May 2016
36
D
evelopment
T
ools
on the FPGA. We reproduced the issue in
simulation and identified a flaw in the initial
assumptions about the maximum speed of the
motor. We were able to debug and resolve the
issue in simulation, and only used lab time to
verify the change.
The workflow described here enabled us to
work more efficiently with the algorithm
engineer. Through simulation we assessed
the effect of algorithm partitioning on system
performance and verified that the encoder
calibration component could be moved from
higher-rate programmable logic partition to
the lower-rate ARM partition. Simulation also
allowed us to make decisions that conserved
implementation resources while maintaining
functional behavior, such as reducing word
length of math operations in the program-
mable logic, or converting data to be passed
through the AXI interconnect from float-
ing-point to fixed-point data types. Finally, our
prototype testing in the lab helped us identify
errors in mapping ADC count to current, and
enabled our algorithm engineer to run further
testing to characterize the motor’s torque con-
stant. Overall, the workflow supported a close
collaboration between us and the algorithm
engineer, producing a more efficient imple-
mentation while economizing on lab time.
n
ETAS brings new Eclipse-based
ASCET version to market
Tool chains in the automotive sector comprise
a host of individual tools. These tools must all
be coordinated with one another, which poses
a major challenge not only for the manufac-
turers of the individual tools, but also for the
managers and users of the tool chain. Demand
is high for a standardized and largely auto-
mated tool chain that minimizes “frictional
losses” and facilitates the certification required
for safety-critical functions (ISO 26262/IEC
61508). This is precisely where ETAS comes
in, providing a consistent and automated solu-
tion. The latest version, ASCET V7, is based
on Eclipse, the open-source platform for soft-
ware development, and has just been released.
NI: testbed to deliver new network infra-
structure to support the future of IIoT
NI announced a collaboration with the Indus-
trial Internet Consortium (IIC) and industry
leaders Bosch Rexroth, Cisco, Intel, KUKA,
Schneider Electric and TTTech to develop the
world’s first Time Sensitive Networking (TSN)
testbed. These organizations aim to advance the
network infrastructure to support the future of
the Industrial Internet of Things and Industry
4.0. To support new digital capabilities, more
reliable and secure access to smart edge devices
is needed. Standard network technologies must
evolve to meet the demanding requirements of
these next-generation industrial systems and
improve the way we operate our machines, elec-
trical grids and transportation systems.
SEGGER: embOS for MicroEJ opens
embedded systems to Java programming
SEGGER’s real time operating system embOS
is now supporting MicroEJ’s platform, thus
opening the world of ARM Cortex-M based
embedded applications to Java developers.
The package provides a complete Java plat-
form, including a Virtual Machine and other
components.
The virtual machine is a 32-bit processor
that manages the Java threads. It is executed
asa task controlled by SEGGER’s embOS
kernel, thereby combining all advantages of
both ANSI-C and Java languages on a single
embedded target. Developers can focus on
their Java applications and do not need to
have any deeper knowledge of ANSI-C.
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