2007-06-08 14:00:22.711035+00 by Dan Lyke 2 comments
Interesting: One of the issues in embedded hardware is trying to minimize how many additional microcontrollers get used to respond to the stuff that needs real-time response, and then hooking up the communications between all those little CPUs. Parallax has an 8 core microcontroller they call the "Propellor".
[ related topics: Robotics Embedded Devices ]
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#Comment Re: made: 2007-06-08 16:39:38.81503+00 by: ebradway
Isn't the other problem physical attachment of external inputs to the controllers? Sticking the controllers in the same "box", I would think, just makes the wiring design that much messier. By putting controllers nearer the event source just seems to make more sense. But I haven't dealt with embedded controllers in about two decades...
#Comment Re: made: 2007-06-08 17:18:15.334387+00 by: Dan Lyke
I think it depends a lot on the application. In one project I'm looking at there are separate controllers for the motor drive subsystem and for the user interface. As people try to trim component counts on ui elements I can see wanting separate low latency real time devices to drive an LCD, do the appropriate touch screen interfacing, manage motor driving, and while there may be a bit of a multiplexing lines issue, the fact that you're not having to route interprocessor signal lines through that whole mess could be a really good thing.