Webinars

What's the difference between a mutex and a semaphore? Misuse of these two distinct types of synchronization primitives can lead to difficult to debug defects with potentially severe consequences in safety-critical devices.

Android software architecture, hardware requirements, licensing terms, and security considerations with a few case studies to illustrate the pros and cons of building embedded systems around the AndroidOS.

One of the biggest challenges when architecting an embedded system is partitioning the design into its hardware and software components. Partitioning decisions must typically be made early in the design of a product. The consequences of hasty or biased decisions or lack of proper analysis can include, in the worst case: higher BOM cost, time-to-marked delays, or even an inability to meet requirements.

Welcome to the 21st century, where every device has at least one processor. But don't take for granted that these devices will do their intended jobs tirelessly and correctly, day in and day out, without fail.

There are many sources of bugs in software programs. Some are created by the original programmer. Others by misunderstandings by those who later maintain, extend, and/or reuse/port the original code. Both types of bugs can be kept out by following simple coding standard rules. To increase security and keep bugs out of medical devices and other safety-critical embedded systems, add these 10 bug-killing rules to your embedded C coding standard.

Between 1985 and 1987, there were at least 6 distinct accidents where the Therac-25 radiation therapy machine delivered up to 100 times the prescribed radiation dose, resulting in injury and death. These high-profile accidents demonstrated that embedded software can be dangerous, even lethal. In the decades since, and despite increasing regulation, safety-critical system failures have continued to kill people.