Using object-oriented techniques to design software for an 8 bit microcontroller may not be common, but it can be effective. This article tells how one project did it and what they learned.

To keep a watchdog timer from resetting your system, you've got to kick it regularly. But that's not all there is to watchdog science. We will examine the use and testing of a watchdog, as well as the integration of a watchdog into a multitasking environment.

As designs start to proliferate in the more complex 16, 32, and 64 bit realms, the days of selecting a mild-mannered, off-the-shelf processor may be numbered. That's because semiconductor vendors are unleashing a new crop of heavy-duty cores, beefed up instruction sets that add DSP support, and system-on-chip options. This article will explore what's driving these trends and look at a few of the latest offerings.