Design and implementation of embedded systems is involved with both hardware and software. The small system footprint, significant and intimate interactions between the hardware and software, and high density package significantly complicates system development process. Rapid evolution of the technology only worsens the situation. A single microcontroller chip can contain RAM, flash and various peripheral devices that are all soft programmable through specific tools or procedures. Incorporation of variable power, variable speed devices into classical system architecture is highly challenging. How to design the software system on top of such devices blurs the boundary between the hardware and software design processes. It is very difficult, and sometimes overwhelming to balance systems concepts, architecture, methodologies, tools, and applications in the classroom and lab. It can be intimidating, to say the least, for students to digest the large amount of information, learn about the tools, excel in the tests and projects, and gain the confidence and basic skills before they enter the job market.

This class is designed to give students a realistic experience in embedded system design, based on a design-centric curriculum, live industrial material, and hands-on experiments. The technical scope of the class is illustrated as follows.