Author Archives: richard wilson

STMicroelectronics’ recently introduced SPC58 ramge of multi-core automotive MCUs has a debug tool which can target single cores or the whole device, courtesy of PLS Programmierbare Logik & Systeme.

Tool debugs multi-core automotive MCUs a core at a time

The Universal Debug Engine (UDE) 4.4.6 will implement programming of the MCU’s integrated flash memory as well as the control and management of the CPUs and modules.

As a result main cores can be selected as debug targets, but also the MCUs timer and hardware security module or indeed the whole device.

The SPC58 E-line MCUs integrate three CPU cores based on the Power Architecture with 6320kbyte on-chip flash memory and 768kbyte SRAM.

With up to seven Controller Area Network (CAN) nodes and one Time-Triggered Controller Area Network (TTCAN) node, the MCUs are expected to be used in engine management, transmission control and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

Management of the individual active units by the debugger is carried out via a multi-core run control manager, which enables an almost synchronous starting and stopping of the various cores using logic that is integrated on the chip.

Multi-core breakpoints are implemented in the UDE and as a result when running shared code a simultaneously acting breakpoint for all cores can be set. Data breakpoints in turn allow the recognition of read and/or write accesses to a variable.

For configuring the MCU’s several hundred registers of the additional emulation memory, PLS offers the Universal Emulation Configurator (UEC) with block graphics user interface in addition to the UDE 4.4.6.

“The Universal Emulation Configurator (UEC) helps the user to cope as effectively as possible with the limited resources of the on-chip emulation memory. In parallel to this, the implemented Aurora interface offers the possibility to externally record a very large amount of trace data and to carry out a statistical analysis of the program flow such as code coverage and profiling,” said PLS.

PLS’ Universal Access Device 3+ (UAD3+) with Aurora pod serves for recording, while the evaluation itself is carried out by the Universal Debug Engine (UDE).

Richard Wilson

Raspberry Pi programming language more popular than French

September 1, 2015

richard wilson

Raspberry Pi programming language more popular than French

The Raspberry Pi programming language, called Python, has overtaken French as the most popular language taught in primary schools, according to a survey of school pupils and parents.

Most significant was the importance even parents of the very young school children placed on learning programming.

Six out of 10 parents want their primary school age children to learn the coding language over French. While 75% of primary school children said they would rather learn how to program a robot than learn the modern foreign language.

The survey, which sampled 3,000 – ranging from five year-olds to parents – was commissioned by Ocado Technology.

More worrying is that the survey also found that secondary school pupils were less enthusiastic about learning computer programming , and over half saw a computer science GCSE is seen as an ‘easy option’ in their schools.

Paul Clarke, Director of Technology at Ocado, writes:

“Unfortunately this is an example of a wider and more serious problem that we face in terms of computer science in the UK not being treated as the serious engineering discipline that it undoubtedly is. The irony is that this is at a time when we are facing a massive shortfall in the number of software engineers and IT specialists who will be required to help build out the UK’s digital economy.”

Clarke believes the government should make computer science GCSE mandatory like maths and English.

Online shopping firm Ocado has also created Rapid Router, a free coding teaching resource which is being used by over 30,000 schools, pupils and teachers.

It is also releasing a series of videos by Computing specialists where they provide fellow teachers with tips on delivering the Computing curriculum.

The research was based on three online surveys conducted on behalf of Ocado Technology by OnePoll in August 2015:

1,000 5-11 year old primary school pupils from England
1,000 parents of school children from England
1,000 secondary school pupils from England

Richard Wilson

Survey highlights serious cuts in government-funded science R&D

August 28, 2015

richard wilson

Survey highlights serious cuts in government-funded science R&D

Civil service employees in science research say decline in government-funded science affects whole economy, according to a survey by the Prospect union.

The survey found that 81% of civil servants, three-quarters of those in other public bodies, and 45% of those in the private sector stated that “cuts in public funding have affected R&D across the economy over the last five years”.

All sectors have experienced significant staff reductions, according to the survey of union members working in science, engineering and technology.

Over half of respondents considered that the expertise within their own organisation had declined in the last five years – including 60% in the civil service (compared to 41% in 1999) and 49% employed in the private sector and other public bodies.

“Our research provides a stark illustration of the decline in publicly funded science,” said Sue Ferns, Prospect deputy general secretary.

The decline has accelerated with the spending cuts experienced in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

Overall, respondents were pessimistic about career prospects in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), with 47% believing they do not have further opportunities to progress.

Ferns said successive governments had paid lip service to the importance of investing in R&D to put the economy on a sustainable footing. “Our survey shows that they have so far failed to deliver.”

She added: “Twice as many civil servants are now telling us their work is commercially confidential compared to 15 years ago. The government must ensure that the rise of commercial contracts does not undermine the independent, quality advice that is the bedrock of good decision-making.”

More than 50% of civil service members employed in research and development say half or more of their work is now commercially confidential.

The survey also found that 14% of respondents reported that they had been asked to tailor research conclusions to suit a customer’s preferred outcome, including 19% from the civil service.

Download a PDF of the June 2015 survey results.