Teaching Embedded Systems with the NI LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM

The Solution:

Using the NI LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM microcontrollers to program the Cortex-M3 microcontroller connected to the iRobot Create mobile robot platform, students can develop an embedded system that communicates with the real world with real-time constraints.

UC Berkeley engineers used the NI LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM microcontrollers to program the Cortex-M3 microcontroller connected to the iRobot Create mobile robot platform, allowing students to develop an embedded system.

"By using LabVIEW, students can develop complex functions faster, making the entire process more rewarding and educational."

The School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley is one of the top schools in the world. As part of the undergraduate curriculum, students have the opportunity to study the unique challenges posed by embedded systems and computational physics systems. Students will learn about concurrency in real-time embedded systems and concurrent models of computation, sensor and actuator modeling, software analysis tools, code generation, and control algorithms.

To develop a reliable embedded system, a wide range of professional skills are required, including static code analysis, real-time operation, and sensor and actuator interface technology. We hope that students can complete a series of laboratory practice courses to strengthen the skills that a successful embedded engineer must master. [page]

Robot hardware platform

Through the course experiments, students will experience how to use LabVIEW embedded modules, state diagrams, ANSI C and other design tools for ARM microcontrollers to control robots. Robots need to process real-world data sent by sensors, respond quickly to their environment and drive actuators to produce meaningful physical responses. They are excellent tools for teaching embedded systems. When designing course materials, we also use LabVIEW's intuitive graphical design tools to provide students with a flexible and open programming platform, allowing students to mix programming methods such as data flow, ANSI C and state diagrams.

Students start with pre-built mechanical platforms, such as the iRobot Create, and focus on software and microcontrollers in coursework. This mobile platform is similar to the iRobot Roomba, a smart home vacuum equipped with wheel drives and more than 30 sensors. However, its internal 8-bit processor is not enough for the control algorithms of complex smart robots. Therefore, engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, connected the iRobot Create to a Luminary Micro Cortex M3 ARM microcontroller to transmit instructions through a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART) serial port. This achieved a more durable and powerful controller, created more general-purpose I/O ports, enabled high-speed 模数转换\'); companyAdEvent.show(this,\'companyAdDiv\',[5,18])"> analog-to-digital conversion , and had the ability to program the robot using LabVIEW and ANSI C programs.

Using the iRobot Create platform with an ARM microcontroller, students used embedded software techniques to guide the robot autonomously to the top of a hill, avoiding obstacles in the process. The hardware used by the students included the iRobot Create, the Luminary Micro ARM Cortex M3, an accelerometer, and a Bluetooth chip for diagnostics and communications. The students initially programmed the Luminary using ANSI C to implement finite state machines, interrupts, and connections to sensors and actuators without an operating system. After developing a working controller using ANSI C, the students began synthesizing their controller in desktop simulation using LabVIEW , and then used the LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM microcontrollers to program the robot using a control program generated with a data flow and statechart model in conjunction with a real-time operating system.

In the above process, students can learn the importance of modeling, static analysis, code execution path, program reachability analysis and real-time system performance constraints. Implementing laboratory practical projects on the iRobot Create platform allows students to experience many challenges, such as communicating with the real world through sensors, actuators and the real-time operating system provided by the LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM microcontrollers.

Benefits of Using the LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM Microcontrollers

The connection between models and system implementation is one of the main themes of the UC Berkeley course. The LabVIEW graphical programming language makes it easier to analyze and reason about concurrency and timing than with traditional ANSI C. By comparing the LabVIEW description to the ANSI C implementation, students are able to gain a deeper understanding of the principles of embedded software. By using LabVIEW, students can develop complex functions more quickly, making the entire process more satisfying and educational.

By taking advantage of the LabVIEW embedded graphical system design tool, students also gained a deeper understanding of code generation, a growing technology in the embedded industry. With the ability to execute LabVIEW programs on desktop computers and real-time embedded platforms, students can verify the correctness of logic execution before generating code for embedded targets. The LabVIEW front panel has a real-time updated graphical interface that enhances the debugging environment and allows students to quickly obtain results.

Final Project

The LabVIEW Embedded Module for ARM microcontrollers improves efficiency, allowing students to learn and understand more software development concepts in less time. As the last part of the course, students need to develop a self-selected project within 10 weeks. Students who chose LabVIEW and ARM hardware developed intelligent hovering helicopters, densely following vehicle platoons, and intelligent vehicle robots connected to many sensors for path finding and mapping. Using LabVIEW, students were able to design, simulate , and deploy software in various embedded applications at a very fast speed .