Getting fit with embedded systems
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From: Peter Glar on 23 Apr 2008 09:02 Hi I am a post graduate student, who is doing quite some "theoretic" work at the moment. So in some way I also wanna collect some practical experience for the embedded system domain. I have done some programming with pic and nec microprocessors and I wanna get more experience in this field. So I was thinking of AVR or ARM processors to program. Are there any "simulation" tools out there that I could use for learning purposes? And anyone an idea whats the best way to get an deeper insight in this topic for example what kind of projects I could do that have a good learning effect? Many thanks, Peter
From: John Speth on 23 Apr 2008 11:15 > I am a post graduate student, who is doing quite some "theoretic" work at > the moment. So in some way I also wanna collect some practical experience > for the embedded system domain. I have done some programming > with pic and nec microprocessors and I wanna get more experience in this > field. So I was thinking of AVR or ARM processors to program. Are there > any "simulation" tools out there that I could use for learning purposes? > And anyone an idea whats the best way to get an deeper insight in this > topic for example what kind of projects I could do that have a good > learning effect? IMO, the best simulation tools are the real thing. Get any one of the low cost ARM eval/dev boards from Keil which include a worthy but limited IDE. Usually one picks a simulation tool when the hardware is absent but that excuse is negated with the large bounty of ARM eval/dev boards available. I have much less experience with AVR but I'm nearly certain you can easily obtain eval boards and dev SW as readily as ARM. JJS
From: Peter Glar on 23 Apr 2008 11:40 > IMO, the best simulation tools are the real thing. Get any one of the low > cost ARM eval/dev boards from Keil which include a worthy but limited IDE. > Usually one picks a simulation tool when the hardware is absent but that > excuse is negated with the large bounty of ARM eval/dev boards available. Thanks for your feedback John. COuld you maybe recommend some good readings that cover that topic in more details? I know there is google but mostly I find here introduction books. I wanna have some "advanced" stuff in this field. Anyone with some good recommendations? Cheers Peter
From: Tim Wescott on 23 Apr 2008 11:50 On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:15:41 -0700, John Speth wrote: >> I am a post graduate student, who is doing quite some "theoretic" work >> at the moment. So in some way I also wanna collect some practical >> experience for the embedded system domain. I have done some programming >> with pic and nec microprocessors and I wanna get more experience in >> this field. So I was thinking of AVR or ARM processors to program. Are >> there any "simulation" tools out there that I could use for learning >> purposes? And anyone an idea whats the best way to get an deeper >> insight in this topic for example what kind of projects I could do that >> have a good learning effect? > > IMO, the best simulation tools are the real thing. Get any one of the > low cost ARM eval/dev boards from Keil which include a worthy but > limited IDE. Usually one picks a simulation tool when the hardware is > absent but that excuse is negated with the large bounty of ARM eval/dev > boards available. > > I have much less experience with AVR but I'm nearly certain you can > easily obtain eval boards and dev SW as readily as ARM. > > JJS Or look at Luminary Micro -- they have some pretty impressive features on their $50 board. You should also choose a project to work toward, if you can. A mini sumo robot, a fish-tank thermal control, whatever, just something real. This should motivate you, and give you something to bring along to interviews -- nothing says "I really build stuff" quicker than pulling something that you built out of your briefcase. -- Tim Wescott Control systems and communications consulting http://www.wescottdesign.com Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system? "Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott Elsevier/Newnes, http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
From: Tim Wescott on 23 Apr 2008 11:56
On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:02:47 +0100, Peter Glar wrote: > Hi > > I am a post graduate student, who is doing quite some "theoretic" work > at the moment. So in some way I also wanna collect some practical > experience for the embedded system domain. I have done some programming > with pic and nec microprocessors and I wanna get more experience in this > field. So I was thinking of AVR or ARM processors to program. Are there > any "simulation" tools out there that I could use for learning purposes? > And anyone an idea whats the best way to get an deeper insight in this > topic for example what kind of projects I could do that have a good > learning effect? > > Many thanks, > Peter The embedded world is so broad it's hard to pick something representative. What gizmo do you lack that you wish you had? I do a lot of closed-loop control, so the projects that I would recommend are things like an inverted pendulum (fun, but the mechanicals are difficult to whip up from scratch), propeller-on-a-stick (can be done with a potentiometer, a broken toy airplane and a yardstick), a heater controller (mechanically easy, theoretically interesting at quite deep levels, but visually it's dead boring), a motor speed control (interesting if you have a strobe light, but the interest fades quickly unless you're retrofitting a turntable) or other dirt-under-the- fingernails kinds of projects. -- Tim Wescott Control systems and communications consulting http://www.wescottdesign.com Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system? "Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott Elsevier/Newnes, http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html |