on hardware isolation of an execution environment for sensitive info... [read more]

Building highly parallel rugged computers for electronic warfare

Mark Littlefield (Kontron)

Electronic warfare (EW) systems are among the most challenging embedded systems to design and deploy. Not only do they require voracious amounts of signal processing, they also require more mundane server-style processing (for signal library maintenance, data logging, etc.) and are often packaged in... [read more]

Cache partitioning increases CPU utilization for safety-critical multicore applications

Tim King (DDC-I)

Cache partitioning reduces worst-case execution time for critical tasks, thereby enhancing CPU utilization, especially for multicore applications.

Operating system developments impact critical systems

Jerry Gipper (Editorial Director)

Software architects designing critical embedded systems have tough choices to make when selecting an operating system. Decisions can be both simplified and complicated with new framework and platform initiatives coming into being.

FPGA coprocessors for low-power adaptive beamforming in hybrid VPX HPEC systems

Thierry Wastiaux (Interface Concept)

Beamforming techniques have become very important in the fields of radar, electronic warfare (EW), sonar, wireless communication, and medical imaging. These enable continuous formation of beams from array antennas (or array transducers) towards a tracked target - or a moving user in the case of wire... [read more]

Demystifying multi-core architecture for avionics

Patrick Huyck (Green Hills Software)

Avionics system architects making design decisions today are often frustrated by an expensive problem - having to perform a substantial redesign because an existing system lacked the flexibility required to support an update. Such inflexible barriers in the design process may be overcome by using ne... [read more]

Stacked, high-speed DDR4 and DDR5 memory useful in harsh battle environments

Jennifer Keenan (Mercury Systems )

Today's autonomous and artificial intelligence (AI) military systems process an ever-growing amount of sensor data. To handle this extreme workload, system architects must design boards using the fastest FPGA [field-programmable gate array] devices and Intel multicore processors. These devices canno... [read more]

Virtualization: A real weapon for embedded software development

Warren Webb (Editorial Director)

Despite an altered design philosophy, virtualization has definite performance and security impacts for the embedded developer.

Embedded IDEs shaped by Internet of Things, DIY, virtualization, multicore

Curt Schwaderer (Editorial Director)

Embedded systems are becoming smaller, more consolidated, and contain a mix of real-time processing with network connectivity and graphics capabilities. This trend in embedded development is facilitated by multicore processors and virtualization capabilities that enable real-time OS environments to ... [read more]

Conquering concurrency bugs in multicore systems

Paul Anderson (GrammaTech)

Concurrency challenges are compounded in multicore architectures due to their complex, parallel nature. New verification techniques can help catch concurrency bugs before final testing.

White Paper: Solving DO-178C design challenges with SCADE model-based tools

Pierre Vincent (Ansys, Inc.)

Embedded software in today's aircraft is becoming continually larger and more complex. A sizable part of this software is safety critical. In order to reach the required level of quality, verification of such software applications requires an effort on the verification side that may sometimes reach ... [read more]

Choosing a processor is a multifaceted process

David Katz (Analog Devices); Rick Gentile (Analog Devices)

The days are over when selecting a processor was a relatively simple task, in light of today’s converged processing paradigm. But examining a few key considerations can ease the decision-making process.

ARM's big.LITTLE architecture aims to satisfy the hunger for power - Q&A with John Goodacre, Director, Technology and Systems, ARM Processor Division

Sharon Hess (Managing Editor)

As smartphone and tablet users continue to demand much higher performance to keep pace with an ever-more-connected lifestyle, the demand for extended battery life naturally follows. However, one way ARM is meeting the challenge is with its big.LITTLE multicore-based architecture, which aims to boost... [read more]

eLearning Course: Security Boot Camp

Staff (Klocwork, Inc.)

Denial of service attacks. Data leaks. System crashes. Malicious code execution. These are all examples of the impact of exploited vulnerabilities in your code. As a diligent and security-conscious software developer, you need to arm yourself with the knowledge to defend your code against these issu... [read more]

VITA technology SBCs of the future

Jerry Gipper (Editorial Director)

Almost every backplane-based embedded computing system in existence has a board that is considered the controller. Over the years, the industry has often used the term Single Board Computer (SBC) to describe that board. The term is used because all of the basic computer functionality is integrated o... [read more]

Full speed ahead: FACE initiative fosters reuse, cuts costs and delivery time of military avionics systems

Staff (Military Embedded Systems)

The Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) Technical Standard aims to hasten delivery and cut costs of military avionics systems via a modular architecture, data models, standard interfaces, and conformance criteria that meld to enable reusable software components and a common operating envir... [read more]

Using high-performance SRAMs to increase performance in DSP-intensive applications

Suhail Zain (Cypress Semiconductor)

Military applications such as radar, Software Defined Radio (SDR), smart munitions and target detection systems, Electronic Warfare (EW), aircraft imaging, and many more benefit from Digital Signal Processors (DSPs). DSPs accelerate performance using deterministic processing and have capabilities th... [read more]

Adding real-time Java to a MILS operating system

Dr. Kevin Nilsen (Atego Systems)

A Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) operating system supports secure deployment of multiple applications with each application representing data belonging to a different security realm. Writing software for deployment with a MILS operating system requires attention to details that are n... [read more]

The case for security in Linux-based IoT devices

John Weber (Avnet)

Are you among the OEM and system integrators adding Internet connectivity and services into devices that were not originally intended to do so? If you are, then you know that by connecting these products to the Internet, customers are discovering new forms of revenue and, in some cases, entirely new... [read more]

5 steps to secure embedded software

Bill Dickenson (Strategy On The Web); Vijayakumar Kabbin (Wipro Technologies)

"When we do cybersecurity assessments, we get in almost every time. In our view, [the agencies] didn't need to wait until DOT&E found security issues, [the flaws] could have been found during software development." – Dr J. Michael Gilmore, Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, Office of the S... [read more]

White Paper: POS Security That Pays Its Own Way: The rising costs of POS system management and security

Staff (McAfee, Inc.)

Retailers are experiencing runaway spending on securing and managing their POS systems, in large part because organized criminals around the world have discovered that point-of-sale (POS) systems are low-risk, high-reward targets that are often poorly defended. The 2012 Verizon Data Breach Investiga... [read more]

Software development tools as force multipliers

Charlotte Adams (GE Intelligent Platforms)

Rock solid Xeon performance takes Sandy Bridge(s) to the server room

Chris Engels (Emerson Network Power); Brian Carr (Emerson Network Power)

Intel has done it again, but what is the best board design to take advantage of all that processing horsepower?

White Paper: Rugged by Design -- Helping Push the Environmental Limits of Defense Systems

Staff (Kontron )

Fully sealed, modular small form factor, Kontron Cobalt delivers a trusted computing resource.

Embedded signal processing enables advanced radars and EW systems with low latency

John McHale (Editorial Director)

Modern radar and electronic warfare designs rely heavily on embedded computing systems that leverage high-speed commercial processors and FPGAs to find every target or signal and enable the warfighter to respond in real time. Meanwhile, signal processing system designers are cutting costs by using p... [read more]

Reducing bugs in hardware design with EDA and formal verification technology

Jin Zhang (Oski Technology)

Complex SoCs are often behind schedule or require re-spins due to bugs not caught by verification. In order to meet hardware design challenges, and improve quality and efficiency, designers can integrate formal verification technology into the design cycle.

Radar's brave new world: OSA

Charlotte Adams (GE Intelligent Platforms)

Radar apps are picking up the trend towards COTS and Open Systems Architectures (OSAs).

White Paper: Challenging Some of the Myths About Static Code Analysis

Staff (Rogue Wave Software)

Why Static Code Analysis? Static code analysis, or SCA, can be described as the analysis of whole-program source code without the execution of that program. A number of interpretations and even misconceptions about this technology and how it impacts or benefits you, the developer, have emerged over ... [read more]

Encrypting storage in small form factors

Carey Johnson (Microsemi)

Self-encryption drives that fit into small-form-factor applications.

Embedded lockdown: Designing secure devices

Warren Webb (Editorial Director)

The impetuous move into a world of connected devices has rendered security an imperative consideration at every phase of the embedded design process. Warren comments on this and introduces the rest of the November 2012 issue of Embedded Computing Design.

More efficient power supplies using health monitoring

Mariana Iriarte (Associate Editor)

Continuous monitoring is a more valid way of testing, often giving more insight into the failure modes and interaction with the rest of the system.

Further developments in CompactPCI Serial

Barbara Schmitz (MEN Mikro Elektronik)

When revamping one of the most popular industry specifications, many factors need to be considered to meet the diverse needs of existing users and those of a new set of developers ready to take advantage of an upgraded technology platform.

Big 3 Executive Interview - John Chilton, Senior VP, Marketing and Strategic Development, Synopsys, Inc.

Mike Demler (Editorial Director)

In an exclusive executive interview with EDA Digest, John Chilton of Synopsys shares his company's perspective on the transition from 2D to 3D ICs, among other things.