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A Test-oriented Embedded System Production Methodology

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Abstract

In the business world, the use of Agile methodologies has been demonstrated as providing a pro-active, rather than reactive, path for the developer to create defect-free products. Although similarities exist with business desktop and line-of-business systems, the closer connection of signal processing systems to the hardware side of a product, and associated physical constraints, makes the adaption of desktop Agile methodologies for the embedded world difficult; and the adoption of these methodologies by developers problematic. We focus on our experiences in developing test frameworks to support transforming a subset of extreme programming from the world of desktop applications into a suitable embedded domain production methodology. Details are provided of the issues surrounding an Embedded xUnit testing framework that will permit development of digital signal processing applications on a wide range of standalone and multi-processor systems in research, teaching and commercial development environments.

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Notes

  1. One of the authors (MS) is the Analog Device University Ambassador (2002–2009).

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Acknowledgements

Financial support was provided by Analog Devices and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) through a Collaborative Research and Development grant (CRD 299423-03). Early development was supported by an ASRA grant from the Government of Alberta, Canada. MRS is Analog Devices University Ambassador. Contributions for aspects of implementing the Embedded Unit tool set by the following University of Calgary students have been noted through appropriate references in the text: Engineering Internship students A. Martin, A. Kwan and J. Chen; NSERC undergraduate student research award (USRA) winner L. Ko; and graduate students A. Geras, L. Huang and A. Tran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 1N4

    Michael Smith & Steve Daeninck

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 1N4

    Michael Smith

  3. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2V4

    James Miller

  4. Now with Blackline GPS, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2G 3J4

    Steve Daeninck

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  1. Michael Smith
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Correspondence to Michael Smith.

Additional information

Preliminary results were presented in Proceedings of Testing Academic and Industrial Conference, Practical and Research Technologies, Windsor, UK, August 2006

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Smith, M., Miller, J. & Daeninck, S. A Test-oriented Embedded System Production Methodology. J Sign Process Syst Sign Image Video Technol 56, 69–89 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11265-008-0266-7

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