ESSAY
Virtual Prototyping - The Future's So Bright
By Filip Thoen

During the past five years, virtual prototyping has silently enabled embedded software to get past key inflection points and challenges. In the mid-2000s, the introduction of multi-core architectures was a key hurdle for embedded software, requiring considerable refactoring of existing single-threaded/-core software stacks. Virtual prototyping's debug and visibility advantages facilitated the transition. Around the same time, security hardware was introduced in leading mobile SoCs to provide the basis for a secure computing platform, enabling user services like mobile commerce. The complexity of the new security software and hostility of a physical target for development -- a device is supposed to be hacking resistant -- made a good case for virtual prototyping, which provided ample visibility into the complex secure/non-secure domain interactions and a less hostile development target. Continue Reading
INDUSTRY NEWS

Altium recenlty announced an open beta program for its community-driven PCB design tool. CircuitMaker is intended to address the unique needs of the electronics maker and hobbyist community with a free software offering. Anyone interested in participating in the open beta ... Continue reading →...�

ARM and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) recently announced the availability of a new ARM Artisan physical IP solution on 55 nm to accelerate the development of ARM processor-based embedded systems and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. UMC's 55-nm ultra-low-power process (55ULP) technology ... Continue reading →...�


Atmel and MXCHIP recently announced that they're jointly developing an ultra-low power Internet of Things (IoT) platform with secure Wi-Fi access to the cloud, enabling designers to quickly bring IoT devices to market. The platform combines Atmel's ultra-low power SMART SAM ... Continue reading →...�


Housed in a small 2.0 � 2.5 � 0.8 mm ceramic package, IQD Frequency Products's new IQXT-260 series of digitally compensated  TCXOs employs an analog ASIC for the oscillator and a high-order temperature compensation circuit that provides a smoother signal. ... Continue reading →...�



CURRENT ISSUE

Circuit Cellar #299
June 2015

Innovative Communications Projects | Net-Connected Automation System | DIY Power Line Interface Controller | RC Clock Tech | Cable Shielding Explained | The ChipWhisperer-Lite | Internet of Things Connectivity | Correlation Techniques & Tips | MCU-Based UV Intensity Tracking | The Future of Virtual Prototyping | And More