Sensors Converge 2023

How modern embedded systems are designed and built has evolved dramatically over the last decade as devices have become connected to the internet. In this symposium, we will explore modern embedded software development processes and techniques that will help attendees design and build embedded systems faster and more robustly.
Attendees will learn how to:

• Improve their software development processes
• Leverage the open-source Zephyr RTOS
• Monitor and debug production embedded systems remotely
• Use machine learning to accelerate software development
• Learn the advantages and disadvantages of using the Rust programming language

Agenda

9:00am-9:30am 
Modern Embedded Software Development Strategies and Processes
There are many factors that contribute to successfully designing and developing an embedded system and many that can lead to disaster. In this session, we will explore modern embedded software development strategies and processes that can be used by both small and big development teams to successfully develop modern embedded software systems. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of how to balance their development processes and leverage modern techniques such as simulation, unit tests, configuration management, and CI/CD.
Topics covered in this session include:

• Embedded software design philosophies
• Example optimized embedded software development processes
• How to perform a design cycle tune-up (self-test)
• Modern build systems using Docker
• Embedded CI/CD pipeline development
• Best Practices

Speaker: Jacob Beningo, President, Beningo Embedded Group

9:30am-10:15am
Designing Secure Embedded Devices for an Interconnected World
The increased prevalence of embedded devices in our connected world has made securing them even more critical. These devices can be found in a wide range of applications, including smart homes, wearable devices, industrial control systems, medical devices, automotive systems, and even critical infrastructure such as power grids and transportation networks, which has made them attractive targets for cyber attacks. In this presentation, we will discuss the importance of incorporating security from the design phase of embedded device development. Attendees will learn how to implement security by design principles, including threat modeling, secure boot mechanisms, secure communication protocols, and firmware updates. Real-world examples of attacks on embedded devices will be analyzed, demonstrating the potential consequences and highlighting preventive measures. By the end of the presentation, participants will have a clear understanding of the significance of embedding security from the design phase and how to implement best practices, enabling them to develop secure embedded devices that can withstand these threats.
Speaker: Shawn Prestridge, US Field Applications Engineer Team Leader, IAR Systems

10:25-11:10am
Sensing on a Mars Analogue Astronaut Mission
An analogue astronaut mission relies on sensors to provide faster insights and additional information. This is required when operating in an extreme environment with less resources for human performance and safety, along with their respective science experiments. In May 2023, the Transatlantic Mars Crew 261 embarked on a 2 week mission at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, USA. This talk will cover the electronics involved with: Atmosphinder wind-propelled robot to investigate analogous features on Mars, extra-vehicular activities (EVAs), and more. By the end of this talk, you will have a better understanding of the role sensors will play for a crewed mission to Mars, and how some of these are already in reach for experiments today.
Speaker: Erin Kennedy, Founder, Robot Missions

11:15am-12:00pm
The Best Defense is Offensive Programming
The reality is that the firmware we develop inevitably contains bugs. While we must be prepared to address and acknowledge failures when they occur, defensive programming practices may cause more problems than they solve if not executed correctly. Enter offensive programming: a complementary set of practices that aims to expose bugs in firmware as soon as possible. Instead of defensively guarding against errors, this approach employs liberal asserting and proper fault handling to immediately surface them. Join us for this talk as we explore offensive programming techniques, the prerequisites needed to successfully implement them in your firmware, and how they can help you quickly and effortlessly detect and resolve those pesky 1 in 1,000 hour bugs - all while maintaining your sanity.
Speaker: Tyler Hoffman, Co-Founder, MemFault 

12:00pm-12:50am Lunch 

1:00pm-1:50pm
Where's the killer app for TinyML?
There's been a lot of excitement around the idea of running machine learning on cheap, low-cost, and low-power embedded systems, but it's been four years since the term was first popularized and there aren't many success stories that have made it to production. In this talk, Pete will discuss some applications which have been successful, and what we can all do to achieve the promise the technology offers.
Speaker: Pete Warden, CEO, Useful Sensors

2:00pm-2:50pm 
A Hands-On Introduction to The Zephyr Project RTOS
A Realtime Operating System (RTOS) is a staple of most embedded systems. The Zephyr Project RTOS, known as "Zephyr," has increased in popularity recently. Zephyr borrows some aspects from Linux that may stump experienced embedded software developers. In this workshop, Mohammed will describe the features of Zephyr that make it appealing over a traditional RTOS and the data structures relevant for embedded software developers. He will also provide hands-on demos illustrating the implementation of commonly embedded software paradigms in Zephyr.
Speaker: Mohammed Billoo ,CEO, MAB Labs Embedded Solutions