🔒 Locked

embedded system??

Started by AndreTheGiant Mar 3, 2003 at 9:32 PM 2 replies 150+ views

Original Post

AndreTheGiant

179

AndreTheGiant

Mar 3, 2003 at 9:32 PM

Whats an embedded system? I am currently trying to choose my courses for my final year of university (comp. sci.) and the course descriptions are sketchy at best. Here is the description for a courses called "embedded systems". It tells me nothing. I dont even know if this is going to be a programming intensive course or more of a hardware type of course. Can anyone elaborate on what they think this might be? Thanks! EMBEDDED SYSTEMS COURSE DESC: This course will give an overview of the characteristics and design of embedded systems. Topics will include formal models and specification languages for capturing system behavior; techniques for specification, exploration, and refinement; tools for validation, verification, and simulation; and quality and performance metrics.

WillyWag

Mar 3, 2003 at 10:01 PM

It's easier give examples than describe it. The system that runs your digital watch is an embedded system, the thing that runs your washing machine, the thing that controls the artificial horizon in an airplane is an embedded system. You get the idea. You'll probably have to program an EEPROM and put something in an oven at some stage. I found it a VERY interesting course. Highly recommended.

-ww

P.S. I just re-read your post. It's probably going to be a healthy mix of both programming and hardware. You can't do one without the other in an embedded system. Ours had a lot of electronics and logic.

[edited by - willywag on March 3, 2003 11:03:09 PM]

Cold_Steel

103

Cold_Steel

Mar 3, 2003 at 10:31 PM

From ''The Fundamentals of Software Engineering'' - "Embedded systems are systems in which the software is one of many components and often has no interface to the end user; rather, the software has interfaces with the other system components and probably controls them. EMbedded software is now used in airplanes, robots, microwave ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, automobiles...
The interface of embedded software is with other devices rather than humans"

I would also gues the class would be a lot of hardware and programming.

I took a class sort of like embedded systems, and it was a lot of fun. We got to play with and build hardware, which computer scientists don''t get to do that much.

Big B

Mar 3, 2003 at 11:04 PM

I''m taking a class like that right now called Real-Time Systems. It will most likely be useful sometime in the future, but it seems like the entire class is designing the same dyeing unit in a different modelling language each week.

Class descriptions are usually behind the times. Here''s the description for my graphics class:

Graphics hardware. Raster algorithms and software. Graphics standards (Core, GKS, PHIGS). Geometrical transformations. Viewing in three dimensions. Curves and splines. Picture generation using solid polyhedra. Illumination and color. Ray tracing. Display file compilers. Graphics data structures. Interactive graphics.

I''ve only heard of PHIGS because my previous boss used it in school. Apparently it was a nightmare to use.

What are your other options?

Topic Locked

This topic has been locked by a moderator. New replies are not allowed.