As industries shift toward more sustainable practices, embedded systems are playing a critical role in shaping the future of energy efficiency, environmental monitoring, and resource conservation. These intelligent systems are embedded in everything from smart grids to renewable energy solutions, enabling real-time data collection, automation, and optimized decision-making. By improving the ways energy is stored and distributed, monitoring environmental changes, and reducing waste through smart technology, embedded systems are able to help minimize environmental impact while maximizing efficiency. As technology continues to evolve, these solutions are expected to become even more advanced, driving innovation in renewable energy, smart cities, and sustainable agriculture. The path to a cleaner, more efficient world is being built on the foundation of embedded systems, and their influence is only expected to grow in the years to come.

I am using Data Center Software for debugging a USB device and I have questions about the USB STALL that occurs. Here is a block view of USB transactions from the device.

Wearable health devices have had a significant rise in popularity over the last decade because of their ability to provide valuable insights into various aspects of health that were previously unattainable through continual monitoring. These devices are transforming how people monitor and make decisions about their health. With biometric data readily available at their fingertips, users are empowered to take a more proactive approach to their health and well-being. Embedded systems play a key role in these devices’ ability to continuously process complex data in real time. This real-time analysis expedites access to feedback, health education, and even entertainment. While embedded systems have always played a pivotal role in medical equipment, their function in wearable health devices gives consumers consistent, personalized, and convenient information.

We are using trying to program an SPI device, but we have a repeated problem – persistent power shutdown to the SPI target device.

This past week, Total Phase participated at Embedded World 2025 held in Nuremberg, Germany! Embedded World is a global tradeshow focused on the latest innovations in embedded systems, showcasing technologies and solutions for industries like automotive, IoT, and automation. As in previous years, we shared a booth with our German distributor, eVision Instruments.

In today's increasingly digital world, the demand for real-time data processing and intelligent decision-making has never been greater. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, the shift toward Edge AI—where AI models run directly on edge devices rather than relying on cloud computing—is transforming industries and redefining how we interact with technology. From self-driving cars making split-second decisions to smart home devices responding instantly to user commands, Edge AI is enabling faster, more efficient, and more secure operations across a wide range of applications.

We are experiencing an issue with our internal test script while using the Aardvark Software API. We are working to evaluate a new I2C device to integrate into a system.

Oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers are essential tools for analyzing and debugging signals, communication, and protocols in embedded systems. The choice of tool depends on the specific project requirements and the type of traffic that needs to be monitored.

I am using the Aardvark SPI/I2C Host Adapter as an SPI slave simulator, using a python script to simulate the behavior of a slave sensor that is connected to our main MCU board. The script I am using is aaspi_slave.py, which is included in the Aardvark Software API package. Here is a summary of my observations and the results:

This past week, Total Phase exhibited at the DesignCon ’25 conference at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

It is without question that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a driving force in technological innovation, shaping industries and influencing everyday life in ways that were once only thought possible in science fiction. From revolutionizing healthcare diagnostics to powering autonomous vehicles, AI has made the unimaginable a reality. At the heart of this transformation lies a critical component of AI architecture: the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). These powerful processors, once primarily associated with gaming, now serve as the backbone of modern AI, offering unmatched speed, scalability, and efficiency. With their robust design and evolving features, GPUs have bridged the gap between AI’s theoretical potential and its practical, real-world abilities.

I am working on a system that requires a slave device to have an I2C Interrupt Request output pin (nIRQ). When the I2C slave needs service, it alerts the I2C master by pulling the interrupt request low. I am looking at using the Aardvark I2C/SPI Host Adapter as the slave device and have questions about using the host adapter to generate the interrupt request signal.

USB On-The-Go (OTG) is a specification that allows portable USB devices to be cabled together without a computer. When using the standard USB protocol, one device, most commonly a computer, will always be the host, and the other device will always be the peripheral. With a USB OTG cable, both devices can act as either a host or peripheral, allowing for interaction between two traditionally peripheral devices. Three new communication protocols have been introduced to the USB 2.0 specification with the advent of USB OTG: Attach Detection Protocol (ADP), Session Request Protocol (SRP), and Host Negotiation Protocol (HNP). Role Swap Protocol (RSP) has been introduced to the USB 3.0 specification.

We are using the Aardvark I2C/SPI Host Adapter to program SPI devices. We successfully completed the first two stages of verifying the software. However, we are having issues with the third stage – automating the process. There was no activity, which was verified on an oscilloscope.

I am using the Aardvark I2C/SPI Host Adapter on an I2C device with multiple registers. The address of the device I need to communicate with is 0xA6. On that device, I will be writing to registers 0xC and 0xD with a sequential write in python. The Aardvark Software API has an aa_i2c_write function, but it only takes 4 arguments: handle, device_address, flags, and value. How do I include the register address of the selected device? I tried shifting the device address by 8 bits and using the OR operation on the register address, but that did not work.

In various industries, from automotive to aerospace, reliable data transfer is crucial for the development of cutting-edge technology and life-saving systems. The CAN protocol, introduced in the 1980s, quickly became a popular solution for device communication, enabling real-time data exchange in a compact, physical form. The CAN protocol relies on two elements: the CAN controller and CAN transceiver. Together, they help construct an extremely reliable and efficient means for data transfer and communication within larger systems. Working alongside the microcontroller, CAN transceivers and controllers execute several tasks to manage data and transmit messages throughout the system, ensuring it is functioning optimally. Knowing how these components work individually and together is essential when working with and debugging CAN communication.

I am using a Promira Serial Platform with SPI Active - Level 1 Application and Promira Software API I2C/SPI Active connected to the lab computer via Ethernet connection. I have questions about the queue mechanism - I see it takes about 500uS for the Promira platform to clear a queue, which was confirmed with a logic analyzer.

We have questions about the test results provided with the Advanced Cable Tester v2 (ACTv2). We tested our USB4 v1/v2 certified cable on the ACTv2, but it failed on the VBUS plug DC resistance as shown below:

My company purchased Cheetah SPI Host Adapters for testing prototype chips. I have some questions to “jump start” this project.

Total Phase exhibited this past week at the first-ever Embedded World North America conference in Austin, Texas.