ECS Boston 2009

Industrial Automation
Industrial control and automation are common applications in the embedded industry. And moving forward, the amount of automation is growing significantly. For example, one session in this track will show how miles of control cables and PLCs can be eliminated. In another session, attendees will learn how to leverage Windows Embedded products to build robust real time distributed and connected solutions: from sensors to servers. Other topics that’ll be covered in this track include motion control, industrial sensors, process control, and wireless controlled automation, all as they apply to designing embedded systems.
Multi-core, Multi-threading and Virtualization
Multi-core and virtualization are two synergistic microprocessor technologies that are growing in popularity across a wide variety of embedded designs. This track will help developers become better trained in the potential impacts and benefits of these technologies in their projects. Topics include: multicore software development challenges and techniques, including how to effectively debug and achieve improved concurrency; taking advantage of hardware multithreading; and embedded applications of system virtualization / hypervisors.
Multimedia and Signal Processing
Signal processing and multimedia functions are becoming ubiquitous. Nearly every embedded system incorporates voice, audio/video, or communications functions. The ubiquity of this technology means that designers need to know how to implement it. This track covers such areas as digital signal processors, algorithms, tools, and development techniques. Application areas in this track include consumer electronics, communications, medical, automotive, military and aerospace.
Programmable Logic
One component that seems to sit on just about every high-end embedded board is a programmable logic device. Users claim that these parts are still too big, too expensive, and too complicated. Yet, they’re still omnipresent. This track will show users how to best take advantage of the technologies available to them, and in some cases take much more advantage of the programmable part than designers thought would be possible. Topics include Model-based programmable logic design and implementation, multi-core processor design within FPGAs, and FPGA DSP design.
Real-Time Development
Real-time systems have unique requirements that cannot be met when following traditional programming techniques. Instead, systematic design, analysis, and choice of methods are important if a system is to reliably meet all of its timing requirements. The ESC Real-Time Development track offers classes that address a range of issues that must be considered when building these systems. The sessions cover topics including creating and documenting an embedded system architecture; making decisions as to what tools to use; deciding whether or not to use a real-time operating system; multi-threading issues and solutions when using an RTOS; designing and implementing systems that don’t use an RTOS, using specialized hardware such as microcontrollers, DSPs, or multi-threading CPUs; real-time optimization techniques to improve performance and power consumption; and many more general and detailed tips for quickly building or troubleshooting a real-time system.
Security
We all know that security is important. But it is difficult to know exactly how to secure your product/application, and what level of security is required. This is not an area where many companies can afford to have their engineers get it wrong. The sessions in this track will look at how you ensure that your product is designed with the proper amount of security. Security of any operating system is also a primary concern. Engineers creating applications that specifically require advanced security such as medical, automotive, consumer, communications, military and aerospace, monitoring and control, and high-end gaming should pay particular attention.
Sensors (including MEMS)
While rumor has it we live in a digital world, that’s not the case. If anything, there is increasing awareness that the world truly is analog and that for us to adapt it to our digital overlay we are becoming ever-more reliant upon the prolific use of sensors. Everywhere—from pressure, temperature and humidity to vibration and motion in applications from industrial control to bridge integrity monitoring to the Wii controller using MEMS technology. Recognizing the nature of sensing and its associated design issues, this track will zero in on three critical topics: Effective sensing using wireless networks; the accurate measurement of sensor/transducer outputs; and MEMS – their theory, selection and design criteria.
Software Development
In this track, we present a number of classes that give practical, immediately-useful suggestions to help you get working code completed on time. In all cases, we show you the best practices required to get your code finished on time, hopefully done right the first time. For instance, what’s the best way to write and implement APIs and device drivers, or perform fault-tree analysis? If reliable code is a must, then attending these classes is a necessity.
System Integration and Test
Integrating the components required for an embedded system, both hardware and software, can be quite complex with unique approaches for every product. The sessions in this track cover challenging areas like: test infrastructure and architectures, test automation, test driven development, continuous integration, unit test, integration test, use case based testing, on-target and off-target software test, testable architectures, testability tradeoffs, test instrumentation, and test coverage. Presentations in this track will look at techniques and ideas to deal with these challenges facing today’s embedded systems.
System-Level Design Issues (Hardware and Software)
Connecting the hardware to the software in an embedded system was a simple task at one point. Unfortunately, that was a long time ago. The complexity of today’s system can be overwhelming. Sessions in this track will look at what’s required in that slice between the hardware and the software.
What Engineers and Developers need to know about IP
Intellectual Property (IP) is conceivably a corporation’s most important asset, but it’s often not treated as such. To maximize on the investment, corporations need to educate their employees on the ins-and-outs of IP. In this track, you’ll be exposed to a set of best practices and principles that need to be implemented as early in the process as possible. Be part of that process and learn how to build and support an effective IP strategy that starts during the product design phase and carries you through to the patent’s end of life.
Wired & Wireless Networking
Networking is becoming a standard component in a rapidly growing percentage of all embedded systems. A large majority of embedded systems are based on low-end microcontrollers. Implementing networking on these systems is a challenge. This is particularly true as wireless communication becomes nearly ubiquitous and wired backbones get faster. This track will examine networked communications and will provide developers the information they need to know to successfully implement networked embedded devices.
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