The Embedded Technologies Expo & Conference on June 25 - 27 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose covers an astounding array of topics encompassing the embedded engineering experience. Several exciting tracks and topics include significant design and application fundamentals, C/C++ software coding, real-time operating system fundamentals, digital and analog power solutions, and tracks on both securing and testing embedded systems. Application-specific tracks include Industrial IoT (IIoT), automotive and industrial applications centering on artificial intelligence, machine learning, vision, and imaging. Find out what’s next in the latest embedded technologies.
The Embedded Technologies Expo & Conference offers a variety of workshops and sessions covering technology fundamentals, findings and techniques in new technologies, case studies for learning vicariously through others’ experiences, networking get-togethers where you can meet old colleagues, an abundance of exhibitor demonstrations, and much more.
Tuesday, June 25 brings several workshops presenting current topics, involving real-time operating system fundamentals, choosing the right LPWAN for your application, embedded security boot camp, digital and analog power solutions, creating the most efficient and secure C/C++ code, and developing with Python.
For instance, Greg Davis of Green Hills Software, the director of engineering for compilers, holds a workshop on how to write, compile, and debug the most efficient and secure C/C++ code. Davis’ three-hour course also covers tools and techniques to augment any software design paradigm, as well as the problems and solutions that you need when using a modern debugger and readily available tools.
Pre-conference workshops run from 9 AM to 5 PM, with a Sensors Kick-Off Party featuring drinks and appetizers starting at 5 PM.
Wednesday, June 26
Keynote: The conference kicks off with a keynote from Allison Barto of Ball Aerospace regarding the complex optics and electronics in building NASA’s 22-foot wide James Webb Space Telescope.
Rob Oshana of NXP delivers some useful lessons learned in a session called A Case Study in Machine Learning: Detecting Security Vulnerabilities in On Embedded Application In Real Time, walking us through the steps required to build a machine learning system for an embedded application. The case study demonstrates each step of the process. (10 AM to 10:50 AM, room 230A)
A Bluetooth SIG workshop covers the importance of interoperability and expanding the role of wireless in embedded in sensor-based solutions. For interactive sessions provide case studies and insights garnered from experience in implementing wireless technologies in both commercial and industrial fields. (10 AM to 1 PM)
Terrence Barr of Electric Imp presents a practical guide to Delivering Intelligent Cellular Remote Monitoring and Control Solutions, encompassing, architectures, and best practices regarding security, flexibility, scalability, longevity, range, cost, and battery life in remote wireless monitoring and control solutions. Barr describes a practical approach to building a quickly deployable IoT platform and lightweight cellular gateway that scales across many industrial applications. (11 AM to 11:50 AM, room 230C)
Sai Yamanoor of Praxair discusses and demonstrates techniques for Detecting Anomalies on Microcontrollers Using Machine Learning. A variety of tool sets that are available from semiconductor manufacturers can be used to implement machine learning algorithms on a microcontroller. (11 AM to 11:50 AM, room 230A)
Intel’s Michael Clay What it Takes to Build an AI System; including requirements for building AI solutions at the edge, use cases that spotlight computer vision, and developer-enabling capabilities. (1:30 PM - 2:20 PM, room 230A)
Autonomous, Connected, Electrified, and Shared Vehicles are Coming: How Should Cities Prepare? Is presented by North Dakota University’s Dr. Raj Bridgelall, who holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. in transportation and logistics. Dr. Bridgelall covers key research findings in Automation, Connectivity, Electrification, and Sharing (ACES). For instance, will self-driving cars notice if a bike messenger has grabbed on to hitch a tow? How does intelligent infrastructure deal with hurricane evacuation that commandeers both sides of a highway when large populations must exit a city? This session summarizes key findings in ACES research and discusses recommendations for planning and policymaking. (2:30 PM to 2:55 PM, room 230C)
How Do You Run Machine Learning Models on Small, Wearable Systems? Google’s Hongyang Deng, technical lead manager of the wearable audio/DSP/machine learning team gives an overview on both challenges and opportunities in running machine learning models on tiny, portable, power-constrained wearable devices that must withstand daily human usage. Deng covers use cases, constraints, model constructions and optimizations, and tools to run models with memory/MIPS constraints. (3:30 PM to 4:20 PM, room 230A)
Rajeev Gulati of the Data I/O Corporation presents a session titled Managed and Secure Programming for the Automotive World: Securing the Connected Car with Hardware-Based Security for a Flexible and Secure Manufacturing Strategy. New architectural designs in electronic control units (ECUs) connect a variety of subsystems, exposing them to external networks. Such advancements increase the risk of threats that can gain access. Gulati examines foundational security requirements from a hardware-based approach, including methods for injecting cryptographic elements into ECUs early on. (3:30 PM to 3:55 PM, room 230C)
David Barnett of Real-Time Solutions discusses Best Practices in Applying Industrial Cyber Security to Autonomous Vehicles. Autonomous vehicles are diverse networks demanding security and low latency for data fusion. Securing sophisticated systems benefits greatly by leveraging industry best practices, such as those developed by the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC). Barnett’s talk outlines a series of Best Practices documents from the most in-depth, cross-industry-focused security framework available, comprising expert vision, experience, and security best practices that reflect thousands of hours of experiences from security experts. (3:55 PM to 4:20 PM, room 230 C)
Thursday, June 27
Keynote: Gerardo Giaretta of Qualcomm Technologies answers, What does 5G Mean for IoT? Giaretta asserts that 5G will deliver multi-Gbps peak rates, ultra-low latency, massive capacity, and more uniform user experience; even for cost-constrained IoT. LTE IoT enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC), and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) will be the first 5G massive IoT solution connecting a wide range of low-complexity IoT devices. But what can you do today? Discover how to evolve on the roadmap to 5G. (9:15 AM to 10 AM, room LL20)
Brent Wilson of Silicon Labs shows you how to Find the Right Security Level For Your IoT. No one wants to design an application prone to hacking or data theft. Wilson’s session helps you understand and identify the level of security needed for different IoT applications. (10 AM to 10:50 AM, room 230C)
Microchip’s Effortless Design full-day Workshop offers attendees presentations, hands-on sessions, and access to experts in key areas covering microcontrollers, wireless technology, security, power management, and sensor interfacing. Effortless design translates to allowing engineers to concentrate on solving an actual problem instead of fighting all the little details. (10 AM to 5 PM)
BrainChip Holdings’ Bob Beachler will open your eyes to Embedded Vision and Image Processing Applications through Spiking Neural Network (SNN) Technology. SNN technology is leading us to breakthroughs in implementing AI. Unlike power hungry deep learning networks, SNNs learn in an unsupervised manner, without large data sets, and find patterns of which humans are unaware. SNN’s rapid learning capability opens up new possibilities for classifying objects, autonomous vehicles, surveillance, vision-guided robotics, and hundreds of other applications. (11 AM to 11:25 AM, room 230A)
Looking for Affordable Computing at the IIoT Edge Node? Edel Griffith of Adesto Technologies says that real-time operation and analog interfacing are crucial for many in the Industrial Internet of Things; thus, edge computing becomes key. What do you do if the edge also has limitations in power, size, and cost? Griffith presents how edge computing can be a reality without compromising on performance, power, size, or cost. (11:25 AM to 11:50 AM)
Jacob Beningo, an experienced embedded software consultant, covers topics in two sessions. Beningo examines important concepts in Securing the IoT with Arm® TrustZone® for the Cortex-M™, including a hands-on demonstration. (1:30 PM to 1:55 PM, room 230C) in another session, Beningo talks about Designing Intelligent Systems Using Resource Constrained Edge Devices. Microcontroller-based systems are not outside the realm of machine learning. Advances in MCU technology have made designing intelligent systems with resource constrained devices a reality. Discover tools and capabilities available to MCU designers that add a new level of intelligence. (2:30 PM to 3:20 PM, room 230 B)
Have you considered Using Google Test for Safety-Sensitive Software Development? Parasoft's Mirek Zielinski talks about commercial unit testing tools and open source frameworks. Advanced functionality relies on open source libraries, which are available with unit test cases written in open source frameworks such as Google Test. (1:30 PM to 2:20 PM, room 230A)
How do you Test IoT Applications from Embedded to Cloud? Andrey Madan of Parasoft identifies the best technical and business approaches for efficient testing of different applications. Madan’s personal 10-year experience in developing embedded systems and test environments for life-critical implantable products at Medtronic shares testing approaches to satisfy critical quality expectations. (2:30 PM to 3:20 PM, room 230A)
Scott Jones of Maxim Integrated delivers the last session: How SHA-3 Cryptographic Authentication Protects Against Substandard Sensor Clones. Counterfeiting presents increasing threats to embedded system integrity and can degrade end-user service-level expectations. Now, designers are under pressure to guarantee that the sensors inside their devices are genuine and deliver accurate data. Jones explains how to use SHA3-256, the latest industry-standard cryptographic hash algorithm, to efficiently reduce the risk of substandard sensor use and device counterfeits.
Ongoing from the Expo Floor
The Embedded Technologies Expo features over 50 exhibits where you can discuss the latest in technology with staff from a variety of enterprises and see new product offerings and demonstrations.
The Embedded Live Theater is a nonstop Expo two day featured event presenting the latest technologies in security, AI, and automotive infotainment, including teardowns and development kit giveaways. Companies cover many topics here, inspiring walk-up attendance. For example, Imagination Technologies presents innovative processor solutions for graphics, vision, AI processing, and multi-standard communications. GreenWaves Technologies discusses interpreting rich data sources on high powered edge devices that bring reduced latency, increased privacy, and reduced data center congestion.
The Automotive Technology Theater covers highly technical topics from Thermal Cameras for Safer Cars and The Challenges of Automotive Grade LiDAR, and a panel of startup companies that reveal innovations set to shake up the automotive industry in Focus on Sensors and Autonomous Vehicles.
There’s nothing better for gaining knowledge about technology that’s up to the minute than a jam-packed conference like Embedded Technologies Expo & Conference. See you there!