Hands-on undergraduate real-time systems and Hardware-Software development

Abstract

Real-time systems is one of the topic introduced as part of courses taught in most undergraduate engineering and computer science. From industrial perspective, embedded realtime systems discipline deemed to be important and are widely used in industrial applications such as avionics, aerospace, robotics, automobile, and industrial control etc. This paper shares the hands-on laboratory embedded real-time software utilizing Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) having Virtual System Modeling (VSM) capabilities together with low cost microcontroller based system. Using these tools students will not only learn real-time and multitask programming but also exposed to the nitty-gritty and challenges of Hardware Software (HW/SW) development which will contribute towards a better understanding and appreciation of embedded real-time systems.