A common, but mostly unconscious habit of software developers when theyface a problem is to break it down into its constituent elements, lookfor patterns of behavior and activity, and compare them to ...

Embedded software and electronics represent an increasing percentage of the engineering content of an automobile. By 2010, electronics are expected to comprise 40 percent of automotive material costs, ...

I recently read fellow Design News contributor Warren Miller’s article entitled “Why Is Hardware So Easy and Software So Hard?,” with great interest. Warren suggested that the design flow for software ...

Whenever an activity occurs in repetition, such as programming, patterns emerge and can be documented. The benefits of documenting and using software design patterns are well established, as are some ...

Connected devices and systems have become an integral part of our everyday life and we take this for granted. Finding the fastest way to our destination with a smartphone, reading the news on a tablet ...

The growing complexity of embedded software development requires a new unified, test-driven approach, one that adopts early developer testing practices and implements automated software verification ...

Every good hardware or software design starts with a structured approach throughout the design cycle, but as chip architectures and applications begin focusing on specific domains and include some ...

There is a saying that I learned when I was growing up, “Measure twice, cut once.” It was sage advice that I often heard when building something with my dad or when I was under the tutorage of a ...

The battery management system (BMS) monitors, analyzes and adjusts when necessary, protecting the pack and making sure it consistently meets all requirements. BMS and battery are so intertwined that ...

Here on Hackaday, we’re generally designers of hacks that live in the real world. Nevertheless, I’m convinced that some of the most interesting feats are at the mercy of what’s possible in software, ...