Embedded System Questions
1. What is an embedded system?
- A computersystem with a dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electrical system
- “embedded” as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts.
- Typical properties include low power consumption, small size, rugged operating ranges, and low per-unit cost
- Embedded systems range from portable devices such as digital watchesand MP3 players, to large stationary installations like traffic lights, factory controllers, and largely complex systems like hybrid vehicles, MRI, and avionics.
2. What is a microcontroller?
- Micro controllers are “special purpose computers” that do one thing well.
- Designed for embedded applications
- Used in automatically controlled products and devices.
- They will generally have the ability to retain functionality while waiting for an event such as a button press or other interrupt
3.
| SPI | ADC | UART | I2C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. What do they stand for? | Serial Peripheral Interface | Analog-to-Digital Converter | Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter | Inter-Integrated Circuit |
| b. What are they? | An SPI is a synchronous serial communication interface specification used for short distance communication, primarily in embedded systems. | A device that converts physical quantities into digital numbers to represent the physical quantity. | UART is a computer hardware device that translates data between parallel and serial forms. | I2C is a multi-master, multi-slave, single-ended, serial computer bus. |
| c. What are they useful for? | SPI can be used for Secure Digital Cards and Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD). | It can be used for music recording, digital signal processing, and scientific instruments. | UARTs are used for transmitting and receiving data. | I2C is typically used for attaching lower-speed integrated cirucits to processors and microcontrollers. |
d. How are they all related?
4. How do you think this information will relate to this lab?
We will definitely be using microcontrollers to control the rest of these items as part of an embedded system in our weatherbox.
Arduino Questions
1. What is Arduino?
Arduino is an open-source prototyping platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software.
2. What is an Arduino Uno?\\
The Arduino Uno is a micro controller board that is normally useful for learning the basics of coding and micro controllers.
3. What kind of programming language does the Arduino IDE support?
It uses C/C++ language.
4. What are the two functions that are present in an Arduino program?
setup() is configuring the registers and initializing the arduino. loop() is a continuous main function.
5. How is it different from a regular microcontroller?
Arduino allows the user to easily operate a microcontroller. The Arduino itself is not a microcontroller, it is an embedded system.
6. Why do people use the Arduino?
People use Arduino because it is simple to use and has the potential to incorporate hardware and software in one module.
a. What are some advantages?
Arduino is open-source and is flexible and adaptable to a project. Arduino is also easy to use and compatible with PCs and Macs using USB. Another advantage is that Arduino is affordable and there is a large support community behind it online with various resources for help.
b. What are some disadvantages?
As a result of Arduino's ease of use for a beginner, it often can limit an experienced or a more sophisticated user.
Authors
Contributing authors:
Created by dtokita on 2016/02/02 04:44.