embedded award 2024: Software nominees
The jury has selected the most exciting software solutions. Get to know this year's nominees …
Future-ready architectures, a data-centric communication framework and resource-constrained IoT devices
QNX® Software Development Platform 8.0
Exhibitor: BlackBerry QNX
Hall/Booth: 4/4-544
QNX SDP 8.0 features our fifth-generation architecture with state-of-the-art safe and secure microkernel, upgraded OS services to the latest technologies and standards, and advanced tooling and cloud enablement to future-proof mission-critical embedded system design. It delivers a scalable, high-performance real-time operating system available for today’s and tomorrow’s embedded computing industry.
Future proof architecture: the ability for customers to change hardware, whether part of a new project with new requirements or as part of hardware refresh, with limited impact to the software stack, including its behavior, is paramount. With all the features available and its microkernel architecture, QNX 8 is the ideal OS not only for your next project but all future projects with the ability to change the underlying hardware (from 4 core SOC to 64 core SOC) without needing to change the OS and limited impact to the system level performance.
State of the Art Tooling: Developers want to be able to use state of the art tooling to help them develop, profile and debug the code they write for their projects. This ensures that what goes into production is developed while maintaining stability with near-zero. QNX SDP 8.0 comes with advanced tooling ranging from upgraded toolchain to new utilities for debugging and profiling including open-source utilities. Additionally, it offers a QNX toolkit for Microsoft VS Code to eliminate developer friction.
QNX® Software Development Platform 8.0
RTI Connext® Drive 3.0
Exhibitor: Real-Time Innovations (RTI)
Hall/Booth: 4/4-421
Connext Drive® 3.0 is the flexible, future-proof, and data-centric communication framework for software-defined vehicles (SDVs). It expedites time to market by providing the first compliant platform-independent DDS-based solution to the highest functional safety standard, ISO26262 ASIL D. In addition, It secures between DDS, AUTOSAR Classic, AUTOSAR Adaptive and ROS 2. With Connext Drive 3.0, OEMs can get their next-generation vehicle to market faster by using the same framework from prototype to production.
Its unmatched architectural versatility minimizes the amount of custom communication and integration code users have to develop. Based on the Data Distribution Service (DDS™) standard, Connext Drive delivers on the promise of safer, more flexible and adaptable automotive systems by forging a pathway between functional safety and innovation. In automotive, RTI works with more than 25 companies who use Connext to accelerate their software-defined programs.
Connext Drive 3.0 enables manufacturers to create safer, more flexible and adaptable communication architectures with less risk. RTI customers now have an optimal way to enable vehicle communication as their platform evolves because of our latest platform-independent solution. The communication is not limited to DDS, as Connext Drive provides interoperable solutions with AUTOSAR Classic, AUTOSAR Adaptive and ROS. Connext Drive paves the way for the next generation of software-defined vehicles and empowers manufacturers to innovate fearlessly while accelerating success.
The latest version of Connext Drive 3.0 includes:
- Functional Safety: Connext Drive 3.0 is the first DDS-based communications framework that adheres to the highest functional safety standards (ISO26262 ASIL D).
- A flexible, accelerated path to Certification: Connext Drive is the first platform-independent ASIL-D TUV SUD certified software; it eliminates the need for recertification if the vehicle operating system or network interfaces change.
- A Solution to Bridge the Platforms Gap: RTI Connext Integration Toolkit for AUTOSAR seamlessly connects between DDS and AUTOSAR Classic/AUTOSAR Adaptive without custom code.
Aleta: The Virtual MCU Revolutionizing IoT Device Development
Exhibitor: Neoway Technology Co., Ltd.
Hall/Booth: 3/3-214
As IoT expands, OpenCPU architecture is gaining adoption by running all software on communication modules, eliminating external MCUs. Benefits include lower BOM costs, smaller form factors and power savings - attractive for high volume products like trackers and metering.
However, traditional OpenCPU poses challenges:
- 1. Steep learning curves - customers invest 3-6 months re-architecting mature MCU firmware into unfamiliar OpenCPU languages and environments. Significant code refactoring and tests involved.
- 2. Higher maintenance load - a customer may use OpenCPU modules from different vendors, each with disparate APIs/tools. Even the same vendor chips may need different code. This parallel work across multiple versions burdens small R&D teams.
- 3. Vendor lock-in - Once significant time/resources are invested customizing firmware to one vendor's OpenCPU, moving later to alternate solutions carries heavy costs akin to a fresh migration.
Without easy portability, long-term supply chain leverage and pricing power gets eroded. So while OpenCPU shrinks device size, complexity and costs upfront, switching costs are exorbitant. Aleta's answer? A unified application abstraction for hardware-independent software portability. Avoiding bespoke rewrites not just across modules, but also over time as standards evolve. Virtualization makes portable innovation software-defined rather than hardware-locked.
Aleta spearheads virtualization for resource-constrained IoT devices - a revolutionary industry first. The tiny hypervisor layer harnesses this proven cloud/enterprise technology in appliances with single CPUs and limited memories. A customized hypervisor, efficient enough to fit within 100 KB memory footprint and barely impacting CPU, virtualizes an enduring MCU software environment. Safe partitioning ensures real-time performance, reliability and security required by advanced edge use cases.Unlike reinventing software abstractions, Aleta preserves existing embedded investments.
The virtual MCU architecture matches incumbents exactly, guaranteeing binary compatibility. Porting requires minor adaptations measured in days, akin to just replacing the microcontroller model. No new languages to learn or frameworks to rebuild! For programmers, Neoway delivers a familiar, streamlined IDE mirroring trusted toolchains. Advanced techniques like offline emulated debugging, peripheral simulation and dynamic robustness checks boost developer productivity and solution resilience. By rooting in proven methodologies like FreeRTOS while expanding cutting edges like deterministic runtimes, Aleta strikes balance between gentle learning curves and next-gen features. The best of both worlds!
In all, Aleta democratizes rapid, modular innovation gains from virtualization for the deeply embedded space. The flexible, unified environment promises an Android-moment in IoT software-hardware co-design
