Software connecting everything

Engineers are being asked more and more often to include communication in their designs. It would seem that communication over a network, and over Ethernet, will soon be in every single new product. Now we have Ethernet and wireless in cell phones, in video and still cameras, printers, and it’s coming to cars, dishwashers, and home and office thermostats.

Embedded computers increasingly permeate everyone’s live. You can buy Internet-enabled home appliances and security systems, and hospitals are using wireless networks for patient records and monitoring equipment. Cars will one day have indirect Internet connections to safety-critical control systems. There are proposals for car-to-car communications and for roadside transmitters to send real-time safety information to automotive displays control computers.

When and if the smart grid gets implemented, do you want a cyber hacker to gain control of your heat, air conditioning, and microwave oven? Software security for these systems is still a big question that needs to be addressed now, rather than wait until 10 million connections are out there. This could prove a really difficult problem.

You can get an 8-bit micro with an Ethernet port for $3 – with an Internet stack. But, what about security? Can that CPU keep up with your control loop, handle Ethernet, and do even basic security? How much security do you need? Will security be handled at every node in the home or at a central control unit?

Maybe everyone can use security built into the RTOS. There are at least 56 makers of RT operating systems. They vary greatly in footprint, price, design and debug tool integration, types of processors supported, support for multicore, and security features. They also vary somewhat in real-time response and determinism. Maybe they can all get together on a standard security method?

Perhaps the recent consolidation of RTOS/tools companies; with Arm buying Keil, Intel buying Wind River, and Cavium Networks buying MontaVista; will help the situation or make it worse.

Jim Harrison