embedded award 2024: Tools nominees
Automated tools increase efficiency and reliability at all levels of the embedded value chain. There are tried and tested tools that have been used for years. However, in order to further optimise development processes, the need for new tools is always there. A look at the nominees in this category is definitely worthwhile ...
A visualization of machine learning models, a fast GUI solution and automated tests for low-level microcontroller code
Graph UX (Imagimob Studio)
Exhibitor: Imagimob (an Infineon Technologies company)
Hall/Booth: 2/2-338
Graph UX solves the problem of not having insight into machine learning models and the data thoughout the development process. Traditional Machine Learning modeling provides little to no insight into the model itself. This is in part because workflows, including our own in the past, have been more top-down with a fixed pipeline with a lack of transparency. Imagimob Studio's new Graph UX interface instead gives machine learning engineering teams a complete visual overview of their modeling canvas, with the ability to zoom in and out, and work at different levels of complexity.
This allows for better visualization of both the entire workflow and the data flowing through it. This in turn unlocks the possibility to combine and test things in new and different ways, ultimately resulting in more robust and explainable models. This visualization also makes machine learning modeling projects more accessible for team members with different skill sets and experience levels.
The innovation of Graph UX is that Edge AI developers can now visualize their machine learning modeling workflows as never before, as a unified graph, which is only possible using Imagimob Studio. This creates a user experience that is clearer and easier to use, and thus results in better machine learning models. In addition to the clarity that the Graph UX interface provides, it also allows for new possibilities; for example, users can combine and test things in new and different ways, such as by running and evaluating multiple models in parallel or in sequence.
It also includes new capabilities such as built-in data collection with live data annotation, real-time model evaluation from a connected device, and on-the-fly configurable post-processing of model outputs.
Embedded Wizard
Exhibitor: TARA Systems GmbH
Hall/Booth: 4/4-247
What is the main problem in GUI development? It encompasses a triangle of tension – embedded system engineers face the challenge of rapidly creating a GUI with a high performance, while also incorporating a cutting-edge design and simultaneously dealing with hardware limitations in terms of resources or even availability. We have made it our mission to eliminate this tension by providing our customers with a lean, versatile, scalable and fast GUI solution tailored precisely to meet these rigorous demands:
- 1) Lean: One of the primary issues is the limitations in microcontroller environments. Embedded Wizard is designed for a smooth and easy UX, excelling in optimizing performance on any hardware. By providing a GUI solution with a minimal footprint, it empowers developers to create feature-rich interfaces without compromising on system resources.
- 2) Versatile and scalable: Embedded Wizard stands out for its platform independence, allowing developers to create GUIs that seamlessly run on various hardware architectures, from small to big platforms, with a minimum memory footprint of just 16Kbyte of RAM.
- 3) Fast: With its intuitive design and WYSIWYG editor, Embedded Wizard drastically expedites the time and programming effort for GUI development, minimizing the likelihood of errors. Moreover, real-time rendering and fast prototyping capabilities allow for quick adjustments. Most importantly, the created GUIs excel in term of speed.
Embedded Wizard 13, launched in November 2023, goes beyond enhancing performance or design. Our product promotes sustainable resource usage by offering extensive platform support, ensuring versatility across a wide range of devices. It is not only geared towards the latest systems but can also be seamlessly implemented on existing legacy systems and older hardware, mitigating waste.
This adaptability ensures that businesses with established infrastructures can harness the power of modern GUIs without the need for a complete overhaul, maximizing the return on investment for existing technology assets. We have prioritized sustainability for new systems as well, by optimizing energy efficiency with the introduction of modernized widgets. What sets these widgets apart is the use of vector graphics. Vector graphics are resolution-independent, resulting in smaller file sizes compared to high-resolution bitmaps, and thus optimizing memory usage.
They prove especially sustainable when applied to flat or less complex formats, icons or elements. This efficiency in storage is crucial for resource-friendly applications. Moreover, in terms of responsive design, vector graphics excel in adapting seamlessly to various screen sizes and resolutions without compromising quality, reducing flash memory usage and eliminating the need for multiple versions of images. This translates into improved sustainability and usability for end-customers
ExecutionPlatform
Exhibitor: embeff GmbH
Hall/Booth: 3A/3A-427d
Testing microcontroller code was a time-consuming and manual task. Code is interacting with the physical environment via the microcontroller pins. To test this code a developer had to connect special lab equipment to the pins in question. Then a custom testing firmware is flashed and manually executed. Our product solves this by providing automated tests for low-level microcontroller code.
For the first time R&D teams test their drivers and HAL in a systematic way. This includes error scenarios that are traditionally hard or impossible to produce. These tests observe and control both the code running on the microcontroller and all its physical pin behavior. Tests are fully automated by default, so customers integrate them in any Continuous-Integration process with ease. We invented a whole new method that makes testing low level microcontroller code simple and straight-forward.
Open Loop Testing is a method that eliminates the need for simulations and test setups that make traditional system testing complex and cumbersome. We allow tests that focus on a single code unit in isolation. That could be a SPI driver or any other code running on the microcontroller. The test instructs what the ExecutionPlatform should expect to happen at the pins and how it should respond.
Then the test invokes a function on the microcontroller that should initiate a given communication on the SPI pins. The test then asserts both pin and code behavior. The ExecutionPlatform makes Open Loop Testing feasible for all common peripherals (such as GPIO, UART, CAN, SPI, I²C, ADC, ...). The user chooses at runtime which peripherals should be tested on which pins. The device will dynamically create suitable Endpoints on the given pins. The test can then use these Endpoints to generate and assert all kind of real-time behavior.
