Robots Taking Over
Thu, 07/14/2005 - 16:20
Industrial Control
Robotics is one of those fields that seem perpetually on the verge of becoming the next big thing. They have become a common fixture on most factory floors, in spite of the backlash created by labor unions. They have more recently begun to become fixtures in the house in the form of the Roomba, which is the current market leader according to an article posted on CNET.
In fact, there has been a flurry of announcements recently about robotics. They are doing everything from watching over RFID-tagged children to helping stroke patients recover. They have even taken on driving across the desert much better than they did in this event last year.
The real sleeper is the Lego Mindstorms kits, which allow kids to build and program mobile robots out of snap-together parts. Competitions are springing up at a number of grass-roots events to see who can build the best robots with these kits.
Are we on the verge of a "year of the robot"? Just like the year of the LAN it was predicted ad nauseum but no one could really determine when it happened. Did it happen behind our backs while we were watching something else?
Larry Mittag
In fact, there has been a flurry of announcements recently about robotics. They are doing everything from watching over RFID-tagged children to helping stroke patients recover. They have even taken on driving across the desert much better than they did in this event last year.
The real sleeper is the Lego Mindstorms kits, which allow kids to build and program mobile robots out of snap-together parts. Competitions are springing up at a number of grass-roots events to see who can build the best robots with these kits.
Are we on the verge of a "year of the robot"? Just like the year of the LAN it was predicted ad nauseum but no one could really determine when it happened. Did it happen behind our backs while we were watching something else?
Larry Mittag
Corporate meets Embedded through Web Services
Tue, 06/14/2005 - 09:27
Industrial Control
Like it or not, the Enterprise is extending into embedded systems.
That is one of the major impacts of Web Services, the technology that can open up embedded systems and allow them to participate in corporate networks. This is particularly evident on factory floors, where inventory tracking and process control systems are being integrated into the planning IT infrastructure. Check out this article in Automation World for the background.
Like many apparent breakthroughs, Web Services is really nothing new. Embedded programmers have been doing Machine-to-Machine (M2M) programming for a long time. In fact, many embedded programmers will sneer at the inefficiency of the text-based XML protocols that are exceedingly wasteful of bandwidth. The tradeoff is that the protocols are well-supported on the IT side of the communication, making integration much easier.
Is this a step forward in the integration of embedded systems or a step backwards into wasteful computing?
Larry Mittag
That is one of the major impacts of Web Services, the technology that can open up embedded systems and allow them to participate in corporate networks. This is particularly evident on factory floors, where inventory tracking and process control systems are being integrated into the planning IT infrastructure. Check out this article in Automation World for the background.
Like many apparent breakthroughs, Web Services is really nothing new. Embedded programmers have been doing Machine-to-Machine (M2M) programming for a long time. In fact, many embedded programmers will sneer at the inefficiency of the text-based XML protocols that are exceedingly wasteful of bandwidth. The tradeoff is that the protocols are well-supported on the IT side of the communication, making integration much easier.
Is this a step forward in the integration of embedded systems or a step backwards into wasteful computing?
Larry Mittag
ARM SBCs Come of Age
Sat, 06/18/2005 - 09:41
The Business
One of the great fears of Single Board Computer (SBC) venders is commoditization. Their nightmare scenario is a PC motherboard that sells for practically nothing because anyone can build one and they are all the same. They have been trying to capitalize on the ARM market with high-margin SBCs quickly while they were still considered special. They may already be too late.
Case in point: Gumstix. This is a seriously cool line of SBCs based on Intel ARM processors that starts (just barely) under $100 quantity one. These guys have a line of very small Linux-powered boards that have been used in a number of robotics applications, including tiny versions of military tactical Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), as reported in an EE Times Article. I'm already finding myself imagining projects for these little guys.
This is the kind of board that has potential to reach large enough quantity to drive down the pricing curve even further and is a good example of the fact that ARM architectures are no longer considered scary. This good news for any number of embedded applications that can be built more easily as a result.
Larry Mittag
Case in point: Gumstix. This is a seriously cool line of SBCs based on Intel ARM processors that starts (just barely) under $100 quantity one. These guys have a line of very small Linux-powered boards that have been used in a number of robotics applications, including tiny versions of military tactical Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), as reported in an EE Times Article. I'm already finding myself imagining projects for these little guys.
This is the kind of board that has potential to reach large enough quantity to drive down the pricing curve even further and is a good example of the fact that ARM architectures are no longer considered scary. This good news for any number of embedded applications that can be built more easily as a result.
Larry Mittag
