Exactly When Do You Need Realtime?

Description
Do most embedded projects need an RTOS? It's a good question. The answer lies in the very nature of embedded devices. Devices that, in many cases, are manufactured in the thousands, or millions, of units. Devices where even a $1 reduction in per-unit hardware costs can save the manufacturer a small fortune.

Savings aside, the services provided by an RTOS make many computing problems easier to solve, particularly when multiple activities compete for a system's resources. Consider, for instance, a system where users expect (or need) immediate response to input. With an RTOS, a developer can guarantee that operations initiated by the user will execute in preference to other system activities, unless a more important activity (for instance, an operation that helps protect the user's safety) must execute first.

But when exactly do you need realtime? Join Jeff Schaffer, Senior Field Applications Engineer at QNX Software Systems, for a web seminar where he discusses what is realtime, what makes a realtime system and when it's needed. He provides insights into the realtime design considerations taken from over 28 years in the embedded industry and explores some of the critical elements of realtime computing:

• scheduling
  
• priority inversion
  
• interrupt handling
  
• reliability

Estimated length: 1 hour, including Q & A.

Who should attend: This one-hour seminar with a short Q&A will be of great interest to embedded software development managers, architects, and developers.

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.

Speaker Biography:
Jeff Schaffer, a senior applications engineer with QNX Software Systems, has been working with a variety of operating systems at a systems level for over 28 years. He has also acted as a system architect and designed high-speed database technology. He has gained experience in several industries throughout his career, including medical, industrial, semiconductor processing, security, consumer electronics, telecom, and automotive computing. Mr. Schaffer holds Bachelor’s of Science (Engineering) and Master's of Science (Computer Science) degrees from UCLA.

About QNX Software Systems

QNX Software Systems, a Harman International company (NYSE: HAR), is the industry leader in realtime, embedded OS technology. The component-based architectures of the QNX Neutrino RTOS and QNX® Momentics® development suite together provide the industry's most reliable and scalable framework for building innovative, high-performance embedded systems. Global leaders such as Cisco, DaimlerChrysler, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, and Siemens depend on QNX technology for network routers, medical instruments, vehicle telematics units, security and defense systems, industrial robotics, and other mission- or life-critical applications. Founded in 1980, QNX Software Systems is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and distributes products in over 100 countries worldwide.

Register now for this web seminar: Exactly when do you need realtime?