Recently we had requests for SH2A from Renesas. It has a single chip version with both Flash and SRAM and a 200MHz clock delivering 480 Dhrystone MIPS per MHz.
There is SH versions with an MMU and external memory. They run some POSIX or Linux Operating system; however, versions can't run the single chip version without external memory.
On the other hand, Unison is tiny and offers all the same standards. Along with this small size it has great performance for a SoC MCU without external parts. The hardware interrupt mechanism has bank register switching with multiple banks for lighting fast interrupt processing. It is very impressive.
In addition SH2A has great hardware floating point on board for some versions and hardware fixed point on all versions. It should be a great signal processing and communications engine.
For any high end application short of video compression, this looks like a great choice. If you haven't looked at SH2A yet, and you need a high performance MCU, it is difficult to go wrong here.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Wireless Everywhere - Even Power
It is a very exciting time. Twenty years ago I was discussing wireless with a colleague (Spruce Riordon, VP At Carleton University) and we concluded that everything needs to be wireless - even power.
Now, looking back, we are there. There is wireless communications on virtually all devices if you want it and today there is wireless power pads and even wireless room power.
Today, Unision and DSPnano are being refined with various wireless communication options including bluetooth and wifi. Low cost wireless for data channel communication is expected too.
Along with this wireless communication comes power on self test (POST), diagnostics, and flash downloading and updates. Today, virtually all products are expected to maintain themselves in the field with some operator intervention. Just like wireline systems do today, wireless systems will have to offer this in the future; however this update represents more of a challenge in wireless (extra size, security issues, ...).
Unison is ideally suited for applications like driving power pads; however, I wonder how safe they really are. A pad with localized magnetic induction for power is not a problem as long as the field is weak; after all we live in a constant magnetic field created by the earth. I do wonder about the effects of these magnetic fields at the room level.
Why do crops grow poorly near power lines? This is a well known phenomena. The fields must be partially responsible (both magnetic and electric). Have we really thought this out? Show me five independent studies that demonstrate that it is 100% safe and then I'll consider wireless power for my home. Its time we added responsibility for people's health to the list of design requirements for all of these devices that substantially alter our environment.
Now, looking back, we are there. There is wireless communications on virtually all devices if you want it and today there is wireless power pads and even wireless room power.
Today, Unision and DSPnano are being refined with various wireless communication options including bluetooth and wifi. Low cost wireless for data channel communication is expected too.
Along with this wireless communication comes power on self test (POST), diagnostics, and flash downloading and updates. Today, virtually all products are expected to maintain themselves in the field with some operator intervention. Just like wireline systems do today, wireless systems will have to offer this in the future; however this update represents more of a challenge in wireless (extra size, security issues, ...).
Unison is ideally suited for applications like driving power pads; however, I wonder how safe they really are. A pad with localized magnetic induction for power is not a problem as long as the field is weak; after all we live in a constant magnetic field created by the earth. I do wonder about the effects of these magnetic fields at the room level.
Why do crops grow poorly near power lines? This is a well known phenomena. The fields must be partially responsible (both magnetic and electric). Have we really thought this out? Show me five independent studies that demonstrate that it is 100% safe and then I'll consider wireless power for my home. Its time we added responsibility for people's health to the list of design requirements for all of these devices that substantially alter our environment.
Monday, July 20, 2009
LED lighting control is a very hot area!
Lighting control is a very hot area and in particular in office environments. It has the capability to reduce lighting costs by 70% or more simply by doing intelligent things like managing external light sources (light harvesting), managing local lighting (individual control in office environments), and providing fast and easy installation.
How does all this work? Well first, LEDs are longer lasting and more efficient. This means that users immediately benefit from energy savings. Second, by putting in wireless networks, local control of lighting can be a simple system feature. It can support control from desktop or notebook computers, cell phones and universal remote controls. It can also support wall controls and sensors where ever the user chooses to place these controls.
The big benefit from the wireless control aspect in retrofit office environments means that the installation cost is much lower. Contractors can simply install new fixtures and the wireless connections provide control while the existing power is supplied as before. A building control system might want to control floor level switching of power while the local control can be done by computers, cell phones, wireless wall panels and remote controls. This reduces the installation cost by 50%.
RoweBots operating system solutions have all the necessary pieces to support this approach, allowing users to quickly and easily develop wireless LED lighting systems using minimal MCU or microcontroller hardware. It includes complete networking, low cost networking options, fat file system and much more.
How does all this work? Well first, LEDs are longer lasting and more efficient. This means that users immediately benefit from energy savings. Second, by putting in wireless networks, local control of lighting can be a simple system feature. It can support control from desktop or notebook computers, cell phones and universal remote controls. It can also support wall controls and sensors where ever the user chooses to place these controls.
The big benefit from the wireless control aspect in retrofit office environments means that the installation cost is much lower. Contractors can simply install new fixtures and the wireless connections provide control while the existing power is supplied as before. A building control system might want to control floor level switching of power while the local control can be done by computers, cell phones, wireless wall panels and remote controls. This reduces the installation cost by 50%.
RoweBots operating system solutions have all the necessary pieces to support this approach, allowing users to quickly and easily develop wireless LED lighting systems using minimal MCU or microcontroller hardware. It includes complete networking, low cost networking options, fat file system and much more.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Microcontrollers Everywhere
We have been making good progress porting our Ultra Tiny Embedded Linux compatible solutions to new MCUs. During the past months we released:
In addition we've added a number of new components which have not been released yet. These components are geared towards adding low cost networks and networking to building automation, shipboard automation, and home automation applications. They are intended to support features like fat file system integration to allow developers to work in pc environments and have supporting tools to move files back and forth and set up high quality user interfaces.
Other steps are being taken to support automotive and automotive networks more thoroughly.
In all it has been a good few months for component based designers: there is many new options here. Our ultra tiny embedded Linux is more complete and moving to many more platforms. New add on components are cutting time and effort for users.
- R8C
- M16C
- R32C
- Arm Cortex M3 for TI Stellaris
In addition we've added a number of new components which have not been released yet. These components are geared towards adding low cost networks and networking to building automation, shipboard automation, and home automation applications. They are intended to support features like fat file system integration to allow developers to work in pc environments and have supporting tools to move files back and forth and set up high quality user interfaces.
Other steps are being taken to support automotive and automotive networks more thoroughly.
In all it has been a good few months for component based designers: there is many new options here. Our ultra tiny embedded Linux is more complete and moving to many more platforms. New add on components are cutting time and effort for users.
Monday, May 25, 2009
TI AES Integration of Luminary Microsystems
We've been working with Luminary for some time and I thought that I'd comment briefly on the acquisition by TI and the integration into the AES division.
Jean Anne Booth did a fabulous job getting Luminary to the point where others could see the real value of the approach that she promoted. First, many kudos to Jean Anne and her team for a successful startup!
Second, its interesting to note that integrating the tools approach and other software offerings are going to bring new approaches to TI. For a start, Eclipse is the main development environment for Luminary products with CS and Code Red for many users. Does this mean that the 430 and 280 families will get new OS and tools offerings based on Eclipse? We'll have to wait and see but I suspect so.
Third, it illustrates the fact that TI upper management failed to realize the potential of microcontrollers replacing boards and their potential in tens of thousands of applications in spite of the fact that they were in markets all around this. They have dominate cell phone offerings, significant motor control offerings and the 430 is a significant player in the DSC markets, but they didn't do a family for the more distinct consumer/home goods market leading to this purchase.
There is still unique niches developing each and every day. I must say that I think this is a great move for TI because it puts them in a broader niche further from DSP/DSC their traditional base and fits very well with other lines. This should be great for customers and prospects and TI.
Jean Anne Booth did a fabulous job getting Luminary to the point where others could see the real value of the approach that she promoted. First, many kudos to Jean Anne and her team for a successful startup!
Second, its interesting to note that integrating the tools approach and other software offerings are going to bring new approaches to TI. For a start, Eclipse is the main development environment for Luminary products with CS and Code Red for many users. Does this mean that the 430 and 280 families will get new OS and tools offerings based on Eclipse? We'll have to wait and see but I suspect so.
Third, it illustrates the fact that TI upper management failed to realize the potential of microcontrollers replacing boards and their potential in tens of thousands of applications in spite of the fact that they were in markets all around this. They have dominate cell phone offerings, significant motor control offerings and the 430 is a significant player in the DSC markets, but they didn't do a family for the more distinct consumer/home goods market leading to this purchase.
There is still unique niches developing each and every day. I must say that I think this is a great move for TI because it puts them in a broader niche further from DSP/DSC their traditional base and fits very well with other lines. This should be great for customers and prospects and TI.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
RTOS Software Reuse - Simply A Myth For Microcontrollers
It amazes me that many users don't realize the power of reusing software that someone else has spent hours, days, months or even years optimizing and testing. By using a simple set of criteria, developers of the next generation of embedded systems can eliminate 80% or more of the work.
Today, for microcontrollers, users often code everything from scratch. They are going with what they understand; however the world of microcontrollers has changed quickly. Memory is more plentiful and using an embedded operating system saves huge amounts of effort. Yet many do not get it - these are smart people but they are used to banging bits and crafting a few lines of software rather than larger complex systems.
Their problems are created in part by the noise in the marketplace. There are many "real time operating systems" but many offerings are not even operating systems. There is a lot of I/O, extra libraries, testing, documentation and integration that goes into a complete operating system. It takes scores of test suites and thousands of hours of work to make sure that the system is reliable and easy to use while still conforming with industry standards. And yet users choose to do this themselves at great risk and expense rather than reuse available solutions.
Some situations are humerous. I was recently in a forum where kernel vendors were debating one narrow aspect of performance like this was a major consideration in the system design. They were ignoring all other aspects. Surely any system must be evaluated on the basis of all the various features and processing capabilities that it offers. Some systems will be better for some things and some for others. Experienced embedded designers understand this.
The thing that amazes me the most is that in the microcontroller world, narrow performance benefits are touted as a major advancement at the same time these vendors are discarding tens of thousands of programs and millions of lines of code that could be effortlessly reused. For this reason, standards like POSIX and Linux along with software reuse are paramount. We offer this
but don't take our word for it - check out the largest vendor too and see what they offer now, albeit on larger processors!
The criteria to eliminate most time and risk for microcontroller development are really very simple: portable C code, an operating system standard (the broader the better) and as much off the shelf software as possible including a complete RTOS. It takes no more than that to be a hero in your organization.
Today, for microcontrollers, users often code everything from scratch. They are going with what they understand; however the world of microcontrollers has changed quickly. Memory is more plentiful and using an embedded operating system saves huge amounts of effort. Yet many do not get it - these are smart people but they are used to banging bits and crafting a few lines of software rather than larger complex systems.
Their problems are created in part by the noise in the marketplace. There are many "real time operating systems" but many offerings are not even operating systems. There is a lot of I/O, extra libraries, testing, documentation and integration that goes into a complete operating system. It takes scores of test suites and thousands of hours of work to make sure that the system is reliable and easy to use while still conforming with industry standards. And yet users choose to do this themselves at great risk and expense rather than reuse available solutions.
Some situations are humerous. I was recently in a forum where kernel vendors were debating one narrow aspect of performance like this was a major consideration in the system design. They were ignoring all other aspects. Surely any system must be evaluated on the basis of all the various features and processing capabilities that it offers. Some systems will be better for some things and some for others. Experienced embedded designers understand this.
The thing that amazes me the most is that in the microcontroller world, narrow performance benefits are touted as a major advancement at the same time these vendors are discarding tens of thousands of programs and millions of lines of code that could be effortlessly reused. For this reason, standards like POSIX and Linux along with software reuse are paramount. We offer this
but don't take our word for it - check out the largest vendor too and see what they offer now, albeit on larger processors!
The criteria to eliminate most time and risk for microcontroller development are really very simple: portable C code, an operating system standard (the broader the better) and as much off the shelf software as possible including a complete RTOS. It takes no more than that to be a hero in your organization.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Vista and Quality
Well, it happened today. A blue screen of death appeared momentarily for the first time in over a year of use. I can remember the days when we counted these events per day and Microsoft had a reputation for very unreliable software.
In the past few months I've grown to like Vista a great deal. It offers good features and is very reliable. In this instance it recovered itself in about 5 minutes. I don't expect it will happen again. I did have one other problem in the last year but a system restore took care of this problem related to a virus. The world has changed completely. Windows is now as reliable as Solaris it would seem.
Now, when Linux gets there, we'll be in great shape.
In the past few months I've grown to like Vista a great deal. It offers good features and is very reliable. In this instance it recovered itself in about 5 minutes. I don't expect it will happen again. I did have one other problem in the last year but a system restore took care of this problem related to a virus. The world has changed completely. Windows is now as reliable as Solaris it would seem.
Now, when Linux gets there, we'll be in great shape.
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