Webinar & Whitepaper: Building Real-Time Distributed Applications

Real-Time Innovations invites you to participate in a comprehensive webinar series on data management for real-time distributed systems. Learn to build standards-based applications that deliver data on time and allow it to be shared efficiently between embedded systems and enterprise SQL databases or web services. Register today and receive a complimentary white paper!

Last month's, Embedded Systems Conference was many things to many people, not the least software designers. Embedded software design has long been the industry's 'achilles' heel,' with late projects and flawed products blamed on the complexities and errors of software design. No problem goes long without (attempted) solutions - here are some of the basic approaches.

First, there are companies that 'start at the top,' providing software that manages the design process itself, usually through some sort of UML or Object-oriented technology. I-Logix has long been a leader in this area, and they have many Webinars on their site explaining the ins and outs of the 'high level' approach, here. The company also announced Rhapsody 6.1 at the show. Competitor Rational has suffered from acquisition by IBM, and there are also Telelogic, and Accenia. IBM has a very useful overview, Testing embedded systems: Do you have the GuTs for it?.

A second approach to the problem of faulty, bug-ridden, or unreliable embedded code is to focus on "software testing." One leader in this space is the U.K. company, LDRA. Their 'Testbed' product focuses on two key aspects of software testing: static analysis (analyzing code and providing an understanding of code structure), and dynamic analysis (involving execution with test data, through an instrumented version of the source code, to pinpoint defects at run time). Their products also clearly orient towards 'team' development. Product information here.

Klocwork is another company focused on testing, with their flagship product being Klocwork K7™. The core is their patented static analysis engine for examining C, C++ and Java software. Other companies in the testing group are Vector Software, and Blue River Software.

A final approach to software quality focuses on 'mission critical' or 'safety critical software,' often to the extent of providing first-pass (or better) compliance with various industry standards. Polyspace, for example, highlights the utility of their software towards standards compliance. Check with your own industry standards group to see if they point to software testing companies that are focused especially on your own standards needs.

Another area of great interest is that of 'embedded middleware.' According to Wikipedia, 'middleware' "consists of software agents acting as an intermediary between different application components. It is used most often to support complex, distributed applications." Companies are now competing to provide this software, especially in the embedded networking space.

Often, companies focus on providing the middleware itself. In the database area, for example, a range of vendors such as McObject and Birdstep compete to offer the best, most reliable embedded database for purchase. Similarly, GoAhead Software provides 'SelfReliant,' focused on providing the basic network software to speed product development in areas such as AdvancedTCA.

A different approach is to provide a 'framework,' through which each developer can develop his or her own middleware. Enea has made the most dramatic recent announcement in this area by announcing Element™. By enabling OEMs to customize their own 'middleware,' Element hopes to make it easy to combine Linux and other RTOSs and to speed product development. Similarly, the Encirq's Data Foundation Framework seeks to provide not an embedded database but a framework for creating embedded databases.

(conference, 4 stars) - 10/10/2005, San Jose

Memcon - Denali Memory Conference
The event is expected to draw over 500 attendees to view exclusive presentations from industry experts on topics such as: DDR2 technology overview DDR2 Fully Buffered (FB) DIMMs DDR2 device roadmaps and DDR1 to DDR2 transition issues DDR1/DDR2 memory controller design DDR2 device modeling and functional verification Power and performance analysis for DDR2 memory systems

(conference, 4 stars) - 10/10/2005, Boston

PCB Design Conference
PCB Design Conferences is devoted exclusively to PCB design issues. Topics include: High Speed * EMC * PCB Design Techniques * Design For Manufacture * Design Engineering * Data Transfer * PCB Materials * Manufacturing Technology * Packaging Technology * Career Development * PCB Routers * 2D Field Solvers * New PCB Materials High Speed Design For Manufacture.

(conference, 4 stars) - 10/17/2005, Atlantic City

MILCOM - IEEE Military Communications Conference
The IEEE Military Communications Conference meets annually and is jointly sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) and the IEEE Communications Society. It offers a full program of technical sessions, tutorials, keynote speakers, and panel discussions focusing on the technology, systems and operations for military and tactical communications networks.

(conference, 5 stars) - 10/18/2005, San Jose

Network Systems Design Conference
Focusing On: packet processors traffic management classification search engines security processors switch fabrics, backplane standards high-speed Ethernet and next-generation Sonet interfaces, communications processors, storage processors control-plane processors network-processor hardware

(conference, 4 stars) - 10/19/2005, Birmingham

Embedded Systems Show (United Kingdom)
The UK's premier event for electronic system design and embedded software development. ESS, now in its 8th year, continues to offer design management and engineers the opportunity to see first hand the newest products and meet with the technical support behind them.

(conference, 5 stars) - 10/20/2005, Paris

LonWorld
LonWorld Exhibition and Conference, the world's leading forum for the LonWorks industry, brings together suppliers, buyers and users of the world's leading device networking standard. This is the place to make connections, learn firsthand about new products, and see what technological advances are happening in the networking of everyday devices, all of which are impacting your industry, applications and solutions.

(conference, 5 stars) - 10/24/2005, San Jose

Fall Processor Forum (Formerly Microprocessor Forum / Embedded Processor Forum)
Microprocessor Forum and Embedded Processor Forum have now been combined into one forum to be held twice a year. The combined conference will now be called Fall Processor Forum and Spring Processor Forum. We at In-Stat/MDR are excited about the new direction of these two highly respected conferences.

(conference, 5 stars) - 10/24/2005, Santa Clara

GSPx & International Signal Processing Conference
This event is addressing the need of the industry and academia for an event presenting signal processing enabled applications. I am delighted to announce that the first ISPC has received over 560 submissions from more than 40 countries; the review committee selectednearly 400 of them for presentation.

(conference, 5 stars) - 10/25/2005, Chicago

ISA 2005
ISA 2005 is the premier conference and exhibition for instrumentation, systems, and automation professionals in North America. More than 25,000 visitors seeking the latest technologies, products, and practices will participate in ISA 2005. Share your vision and industry expertise with colleagues from all over the world.

(conference, 4 stars) - 10/26/2005, Boston

WiMAX World Conference & Exposition
WiMAX is the mostly highly touted wireless technology today. The first commercial WiMAX platforms are now being launched and will shortly begin to be deployed globally. WiMAX is the next step on the path to a wireless world, extending broadband wireless access to new areas and over farther distances, and considerably reducing the expenditure of deploying broadband to new locations.

(conference, 5 stars) - 11/1/2005, Newport Beach

International System-on-Chip (SoC) Conference
Anyone who needs the latest information on SoC-related technologies, configurable CPUs and DSPs for SoC design, semiconductor possibilities, 90nm and sub-90nm challenges, EDA tools for Nanometer SoCs, SoC platform design, and IP suppliers.