Embedded Hardware and Operating Systems

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/embedded-operating-system

Introduction

**Course Review: Embedded Hardware and Operating Systems on Coursera** In an ever-evolving digital world, the intersection of hardware, software, and the vast potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) is more significant than ever. If you are eager to dive deep into the practical applications of programming and designing IoT systems, the Coursera course titled **"Embedded Hardware and Operating Systems"** is an excellent choice for beginners and seasoned professionals alike. ### Course Overview This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the two fundamental components of cyber-physical systems: embedded hardware and operating systems. The curriculum is geared towards not just theory but practical skills—students will gain the ability to plan and utilize embedded operating systems on resource-constrained devices. By the end of the course, participants will have the facility to design IoT applications using Cooja simulation, a powerful tool that enhances the learning experience significantly. ### Syllabus Breakdown **Week 1: Introduction to Embedded Hardware** The journey begins with an introduction to embedded systems, their applications, characteristics, and the challenges they bring. You'll learn how these systems interface with the external world, laying a solid foundation for understanding their practical applications. **Week 2: Processing Elements of an Embedded System** This week focuses on the intricate components that make up embedded systems. Key topics include embedded processors and their features, as well as an exploration of reconfigurable architectures and FPGAs, ensuring a thorough understanding of processing elements. **Week 3: Overview of Operating Systems and Embedded Operating Systems** A crucial part of the course, this week examines both general and embedded operating systems tailored for IoT. You'll grasp essential functionalities, how memory management and task scheduling, and handling interrupts work in the context of embedded systems. The distinction between popular kernels, including monolithic and micro-kernels, is also covered. **Week 4: Contiki OS and Cooja Simulation** In this practical phase, you'll explore Contiki OS—its architecture, services, and libraries. The course walks you through essential communication protocols, application code processing, and multi-threading in Contiki. Importantly, you'll learn to leverage the Cooja simulator for wireless sensor network applications, which is a significant tool for bringing your theoretical knowledge into a simulated real-world scenario. ### Why You Should Enroll 1. **Hands-On Learning**: Unlike many courses that dwell solely on theory, this course emphasizes practical skills and experience. The inclusion of simulations allows for experimentation and deeper understanding. 2. **Comprehensive Curriculum**: The structured breakdown of topics ensures a well-rounded grasp of both hardware and software aspects of embedded systems. 3. **Expert Instruction**: Coursera partners with leading universities and institutions, ensuring that you are learning from professionals at the forefront of the field. 4. **Flexible Learning**: The beauty of an online course is its adaptability. You can learn at your own pace, revisiting difficult concepts and engaging with peers from around the globe. 5. **Career Advancement**: With the rising demand for professionals skilled in embedded systems and IoT, completing this course will undeniably enhance your resume and open doors to new career opportunities. ### Conclusion For anyone interested in the realms of IoT, embedded systems, or cyber-physical systems, **"Embedded Hardware and Operating Systems" on Coursera** is highly recommended. It offers an exciting blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, preparing you for the challenges and innovations within the industry. Whether you're a student, a software engineer, or an enthusiast eager to empower your career with the latest technological skills, this course is an invaluable investment in your future. Sign up today to start your journey into the fascinating world of embedded systems!

Syllabus

Introduction to Embedded Hardware

This week will start from the basic information about Embedded Systems. Specifically, you will learn (1) what are embedded systems and where they are applied as well as (2) the main characteristics and challenges of embedded systems. (3) You will discover how embedded systems communicate with the outer world.

This week we will go into details of what embedded systems consist of. Specifically you learn about the main blocks of any processing element of embedded systems. We will show you what (1) embedded processors consists of and its main features. You will learn what (3) reconfigurable architectures and FPGAs are, and what kind of (4) ready-made platforms you can use to start working with processing elements.

In this week, we start with an overview of operating systems and embedded operating systems for IoT. Primary functionalities of embedded operating systems are discussed. We learn how operating systems work: how memory is managed, how tasks are scheduled, what interrupts are and how they are handled. After this, we deepen our learning with the popular kernels for general and embedded operating systems. Linux (monolithic) kernel, micro kernel and modular kernel are presented. In addition, several popular embedded operating systems for IoT are presented. Concretely, after attending this week, you will able to (1) explain why embedded systems often require an operating system (2) describe how an embedded operating system works such as how memory is managed, how tasks are scheduled and how interrupts are handled. (3) You will be able to differentiate between popular kernels for embedded operating systems. (4) Differentiate between popular embedded operating systems for IoT.

In this week, we start to explore the Contiki Os in detail. First we discuss about the Contiki system and its kernel architecture. Furthermore, we explore how loadable programs are actually implemented in Contiki. Second, we go through services and libraries in Contiki to see how they are built and when they can be invoked. Third, we discuss communication in Contiki via details of uIp and Rime communication stacks in Contiki. Next, prototheads are discussed to describe how application code is processed in Contiki. Furthermore, APIs of multi-threading is discussed. Last but not least, the Cooja simulator - a simulator for wireless sensor networks based on Contiki is introduced. All steps of installing and applying Cooja for a wireless sensor network applications are presented in detailed via an example application. Concretely, after attending this week, you will able to (1) describe how Contiki system and its kernel architecture are built. (2) Distinguish Contiki services and libraries in terms of how they are built, when they are invoked and why they are used. (3) Describe how communication is implemented and supported in Contiki and what protocols Contiki can support. (4) Explore how application's code is processed in Contiki and important functions of API for multithreading in Contiki (5) use Cooja for simulating wireless sensor networks applications.