Wind River Blog Network

Test Automation Meets Simulation

By Paul Henderson

I'm seeing increasing interest from many companies in using simulation environments with test automation systems to accelerate the testing process. Specifically, putting Wind River Test Management together with Wind River Simics is getting creative juices flowing in industry thought leaders.

Why? Well, development teams have started to realize the benefits of simulation systems for speeding and validating system and software design, and for accelerating software development and debug in advance of hardware availabilty. And even when hardware is available, systems like Simics provide tremendous access and control to speed analysis and diagnsotics.

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Updates to our VxWorks MILS platform, including a new High Assurance Network Stack

By Bill Graham

This week we announced the latest update to our VxWorks MILS Platform, (for Multiple Independent Levels of Security) which includes a new High Assurance Network Stack (HANS) and guest OS support for Wind River Linux. In a previous post I discussed the growing importance of security in embedded systems. However, in so-called high assurance environments used by military and government organizations, security is an absolute requirement.

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Shiny Old Hardware

By Jakob Engblom

Normally when people are introduced to virtual platforms or full-system simulators like Wind River Simics, they jump at the ability to support software development before the hardware arrives. This is certainly an exciting prospect, as we all like shiny new things. What is often not as obvious is the extensive use of virtual platforms to support old, aging, and obsolete hardware.

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Primary Virtualization Use Case

By Mark Hermeling

This topic invariably comes up when talking to customers, unfortunately, there is not just one, but several primary use cases. There are multiple ways to look into the various use cases. The one I like best is to look at generic drivers. An alternative is to look at actual usages in the various industries.

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It’s Time for Testers to Step Up

By Paul Henderson

RTC Magazine recently published an article that I wrote called "Time to Rethink Software Testing for Embedded Devices". In it I describe some of the new techniques that are possible, and I believe necessary, to delivery high quality device software for embedded devices.

• When staying 'positive' doesn't pay
• Getting negative with white box testing
• Focusing on the 'deltas' with change-based test automation

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VxWorks = Secure

By Nikhil Chauhan

A recent report describes potential security vulnerabilities in devices running VxWorks. Researcher HD Moore claimed during a recent talk ( slides) that a quarter million devices accessible directly from the Internet were found to be vulnerable.

VxWorks has a very strong track record of offering secure products. However, we also realize that vulnerabilities can affect VxWorks, even if very infrequently. In those cases, Wind River will act quickly to address any issues. Regarding recent vulnerabilities, Wind River responded rapidly with patches and remediation steps in conjunction with a public announcement by the CERT Coordination Center on August 2, 2010. Once CERT notified Wind River, Wind River immediately assessed the alert and was instructed by CERT to release a synchronous public response. We're confident that our customers know that Wind River is committed to supporting its products with the highest quality and security standards.

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Test Driven Development Meets Continuous Integration

By Paul Henderson

In my last posting I mentioned I'd be running a webinar with James Grenning on Agile testing. James is a recognized expert and frequent speaker on the topic of software development and one of the original authors of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development.

We talked about the case for agility where today's embedded software projects are inevitably faced with changing requirements and market conditions that cause unplanned, mid-course corrections. The result is what went in is often not what was expected to come out. Testing folks are the tail trying to wag the dog as they try to test in quality at the end of the project.

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Industry Investing in Better Device Runtime Visibility During Testing

By Paul Henderson

Here’s the final installment in my series about our embedded device software industry testing survey conducted in April-May 2010 with almost 900 respondents (see previous blog postings).  If you’d like a copy of the full report in pdf, please drop me an email at paul.henderson@windriver.com and I will send it to you.

In this section of the survey we asked participants about what test tools they use today and where they are investing in test automation. Given the high cost of product failure, accelerating complexity and reduced schedules the industry is turning to more test automation in 2010 to help address these problems. The top investment are moving to new tools that can help test teams and their management better understand how well they are testing, better focus their efforts on the areas needing testing, and reduce cycle time through more automation.

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How to Build a Nuclear Submarine

By Paul Parkinson

Those of you who have read my earlier blogs ('Astute optronic mast case study', 'Astute Submarine') will be aware that I am fascinated by submarines.

So, I was really pleased to see that the BBC have produced a documentary 'How to Build a Nuclear Submarine', which was broadcast on BBC2 in the UK on Sunday evening, and followed the progress of the design and construction of one of the world's most complex and technologically advanced machines (see Royal Navy website for details).

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Compressed Schedules Driving Shorter Testing & Defect Resolution Requirements

By Paul Henderson

Today I'm continuing my series on our embedded device software industry testing survey conducted in April-May 2010 with almost 900 respondents (see previous blog posting).  If you’d like a copy of the full report in pdf, please drop me an email at paul.henderson@windriver.comand I will send it to you.

In part 2 of the survey we asked about schedule compression and what affect that was having on the device testing cycle. A majority of survey participants reported that market conditions have forced them to shorten their development schedules by as much as 18 months.

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What a month!

By Mark Hermeling

I have been back in Ottawa now for just over a week after my 5 week trip through Europe and am working through my notes from the past month. And what a month it has been, in an earlier post I jokingly declared 2010 the year of embedded virtualization and this is certainly ringing true.

An overview of the activities of last month will present a decent picture of the status of embedded virtualization and the interest.

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EGNOS Satellite Navigation System Safety Certification

By Paul Parkinson

In case you missed it, yesterday Wind River announced that VxWorks has been selected for the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), and has been chosen to run the Integrity Processing Facility (IPF) check set.

The IPF, developed and delivered by Logica, is the crucial element that validates the information broadcast by the satellites to safety-critical users such as aircraft in flight or ships navigating through narrow channels. This is essential, because satellite navigation systems alone do not provide sufficient positional accuracy to be used in safety-critical applications.

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Houston.... the Falcon has Flown!

By Mike Deliman

Last week something remarkable happened. I'm not talking about the UFO sighted over Brisbane (...or am I?)  Last week Spacex successfully orbited the first successful commercial attempt to launch such a device. Wind River is proud to be a part of this historic endeavor.

It's hard to convey how exciting this is.  This represents a HUGE step for mankind, a transition of the technology necessary for space exploration now being handled by commercial entities.  Something like this may be our fledgling answer for "what to do about Manned exploration now that ARES is cut".

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Wind River @ IBM Rational Innovate 2010

By Paul Henderson

Today marked the opening of the annual IBM Rational Software developer conference, this year called Innovate 2010, here in Orlando Florida.

The 4 day event is covering a range of topics on both IT and embedded systems software development and test lifecycle tools and technologies. Wind River has a presence on the exhibit floor and a number of conference tracks. The mood is very positive at this 13th conference. 4000 attendees are here, a 20% growth over 2009.

The show opened with several IBM executives led by Dr. Danny Sabbah, GM IBM Rational Software reviewing IBM's "Smarter Planet" strategy including "systems and software econometrics". Dr. Sabbah described how software innovations are now driving the world, particularly as related to intelligent products and services.  

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Multicore Called Up For Active Service

By Paul Parkinson

There's an interesting editorial column 'Multicore Processing Becomes the New Mainstream' in the latest edition of COTS Journal. Jeff Child discusses how multicore processors, after becoming all pervasive in the desktop and server market, are now becoming the norm for embedded aerospace and defence systems. He also shares some insights into why the transition to multicore is necessary, and provides an example of the deployment of multicore in the Aegis Modernisation Programme (AMOD).

Rather tantalizingly, Jeff only mentions software architectures in his final paragraph (maybe that's a subject for a future editorial), where he contrasts the use of Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) on multicore devices with tiled processors (which can be massively parallel architectures).

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The Open Group: Real-Time Embedded Systems Forum, Rome

By Paul Parkinson

Last week, I attended the The Open Group, Rome 2010 conference, specifically the Real-Time Embedded Systems Forum track (agenda), in order to participate in the MILS API standardization working group sessions.

The goal of the working group is to produce a standardized API for a Minimal Runtime (MRT) environment which is suitable for High Assurance systems, which will enable portability of middleware between MILS platforms and aid interoperability. The working group wrestled with some fundamental aspects of the MRT, including goals/objectives, characteristics and implementation architecture, but these were productive sessions. There's still a long way to go, but these were important steps in the right direction. Watch this space for further developments!

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Radioactive Telepresence

By Mike Deliman

How timely!  A couple of months ago the discussion started - "will unmanned vehicles make a transition into civilian use".  I've been taking the stance that since we're talking vehicles - not just aircraft but all forms of non-stationary robot, that it is inevitable.  Even with aircraft I believe it is inevitable, though it may take a little longer for unmanned / automated aircraft to be certified for use in civilian airspace.

It would make sense that robots would be deployed for things that are either impossible for humans to do, or for things that are hazardous and dangerous.  On the impossible-for-humans side, quick return deep-dive missions in the ocean, and several-day long monitoring missions come to mind, as well as some interesting possibilities for telepresence tourism.  The hazardous side is easy to imagine - everything from maintenance of city infrastructures to handing toxic or radioactive substances would be fair game to use robots for, as well as underground mining.

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Quit Bugging Me: Making Maps

By Mike Deliman

A tool commonly used in embedded debugging is a linker map - a map of where all the symbols are in the runtime image.  These maps are useful as they turn raw addresses reported by some exception stubs (etc) into offsets into the data or text (program routines) in the computer's RAM.  They give you an idea of what may have been happening when the error occurred.

Producing a linker map is fairly easy.  Most linkers include command line options to produce a map.  This works fine and is very clear when used from a command line.  But things can get a little confusing from within an integrated gui environment.

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More Autonomy In The Science Sector

By Mike Deliman

In a continuing thread of discussions on LinkedIn, we've been talking about robotic craft moving from military use into more common civilian use. Though many have taken the discussion to be focused on flight, I've deliberately taken a much wider view, defining the word "vehicle" to mean "anything that moves."  By that definition, the Roomba Vacuum is an unmanned autonomous vehicle.

Some would say I take liberties with my definition.  I do.  :)  I'm an engineer who's worked with customers who create rather sophisticated robotic systems, so I feel perhaps I've earned a little liberty there.

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Autonomous Ocean-Powered Vehicle

By Mike Deliman

NASA Demonstrates Novel Ocean-Powered Underwater Vehicle

PASADENA, Calif. – NASA, U.S. Navy and university researchers have successfully demonstrated the first robotic underwater vehicle to be powered entirely by natural, renewable, ocean thermal energy.

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More Bacon: Increasing Science Return

By Mike Deliman

In a recent blog I wrote, Bringing Back The Science Bacon, one of the things I talk about is increasing the science returns of a mission by doing some data processing on the mission robot, before it sends back information. 

If a computer has the ability, and the trade-offs gathering data, processing it into information, available computer throughput and bandwidth of the data channel are favorable for processing, data can be processed into information and the mission may return more relevant science.

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Updates to Our VxWorks 653 Platform

By Bill Graham

In my previous post, I mentioned the update to our VxWork 653 platform but didn't go into too many details. I'll share a few more things in this post. Our VxWorks 653 Platform has been doing really well and we're quite proud of its success. In particular, our recent announcements about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and NASA Ares X-1 programs really put a spotlight on the product. As I mentioned in my last post, it's doing well because it enables aerospace and defense companies the chance to integrate a lot of systems onto one processor.

ARINC 653 is a time partitioning scheduling specification that allows designers to create safety critical systems that share the same processor yet guarantees time and space separation for each partition. My colleague Paul Parkinson goes into some detail in this post.

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And The 2010 SpaceOps Award for Outstanding Achievement Goes To...

By Mike Deliman

Until today, I had never heard of The International Committee on Technical Interchange for Space Mission Operations.  Or the SpaceOps Awards.  An announcement arrived in my email this afternoon.  Guess who/what got the award?  Go on..  :-)  CONGRATULATIONS! 

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VxWorks Flying High at Avionics Europe

By Bill Graham

Today at the Avionics Europe conference in Amsterdam, Wind River has announced some interesting news  that highlights our success in avionics with the VxWorks product line.

We announced a major update to our VxWorks 653 platform which I'll go into more detail in an upcoming post but the highlights include support for Intel Architecture and Power Architecture e600 support, new power-safe file systems support and additional protocols in the networking stack. VxWorks 653 complies with the ARINC 653 specification and is safety certifiable to DO-178B level A.

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Quit Bugging Me: Another Surprise NaN!

By Mike Deliman

An Earlier QBM, "Surprise NAN" covered how floating point computations may become corrupted from unexpected sources.  Today's Quit Bugging Me is about... another Surpise! NAN!

An application runs with several tasks.  One task, which computes a set of floating point values, periodically comes up with bad values, and sometimes the name becomes corrupted.  

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Domesticated Robotics?

By Mike Deliman

A discussion about robotics was started up in an online discussion forum.  A question was posed to the group:

Will unmanned vehicles eventually see duty in civilian applications?

Technology for unmanned military vehicles may eventually trickle down to commercial applications on Main Street. In the near future, autonomous vehicles will be used to deliver packages, collect garbage and fill potholes. http://bit.ly/bSrqfx

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Bringing Home the Science Bacon

By Mike Deliman

MRO recently passed a milestone of bringing back more data than all previous deep space missions combined.  To do this MRO was equipped with a large dish antenna and powerful radio, and is running a more powerful computer than it's companions on and orbiting Mars.  It gets a fair share of antenna time from the DSN antennae on the ground.

Science means collecting data, processing it for it's information, and analyzing the information.  All of these activities can be greatly facilitated by some degree of computer assistance. When it comes to remote-operated scientists (rovers, gliders, orbiters, diggers, swimmers, crawlers, hover-ers..) the computer has to do all the work.

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100 Trillion

By Mike Deliman

"Billions and Billions" was a phrase, fantastic at the time, that made Carl Sagan famous.  At the time he was talking about the stars in the Milky Way, how many there were.

Next week, Mars Recon Orbiter, will be marking it's 4th anniversary orbiting Mars.  It also has another milestone to celebrate:  MRO has brought back more data to Earth from Mars... than *all* deep space missions combined.  Not just missions to Mars, but all deep-space missions!

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Neighbors

By Mike Deliman

A few billion years ago this planet formed, orbiting an otherwise run-of-the-mill star.  It was a wet world, covered with oceans, with a protective atmosphere.  Water dominated the surface.  There may have even been the beginnings of life there.

Space is brutal; a significantly large asteroid slams into the planet.  The impact scatters debris into space, and tears much of the atmosphere away.  It also causes massive volcanism.  The result is a planet with a thin atmosphere and a nearly solid core, covered with water.

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Police Drone: Episode 2

By Paul Parkinson

On Thursday last week, I read that an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) had been recently used by the UK's Merseyside Police in the tracking and arrest of two suspected car thieves (BBC News:'Merseyside police drone tracks car theft suspects').

A quick Google search revealed some additional details in the Liverpool Echo ('Merseyside police make UK's first ever flying drone arrest'), specifically that the UAV had been used in thick fog.

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