Wireless radio signals and embedded software have the common characteristic of being abstruse melds.  Both have tangible and intangible components.  Embedded software is, in essence, the static pattern of a firmware image that is capable of dynamic control of electronic hardware.  Sharing that capability, radio signal modulations are equally abstract patterns that are also “embedded” within the electromagnetic energy of an RF carrier signal.

Advances in wireless technology are enabling many new possibilities for communications and control in embedded systems.  The impact this will have on the electronics industry may be comparable to the impact created by the introduction of microcontrollers, which first enabled those systems.  Furthermore, the expertise developed for embedded programming can be leveraged in new wireless technology platforms.

One company, SSI Embedded Systems Programming, recognized this opportunity and responded with the creation of a new company, SSI Wireless.  According to Michele Mordacq, president of SSI Wireless, the core competency of SSI Embedded Systems Programming is the real-time programming for embedded systems and products.  SSI Wireless is a natural outgrowth of this service, focusing on wireless product development.

Mordacq stated the growth of the wireless industry has revitalized embedded programming in two fundamental ways.  First, it provides cheaper access and availability of external communications.  Second, wireless capabilities enable entirely new applications.

For example, SSI Wireless recently collaborated with Tekscan to provide the latter’s ELF Force Measurement System with wireless connectivity.  The ELF system originally consisted of a thin, flexible force sensor connected to a computer or serial hub via a set of wires.

First, the SSI hardware engineering team created a small ZigBee-based transceiver to connect to Tekscan’s standard sensors for point-to-multipoint connectivity.  A second wireless device was then developed to interface the radio signal to a USB-enabled computer.  Finally, the ELF desktop application was modified to accept up to eight sensor inputs over the wireless connection.

The new wireless ELF system has enabled applications that would have been prohibitive with a wire-based system.  One example is a force sensor used to analyze the swing of a golf club.

Tekscan and other companies offering sensing solutions are potential strategic partners for SSI Wireless.  SSI Wireless is also seeking partnerships with a radio supplier, as well as a server applications developer for the collection of data from remote systems.

In addition to remote data acquisition systems, another key use of wireless embedded systems is their ability to upload firmware upgrades in the field.  Wireless connectivity improves the convenience of this operation, but the implementation can be more complex than in wired systems.

Systems that acquire firmware upgrades through wired connections often use a separate memory partition that controls a larger partition where the embedded program is to be stored.  The system must then be placed in special mode to install the upgrade and then reset to run the upgraded application.

For wireless upgradeability, these actions often  must occur on the fly, with a fallback position available in case of failure.  In one approach, the system memory is organized into dual partitions, with one containing the running firmware.  Firmware upgrades can then be transparently downloaded to the other partition and the source of the running firmware can be switched between the two partitions. If the newly loaded image is not valid, the device can be smart enough to revert back to the last stable state.

According to Mordacq , wireless connectivity of embedded devices provides for another aspect of field support and customer service--proactive remote diagnostic monitoring of systems, such as consumer appliances, office or manufacturing equipment.  A hypothetical example might be the factory monitoring of how long a refrigerator must operate to restore temperature after the door closes.  This could potentially indicate the mechanical fitness of the compressor.

In addition to new wireless applications, SSI Wireless will also pursue the conversion of existing wired applications to wireless connectivity.  Mordacq stated the greatest challenge in making this conversion is to anticipate the full parametric range of the system’s intended operating environment, and making the right radio and hardware selection based on these assumptions.

As various communications platforms evolve, the complementary balance of wired and wireless technologies will remain in a constant state of flux.  For instance, the ability to transmit data over home electrical wiring can be used with wireless nodes to create a pervasive local area network.  An alternative to such a network might be a system based on WiMAX, yet networks of WiMAX transceivers will certainly have their own requirement for data transfer over wires or optical fiber.

Throughout this evolution, one thing that will probably remain constant will be the need for increasingly sophisticated embedded programming for both wired and wireless technologies.  This will lead to new and innovative wireless solutions for end users, regardless of the exact form of the supporting infrastructure.