Trends in the embedded computing market can be analyzed in many ways. Depending on your perspective, you may maintain a different view from others. We gleaned an assortment of views on the embedded computing market while researching for this month’s issue, and I would like to share some of the more interesting comments that stood out.
Phil Ames, segment manager for Intel’s Embedded and Communications Group, pointed out that the industry is all about connectivity and graphics. Today, it is possible to connect devices that were never before connected. Devices are issued an IP address when they are built and connect to the Internet when they are installed.
While this development is presenting new challenges in assuring information security, it is allowing more device management. Remote management enables users to monitor, diagnose, and heal problems as they occur. Many devices have high enough processing power to accomplish much of the analytical work at the end device, improving response time and reducing Internet traffic. A typical example is a digital security camera that can recognize shapes, eliminating the need to send all the video data back to the host for processing and thus freeing the host processor from this task. These types of intelligent devices can improve workflow, so it is important to make sure embedded computing components can support integrated security and connectivity.
Phil also mentioned that human expectations are raising the bar for graphics, and that the quality of Microsoft Vista’s graphics is going to raise this bar even higher. He explained that these increased expectations are leading to vastly improved point-of-sale registers and digital signage in stores. We should expect to see more dual monitors with interactive capability in kiosks and even on the desktop. The trend definitely appears to be moving toward a better human interface that is more intuitive and user friendly.
Doug Barnes, VP and GM of the Industrial Display Unit at Planar Systems, reinforced Phil’s comments on graphics. “We can expect displays in areas not imagined, for instance, playground equipment that is interactive,” he said. “Technology is not the limiter; application developers need to understand the capability of displays and how to use them to make the end application a better experience.” Doug remarked we should expect to see many more outdoor applications using interactive touch screens as the display technology becomes better suited for outdoor use.
From my own experience, I have noted a dramatic increase in the number of hefty LED displays in the neighborhood. It has been interesting to watch how the community has responded to the impact of these displays in terms of their large size and brilliant light emission. I have noticed in the past weeks that the displays’ intensity has been reduced and in some cases their operating hours have been restricted.
On the embedded computing board front, Mike Jadon, director of product marketing at Micro Memory, boldly declared that the serial fabric wars are over. “Serial RapidIO is being used for embedded backplane systems in high-end applications like defense and medical,” he said. “Telecom is mostly GigE and 10 GigE connecting shelf-to-shelf. PCI Express (PCIe) is for the peripheral interconnects, leveraging I/O from server and PC markets on PCIe. The technical limitations are too high for PCIe to be an interconnect fabric. InfiniBand has its niche as a cluster interconnect.” He asserted that many products will use a combination of these to take advantage of each fabric’s strengths.
Mike also discussed the age-old trend of board suppliers moving up the food chain by offering complete integrated systems. When asked who was filling in the gap vacated by the traditional board suppliers, he stated that PC motherboards targeted at the embedded market are gaining market share and that many companies are going back to designing their own boards – back to the make position. Contract manufacturing services may be off-loading some of the design burden.
The fact that the embedded computing market is very fragmented is quite obvious, given the large number of companies developing technology and the seemingly unlimited number of applications for embedded computing. The volumes for any one application are usually not all that large, even for cell phones. Look at how many models there are now and how briefly any one of them stays on the market.
The real opportunity seems to be in niche markets with products that can be customized quickly to meet changing needs and provide supplier differentiation.
Jerry Gipper, Editorial Director
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