Starting on June 20 and running through June 24, Design News will present the free course, Embedded Software Design Techniques. Each class runs an hour, beginning at 2:00 Eastern. You can also earn IEEE Professional Development Hours for participating. If you are not able to attend the class schedule, the course will be available on demand.

The techniques for designing effective embedded software have evolved over recent years. Embedded systems are no longer simple disconnected systems. They are now powerful microcontroller-driven devices that balance connectivity, machine learning, and real-time control. In this course, the instructor Jacob Beningo will explore how to design and build modern embedded systems that use microcontrollers.

Here’s a Breakdown of Embedded Software Design Techniques Day by Day

Day 1: Software Architectures 101

Embedded systems designers today have a wide range of development environments and architectures available to them. In this session, we will explore the software architectural patterns that are available to designers today. Attendees will walk away understanding the differences between technical layers, domains, and micro-services. 

Day 2: Designing RTOS-Based Applications

Many real-time systems rely on an RTOS to manage timing and low-level features in the microcontroller system. In this session, we will explore how to architect an embedded application using an RTOS. Attendees will learn how to develop and verify their architecture.

Related:3 lessons from an embedded systems hack

Day 3: Architecture Verification Techniques

It’s amazing how quickly a well-architected system can descend into chaos! In this session, we will explore how to analyze our embedded software as we develop it to ensure that we maintain high coherence and minimize coupling. Attendees will walk away with new ideas on how to keep their architecture clean. 

Day 4: Designing Quality into Embedded Systems

Quality cannot be added to a system at the end of the development cycle—it must be maintained at every stage. In this session, we will explore what it takes to build a quality embedded system. We will discuss how to analyze embedded systems for quality using complexity, cycle analysis, CI/CD, and more. Attendees will walk away with the knowledge of what processes may work for them to improve their system quality and decrease time to market. 

Day 5: Software Configuration Management Techniques

The bane of many projects is how to successfully manage software configurations. Many code bases are used across multiple product lines and SKUs. Managing which features are included and which are excluded can result in complex spaghetti code. In this session, we will explore several techniques for managing configuration of a product that will simplify feature selection and minimize the opportunity for mistakes. 

Related:5 Books Every Embedded Systems Engineer Should Read

Instructor Jacob Beningo

Leading the course will be Jacob Beningo. Jacob is a frequent contributor to Design News, primarily on embedded software issues. He is an embedded software consultant who currently works with clients in more than a dozen countries to dramatically transform their businesses by improving product quality, cost and time to market. He has published more than 300 articles on embedded software development techniques, has published several books, is a sought-after speaker and technical trainer, and holds three degrees which include a Masters of Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Digi-Key Continuing Education Center

Digi-Key Continuing Education Center, presented by Design News, will get you up to working speed quickly in a host of technologies you've been meaning to study, but haven't had the time – all without leaving the comfort of your lab or office. Our faculty of expert tutors has divided the interdisciplinary world of design engineering into five dimensions: microcontrollers (basic and advanced), sensors, wireless, power, and lighting.

You can register for the free class here.