Real Time Embedded Systems: The Fine Line between Success and Failure

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Itec is one of the participants in the upcoming IAMD conference on March 31

By the time you are reading this, it has already surfaced that it was one of the pilots of the Germanwings passenger aircraft who crashed the plane deliberately over the Alps. This case highlights that sometimes, one millisecond make or break a mission, rendering it either a resounding success or a qualified fiasco. In this current technological age, the speed humans can respond is becoming less relevant, and systems are picking up the slack. This means greater reliance on machine response.

Real Time Embedded systems must respond and act at preset time frames. It matters very little whether your pc launches this page or another within one second or two. But when it comes to time constraints in the framework of military, HLS and law enforcement missions grow increasingly critical. Similarly, strategic sites such as power grids and aviation require systems which are capable of functioning within very short time frames and respond within a preset time to the unforeseen.

In the case of Real Time Embedded systems for critical missions, flawless performance is no only part of the specifications clients set their systems’ respective manufacturers, but also a compliance condition for operation licenses. Similarly, the civilian sector requires vehicles to meet highly specific terms for airbags. Some developers choose to go through the licensing process themselves, and some turn to specializing firms to get them through the arduous procedures.

“You sometimes go through quite an ordeal until you receive your license,” says Itec VP, Sales and marketing Yoram Sajko. “This is where we come in, as representatives of already fully licensed software and companies.” Itec carries everything out by conducting code test for various systems, including airborne and aviation systems, automotive and medical systems.
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“Our own LDRA system examines the software’s or the application’s code,” explains Sajko. “The system we developed checks the code using dynamic and static tests, checking units within the code and testing coverage too.” During the next phase, engineers run the code within the target device. These tests serve in conducting a report on the system, which summarizes whether it complies. Subsequently, following a dialog with the manufacturer, the problems get fixed. “The system cannot be sold, nor can the developer secure any projects until the code is fully screened.” Nevertheless, he adds that “some systems do not require licensing, but their operators do want them to function at a millisecond accuracy.”

Those who wish to cut time to market short, turn to Itec, which promises to save 80% of the engineers’ time using SCADE Suite. “An engineer in fact builds a system from code, much like you build stuff from Lego.” Effectively, this is like “featuring a mobile home: the walls are there, and you can outfit your unit anyway you can, using particular elements. When you integrate the product using Open GL, this procedure shorts the time frame and system knows how translate the project into C code at a touch of a button.” Since this product is already license, the time it takes to get the license is halved.

As a representative of I-DDC, Itec also features DEOS, the world’s oldest operating system. It is capable of operating for hundreds and thousands of flight hours in dozens of thousands of aircraft. “This type of systems must operating in preset time frames in extreme altitudes and temperatures,” he notes. “The system comes complete with data functions, cockpit video, flight management, maintenance, power distribution and anti-collision.”

Itec is one of the participants in the upcoming IAMD conference on March 31