Technical Editor Robert Cravotta explores processor and software-processing architectures and the impact they have on system and software development. Relevant architectures include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), multiprocessor architectures, processor fabrics, coprocessors, and accelerators, plus embedded cores in FPGAs, SOCs, and ASICs. You can find out where Robert is posting by checking Embedded Insights. Follow Robert at Twitter at: http://twitter.com/robertcravotta
Twitter Account

I now have a Twitter account. Sign up to follow me if you would like to know when posts and articles go live. ...... Read More
Comments (0)Inflection Points : timeline

I shared in the introduction post for this inflection points series that I originally thought in my article that I would be able to identify key inflection points in the embedded processor industry. I quickly discovered that developing such a timeline is a major undertaking and the end result would be much larger than a single article could encompass. None the less, I still think there is an oppor ...... Read More
Comments (0)Inflection Points

I’d like to use the recent article “Recognizing Technology’s Inflections” as a starting point for a deeper exploration and discussion of how technology, processor architectures, software, tools, and development infrastructures create, react, and shape inflection points in the embedded industry. When I first started working on the article, my goal was to identify the key ...... Read More
Comments (0)Social Networks and embedded systems

I have been giving social networks a lot of thought lately – especially how they may or may not be relevant to embedded design. As a starting point, I shared my observations about the DARPA Network (Red Balloon) Challenge that took place last month. A response to that post asking if the project spells the demise of Ham radio operators conducting emergency radio test at a Hamfest makes me th ...... Read More
Comments (4)Learning from Red Balloons

Earlier this month, DARPA held the DARPA Network Challenge where ten large red balloons were placed at undisclosed locations around the United States. The balloons were placed in readily accessible locations that were visible from nearby roads. The entity (teams) that correctly reported the location of all ten balloons first would be declared the winner and receive $40,000. The MIT Red Balloon Cha ...... Read More
Comments (1)DSP Evolution : Guests #3 and #4

There are two more guest posts about the evolving landscape of digital signal processing, Eyal Bergman from CEVA points out that embedded software development poses the greatest challenge in the SoC development cycle. John Carey from Atmel shares thoughts on the cross breeding going on between digital signal processors and microcontrollers. ...... Read More
Comments (2)DSP Evolution : Guest post #2

Continuing with our guest series of posts about the evolving landscape of digital signal processing, Rob Cosaro from NXP offers some observations and thoughts about how digital signal processing is evolving from both ends of the DSP and microcontroller spaces. The previous post in this guest series was made by Gene Frantz from Texas Instruments asking “Is DSP really dead.” ...... Read More
Comments (0)DSP Evolution : Guest post

Gene Frantz from Texas Instruments leads our guest posts commenting on the issues raised in the recent article about “The evolving landscape of digital signal processing.” He shares his experience about whether DSP is really dead. Internally, the company acknowledged that even their first DSP device (TMS32010) was “nothing more than a microcontroller with an accelerator (i.e., ...... Read More
Comments (0)Casual Adopter

As processors continue to provide more processing capabilities, the opportunity for developers to incorporate more complex functions into their designs that go beyond their level of intimate understanding grows. As this complexity grows, it becomes even more important to abstract and encapsulate it so that developers can focus their attention on those details that generate new value-add capabiliti ...... Read More
Comments (1)Productizing an idea

There is a new Pranav Mistry presentation on TED talking about his Sixth Sense project. For those of you that have not heard about this project yet, it is based around a wearable device that combines real-world object and gesture recognition and mobile display of relevant information from the data network about those objects. It is an intriguing and exciting idea, but it currently exists only in t ...... Read More
Comments (0)I'd like to buy a µ

The net number of microprocessor offerings available to embedded developers continues to grow every year. Each update of the microprocessor directory is our attempt to help you improve your chances of being aware of and considering the best processor options for your design in this constantly changing landscape. Consider the sheer size of this year’s microprocessor directory. The device tab ...... Read More
Comments (1)Microcontrollers and human-machine interfaces

When I wrote about gesture interfaces two years ago, the Apple iPhone, Nintendo Wii, and the Microsoft Surface were brand new version 1.0 products. It was not a certainty that any of these products would be commercially successful a few years after their roll out. Two years later, all of these products are still available commercially, and in fact, they have moved well beyond version 1.0 into vers ...... Read More
Comments (2)
