NOVEMBER 2014VOLUME 12

embedded-computing.com

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PLUS Research Reviewautomotive engine control on the multicore road pg. 10Strategies

Strategies for verifying an FPGA designpg. 25

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Silicon

11 The art and science of

RF and mixed-signal designBy Alessandro Piovaccari, Silicon Labs

14 Meeting the challenge of communications

in a connected worldBy John Cantelmo, Exar Corporation

Software

17 Digital inspiration meets musical creativity

By Curt Schwaderer, Editorial Director

19 Advanced static analysis for reusable

libraries and subsystemsBy S. Tucker Taft, AdaCore

22 Controlling automotive software deviations in a

MISRA compliance environmentBy Fergus Bolger, PRQA

Strategies

25 Strategies for verifying an FPGA designBy David Kelf, OneSpin Solutions

34 Editor's Choice 35

Web Wire

Download the Embedded Computing Design app:iTunes: itun.es/iS67MQKindle Fire: opsy.st/kindlefireamaz

∠ 7 steps to choosing a version control system By Mark Warren, Perforce Software

∠ Where’s the license?By Normand Glaude, Protecode

Departments

7 Tracking Trends Rory Dear, Technical ContributorChoosing the right operating system

8 IoT Insider Brandon Lewis, Assistant Managing EditorUWB is back for IoT location-based services

9 DIY Corner Monique DeVoe, Managing EditorGetting the Raspberry Pi RTOS-ready for embedded systems

10 Research Review Monique DeVoe, Managing EditorPutting automotive engine control on the multicore road

21 Community Outreach Monique DeVoe, Managing EditorSoftware devs work hard, play hard

NOVEMBER 2014VOLUME 12

embedded-computing.com |!@embedded_mag | " opsy.st/ECDLinkedIn

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Kevin Darrah Senior Embedded Systems EngineerUSA FirmwareKevin Darrah is a Senior Embedded Systems Consultant for USA Firmware, a software, firmware, and hardware engi-neering services company based in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Since graduating from Cleveland State University in 2010 with a BSEE, he has created hundreds of projects for his YouTube channel designed to encourage the curious, the serious, and the just plain interested to try one of his many fun and cre-ative projects. With more than 27,000 subscribers, his voice is being heard all over the world, spreading a simple message that Kevin lives by: “Learn to build cool stuff, teach others to build cool stuff, and actually build cool stuff.”

Chris GrayDirector, Embedded and Internet of ThingsRed HatAt Red Hat, Chris Gray has global responsibility for stra-tegic partner initiatives and worldwide sales within the embedded and Internet of Things markets. Chris has led the global expansion of Red Hat’s Embedded and Internet of Things business in more than twenty countries and con-tinues to lead Red Hat’s mission as the open source leader in embedded and intelligent systems solutions. Chris graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in Computer Science, earned a Masters in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University, and is a Department of Energy certified nuclear engineer.

Yannick Moy Senior Software Engineer, AdaCoreYannick Moy is a Senior Software Engineer at AdaCore where he works on software source code analyzers CodePeer and SPARK, aiming either at detecting bugs or at verifying safety/security properties. Yannick led the three-year project Hi-Lite leading to the new version of SPARK known as SPARK 2014, a product he proudly presents in articles, conferences, classes, and blogs (in particular www.spark-2014.org). Yannick previously worked on source code analyzers for PolySpace (now The MathWorks) and at Université Paris-Sud.

Maria Eugenia Zuñiga Cofounder, Systems-Compliance-Engineering.com Vehicle Software Engineer, Quantum TechnologiesMaria Eugenia Zuñiga is a Co-founder of Systems-Compliance-Engineering.com and Vehicle Software Quality Engineer for Quantum Technologies, Inc. Maria has more than 15 years of experience as a Software Architect, developer, and processes implementer. Her strong analytical and creative problem skills have enabled her engineering teams to focus on their development tasks while automated processes help prove compliance without adding administrative burden. Her accomplishments include a flawless launch for first time in 30 years in a Cluster dashboard design, managing multicultural teams, automo-tive process compliance in less than 6 months, and company startups.

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Q How have you turned your experience and motivation into a successful career-to-date, and what are the key factors that have enabled success so early on in your career?

For me, embedded electronics is a way of life. I always have at least 4-5 side projects going and countless others in my queue. Sometimes these projects have a real purpose, like my Ultra Sonic Range Finder Parking Helper, or sometimes they are works of art, like with my 8x8x8 RGB LED cube. Most of the time the projects I take on are because I want to gain an understanding of a certain technology, like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Voice Recognition, etc. This passion has really worked out great for me because the company I currently work for is a design services consultant firm, and I am constantly challenged to think outside the box and exercise my creativity to meet the clients’ requirements.

Q Given your area of expertise, what have been the greatest challenges and/or breakthroughs during your time in the industry?

The field of engineering is very broad and fast paced; what may be the norm today could easily be obsolete tomorrow. With my Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and long list of successful side projects, I was quickly humbled after starting my new job as a new product design engineer. The simulation

tools, the schematic capture/PCB layout packages, and IDE/compilers were all different from what I used in school and far more advanced. Then I started working on things like EMC/EMI design, Functional Safety, and CE/UL certifications. These are subject matters we never touched on in school, but I was lucky enough to always work alongside great mentors. I can’t stress how important mentorship has been in my career.

Q What has been the single most influential trend to come out of your generation of embedded industry professionals? What do you see as the most disruptive trend or technology over the next 5-10 years?

Even during my short time in the industry there have been many trends or “buzzwords” that have come and gone. I think the biggest trend to come out of my generation might be the explosion of the maker/DIYer/hobbyist industry. It’s just amazing how many development boards are out there with free tools to get you up and running in a matter of minutes. The rock star of them all is the Arduino, but then there’s the PICAXE, the Propeller, Electric Imp, Netduino, TI’s Launchpad with Energia, Netduino, and many many more. There are also the single board computers like the Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone Black that are taking the world by storm. It’s also interesting to see industry trends fall into the hobbyist market with development boards that are using ARM cores, integrating the Internet of Things (IoT), or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). I can’t wait to start seeing through-hole FPGAs! I would love to have one of those on my breadboard right now!

Q What advice would you offer the next generation of engineers?

I’m often asked this question through my YouTube channel and I always answer it the same way: If you have an interest in embedded electronics, just get started! There has never been a better time to get involved with electronics; you can liter-ally have an LED blinking in minutes with little electronics or coding skills. If you want to take on more advanced projects, fine, but don’t expect to learn everything in school. I think the best engineers out there are the ones who can self-teach. If you want to learn about Wi-Fi, then come up with a cool project involving the technology and go for it! Okay, so what if you get stumped? This is the best part; the online community for embedded electronics is stronger than ever. You’re always guaranteed to find a project similar to yours, or someone who’s willing to help. Sometimes the hardest part is simply coming up with the project ideas!

Read the full interview with Kevin: opsy.st/Top4Darrah

Kevin Darrah Senior Embedded Systems Engineer USA Firmware

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