Modern C++ in embedded development: Static Classes
Static classes give embedded C++ developers a clear way to group module functions while preventing accidental instantiation. This post shows how to implement C#-style static classes in C++ by deleting the default constructor, then use templates and C++20 concepts to make firmware business logic platform independent and type safe. It also covers testability techniques, including mock wrappers for unavoidable static state.
Creating a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) in C
In my last post, C to C++: Using Abstract Interfaces to Create Hardware Abstraction Layers (HAL), I discussed how vital hardware abstraction layers are and how to use a C++ abstract interface to create them. You may be thinking, that’s great for C++, but I work in C! How do I create a HAL that can easily swap in and out different drivers? In today’s post, I will walk through exactly how to do that while using the I2C bus as an example.
Elliptic Curve Cryptography - Key Exchange and Signatures
Elliptic curve mathematics over finite fields helps solve the problem of exchanging secret keys for encrypted messages as well as proving a specific person signed a particular document. This article goes over simple algorithms for key exchange and digital signature using elliptic curve mathematics. These methods are the essence of elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) used in applications such as SSH, TLS and HTTPS.
What does it mean to be 'Turing complete'?
The term "Turing complete" describes all computers and even some things we don't expect to be as powerful as a typical computer. In this article, I describe what it means and discuss the implications of Turing completeness on projects that need just a little more power, on alternative processor designs, and even security.
Elliptic Curve Cryptography - Security Considerations
The security of elliptic curve cryptography is determined by the elliptic curve discrete log problem. This article explains what that means. A comparison with real number logarithm and modular arithmetic gives context for why it is called a log problem.
Handling Translations in an Embedded Project
A brief walkthrough on how to handle human language translations in a low level C application. Some options are listed, each with advantages and disadvantages laid out.
Elliptic Curve Cryptography - Basic Math
An introduction to the math of elliptic curves for cryptography. Covers the basic equations of points on an elliptic curve and the concept of point addition as well as multiplication.
Square root in fixed point VHDL
In this blog we will design and implement a fixed point square root function in VHDL. The algorithm is based on the recursive Newton Raphson inverse square root algorithm and the implementation offers parametrizable pipeline depth, word length and the algorithm is built with VHDL records and procedures for easy use.
Mastering Modern FPGA Skills for Engineers
In the rapidly evolving tech industry, engineers must acquire proficiency in modern FPGA skills. These skills empower engineers to optimize designs, minimize resource usage, and efficiently address FPGA design challenges while ensuring functionality, security, and compliance.
Open-Source Licenses Made Easy with Buildroot and Yocto for Embedded Linux
In this article I will try to explain what are the copyrights/copyleft, what are the popular opensource software licenses, and how to make sure that your Embedded Linux system complies with them using popular build systems ; Buildroot or YOCTO projec
Finite State Machines (FSM) in Embedded Systems (Part 3) - Unuglify C++ FSM with DSL
Domain Specific Languages (DSL) are an effective way to avoid boilerplate or repetitive code. Using DSLs lets the programmer focus on the problem domain, rather than the mechanisms used to solve it. Here I show how to design and implement a DSL using the C++ preprocessor, using the FSM library, and the examples I presented in my previous articles.
On hardware state machines: How to write a simple MAC controller using the RP2040 PIOs
Hardware state machines are nice, and the RP2040 has two blocks with up to four machines each. Their instruction set is limited, but powerful, and they can execute an instruction per cycle, pushing and popping from their FIFOs and shifting bytes in and out. The Raspberry Pi Pico does not have an Ethernet connection, but there are many PHY boards available… take a LAN8720 board and connect it to the Pico; you’re done. The firmware ? Introducing Mongoose…
Lost Secrets of the H-Bridge, Part I: Ripple Current in Inductive Loads
Jason Sachs digs into what PWM switching actually does to current in an H-bridge with an inductive load, and why that ripple matters for motors and power converters. He derives closed-form ripple formulas, shows how to compute a reference current I_R0 = VDC·T/L, and uses Python and sympy to plot and verify results. Read it for practical rules to halve ripple and raise its frequency.
Code Metrics - SLOC Count
Metrics and SLOC can trigger flashbacks for experienced engineers, but counting source lines of code still has practical uses when applied sensibly. This post clarifies physical versus logical lines in C, explains how SLOC can be misused to judge developer productivity, and shows how to run cloc to produce accurate per-file SLOC reports for estimation and codebase analysis.
C to C++: 5 Tips for Refactoring C Code into C++
The article titled "Simple Tips to Refactor C Code into C++: Improve Embedded Development" provides essential guidance for embedded developers transitioning from C to C++. The series covers fundamental details necessary for a seamless transition and emphasizes utilizing C++ as a better C rather than diving into complex language features. The article introduces five practical tips for refactoring C code into C++. Replace #define with constexpr and const: Discouraging the use of #define macros, the article advocates for safer alternatives like constexpr and const to improve type safety, debugging, namespaces, and compile-time computation. Use Namespaces: Demonstrating the benefits of organizing code into separate logical groupings through namespaces, the article explains how namespaces help avoid naming conflicts and improve code readability. Replace C-style Pointers with Smart Pointers and References: Emphasizing the significance of avoiding raw pointers, the article suggests replacing them with C++ smart pointers (unique_ptr, shared_ptr, weak_ptr) and using references
Ten Little Algorithms, Part 5: Quadratic Extremum Interpolation and Chandrupatla's Method
Today we will be drifting back into the topic of numerical methods, and look at an algorithm that takes in a series of discretely-sampled data points, and estimates the maximum value of the waveform they were sampled from.
Patterns of Thinking: Metaphors in Programming
Why do some programming ideas click while others confuse engineers? This post shows that the metaphors you choose — from biological classification for inheritance to a “quantum” analogy for hierarchical state machines — shape how developers learn, design, and communicate. It also explains the surprising power of anthropomorphic (“naïve psychology”) language in team discussions and gives practical cautions about when metaphors help or mislead.
Ten Little Algorithms, Part 1: Russian Peasant Multiplication
Jason Sachs revisits a centuries-old multiplication trick and shows why it still matters. He lays out Russian Peasant Multiplication with simple Python code, then reveals how the same shift-and-add pattern maps to GF(2) polynomial arithmetic and to exponentiation by squaring. The post mixes historical context with practical bitwise techniques that are useful for embedded and low-level math work.
Data Types for Control & DSP
Control engineers often default to double precision, but Tim Wescott shows that choice can waste CPU cycles on embedded targets. He separates numeric representation into floating point, integer, and fixed-point, then walks through the tradeoffs, including quantization, overflow, and performance. A concrete PID example highlights why integrator precision and ADC scaling should drive your choice of data type rather than habit.
Round-robin or RTOS for my embedded system
Manuel Herrera walks through the practical tradeoffs between bare-metal round-robin loops and adopting an RTOS for embedded projects. He outlines two round-robin styles, explains how an RTOS gives independent threads and synchronization primitives, and highlights added code, licensing, interrupt latency, and the learning curve. Read this to sharpen decision criteria around timing guarantees, reuse, and whether an RTOS truly adds value to your firmware.
Using a RTLSDR dongle to validate NRF905 configuration
Fabien Le Mentec wanted to be sure his nRF905 radio link was configured correctly before trusting it across seven floors. Instead of guessing, he used a cheap RTLSDR dongle, rtl_fm, and a small custom decoder to inspect the 433 MHz traffic directly. The result was a practical way to validate packet framing, Manchester coding, and signal strength without relying only on the radio module’s own feedback.
Energia - program a TI MSP430 using Arduino sketches
Energia brings Arduino simplicity to TI's MSP430, turning a fiddly toolchain into a sketch-based workflow you already know. Lonnie Honeycutt walks through why the Launchpad is a great low-cost dev option, outlines supported MSP430 families and caveats like 3.3 volt I/O, and shows a Halloween LED jack-o-lantern sketch to prove how quickly you can get blinking LEDs.
Memory Mapped I/O in C
Interacting with memory mapped device registers is at the base of all embedded development. Let's explore what tools the C language - standard of the industry - provide the developer with to face this task.
How Embedded Linux is used in Spacecrafts !
This article dives into the application of Linux in spacecraft, examining the challenges it poses and proposing potential solutions. Real-life examples will be discussed, while also addressing the drawbacks of employing Linux in safety-critical missions.
Finite State Machines (FSM) in Embedded Systems (Part 2) - Simple C++ State Machine Engine
When implementing state machines in your project it is an advantage to rely on a tried and tested state machine engine. This component is reused for every kind of application and helps the developer focus on the domain part of the software. In this article, the design process that turns a custom C++ code into a finite-state machine engine is fully described with motivations and tradeoffs for each iteration.
Real-time clocks: Does anybody really know what time it is?
Most RTC chips still expose calendar fields rather than seconds-since-epoch, forcing embedded engineers to write ugly conversion code. Jason Sachs makes the case for offset encoding, subseconds, and an explicit snapshot feature to simplify interval math, raise precision, and avoid rare timing bugs. Read this practical take on RTC trade-offs and a short wishlist for chip makers.
Spread the Word and Run a Chance to Win a Bundle of Goodies from Embedded World
EmbeddedRelated is turning Embedded World into a live-streaming experiment, and the more engineers help spread the word, the better the coverage could get. Stephane Boucher is asking readers to follow updates on Twitter and LinkedIn, where every like, share, or repost adds another chance to win a box of vendor goodies. The prize mix includes t-shirts, dev kits, gadgets, and plenty of pens.
OOKLONE: a cheap RF 433.92MHz OOK frame cloner
Fabien Le Mentec built a pocket device that listens to and clones 433.92MHz OOK frames, automating the tedious reverse engineering of cheap wireless outlets. The prototype uses a Moteino with an RFM69 to sample demodulated OOK data, stores pulse durations in SRAM, and replays frames; the code and hardware notes are available on GitHub along with limitations and next steps.
StrangeCPU #2. Sliding Window Token Machines
Victor Yurkovsky walks through a surprising CPU design that expands tiny 8/9-bit tokens into full 32-bit call targets using a sliding-window pointer table. The article explains the red/blue memory model, compilation tradeoffs like table overrun and under-run, literal factoring, FPGA scaling, and even includes an ARM Cortex-M implementation snippet to show how the interpreter works in practice.
The DSP Online Conference - Right Around the Corner!
Three months after a forum post, Stephane Boucher and Jacob Beningo pulled together the DSP Online Conference, a two-day virtual event featuring 14 talks from leading DSP experts. Most sessions are 30 to 60 minutes with a 30-minute Zoom Q&A, while extended deep dives from speakers like fred harris are included. Registered attendees get one-year on-demand access, and free or reduced passes are available.
