Sep 12
Visual Development of Embedded Systems at TI Technology Day
On the 4th September, Adept took part in a Texas Instruments (TI) Technology Day to introduce design engineers to model-based development of embedded control systems for TI microcontrollers using VisSim – a tool endorsed by TI for Digital Motor Control applications.
Our maths and simulation software applications specialist, Surak Perera, delivered a workshop that demonstrated field-oriented-control with VisSim, using an algorithm that is automatically generated from the system schematic for fast execution. (See diagram below)
VisSim allows a higher level of abstraction than traditional C programming, giving design engineers a ‘bird’s eye view’ of the maze that C-code can seem like at times. Judging by the positive response from engineers on the day, VisSim/ECD has hit the spot with regards to enabling analogue engineers to easily migrate to embedded controls.
Control engineers can use system level modelling in VisSim to test out algorithms with virtual or hardware-in-loop plants/controllers and optimise performance before generating the code to the embedded processor. This can drastically shorten the development cycle. What’s more VisSim code-generation is now of such a high quality that it is within 4% of expert hand coded C+ assembler.
Why not watch a related video showing Pete Darnell, Visual Solutions’ CEO, explain live at TI Design West how VisSim/Embedded Controls Developer (ECD) provides full support to program motor controls entirely graphically with no C-code whatsoever and quickly debug and change parameters on the fly? Click here to view the video online.