RE: hardware and software design from the ground up
- From: "David Engebretson" <davide@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:34:57 -0700
I'm looking forward to hearing about this one, too. When I was in the field
there were no accessible virtual machines for embedded devices that were
under tens of thousands of dollars. They were also not accessible with any
screen reader.
Cheers,
David
-----Original Message-----
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lamar Upshaw
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 3:26 PM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: hardware and software design from the ground up
Actually, I like your idea. It sounds like a way of simulating the device,
and testing how I want my hardware and software to work before spending
major dollars manufacturing the hardware itself. It also sounds like a
wonderful way of having most if not all of my software built and ready to go
when the hardware is made.
Unfortunately, I know nothing about virtual machines, so can you give me a
point in the right direction to start studying how to build a virtual
machine? Is this something I can do in a windows environment, even though
the hardware itself may not be windows based? I think you just saved me a
whole lot of unnecessary troubles and headaches! :-)
With All Respect,
Upshaw, Lamar T
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Hallsworth" <christopherhallsworth71@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 11:45 AM
Subject: Re: hardware and software design from the ground up
> Hi Lamar, this sounds cool! Just a suggestion though, if you wish to test
> your new hardware, I would create an environment, like a virtual machine,
> so you can safely test the driver(s) before distributing it to end users.
> Just a thought as I'm currently loving the idea of virtualization.
>
> --
> Chris Hallsworth
> e-mail: christopherhallsworth71@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> msn: ch9675@xxxxxxxxxxx
> skype: chrishallsworth7266
> klango: chrishallsworth
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lamar Upshaw" <lupshaw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 5:35 PM
> Subject: Re: hardware and software design from the ground up
>
>
>> Thank you so much for this! So, if I'm understanding correctly, I must
>> first design my hardware, making sure I know exactly what I want it to be
>> able to do, and then the software to drive it? When you say environment
>> and hardware platform, are you referring to the hardware's operating
>> system? The device I want to make is a very small device, so I'm pretty
>> sure I'll have to spend the money to have a mechanical and electronic
>> design firm literally manufacture it for me. I'm sure this is quite
>> expensive, but necessary due to it's very small size.
>>
>> With All Respect,
>> Upshaw, Lamar T
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "David Engebretson" <davide@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:15 AM
>> Subject: RE: hardware and software design from the ground up
>>
>>
>>> I've got a degree in Electronics Engineering with a focus in embedded
>>> systems design. A radio, as you've described is an embedded system.
>>>
>>> The thing I've found prohibitive in embedded system design is cost.
>>> Mainly
>>> manufacturing costs, but also the cost of research and development. If
>>> cost
>>> is of no consequence to you then you might want to hire a mechanical and
>>> electronic design firm to create your hardware for you. Otherwise, I've
>>> got
>>> a couple of ideas for you:
>>>
>>> 1. There are radios on the market that have USB connections. People
>>> have
>>> written software to control these radios with their computers. This is
>>> probably the lowest cost option.
>>>
>>> 2. You can buy development boards that have easy to connect (caveat:
>>> they
>>> aren't that easy to connect if you are visually impaired and without
>>> sighted
>>> assistance) modules/circuits that fill the requirements of your project.
>>> You can then use a software development environment to write software
>>> for
>>> the hardware platform. Often the nitty gritty hardware details are
>>> written
>>> in assembly. You can wrap those functions using C and C++, depending on
>>> the
>>> environment you get and the capability of the hardware platform.
>>>
>>> I did option number two for my senior project as an undergraduate. I
>>> used a
>>> Motorola HC12 development board, plugged in sound chips and wrote
>>> drivers to
>>> control it, had a nice power system development board so I could run my
>>> device off of battery power, a large print vacuum fluorescent display (I
>>> had
>>> a little bit of working vision back then), and a nice keypad with
>>> something
>>> I called Blind Friendly Controls (BFC). I didn't know anything about
>>> accessibility products other than ZoomText back then, but found out
>>> (when
>>> introduced to JAWS) that their keyboard help functionality was exactly
>>> what
>>> I did with my BFC creation.
>>>
>>> Anyhow, option 2 is pretty fun for development but not really practical
>>> for
>>> manufacturing - more for proto-typing.
>>>
>>> You might even be able to find a development board for a radio. Check
>>> out
>>> http://www.digikey.com for a cool professional electronics store with
>>> lots
>>> of development kits.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> David
>>>
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