Q: Is there a new technology or innovation that you think will significantly impact your engineering discipline?
By Martin Croome, VP of business development, GreenWaves Technologies
Artificial intelligence (AI) and the interpretation of rich data at the very edge of the network is key technology that will significantly affect products with embedded compute capability. The ability to interpret and summarize data sources before they reach the data center promises to change the way sensor devices are used in customer solutions. This brings techniques that require, if they are to be fully exploited, a very deep understanding of mathematics and statistics that is generally not in the baggage of embedded software engineers leaving tertiary education.
We believe that for engineers to be successful in creating the fundamental breakthroughs in products in this area will need to treat AI techniques as more than black boxes, and really understand the concepts and their limitations and advantages.
This will have the effect of favoring those engineers that have the mathematical background necessary more than may have been the case previously.
By Kevin McDermott, VP marketing, Imperas Software
We are enthused about RISC-V, the new open standard processor ISA which will fuel the coming revolution in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL). The technology encourages innovation, and there are already many companies that have adopted the RISC-V architecture. The RISC-V Foundation has also helped in the development of an ecosystem of synergistic partners. But more than that, as the industry moves to more embedded devices (in IoT for example), the expertise based on 30 years of delivering deeply embedded (unseen) devices can and must be leveraged. The trend to explore potential new applications is creating renewed interest in custom silicon devices. Architectures that have been proven in mature markets are expanding and providing a solid foundation for new opportunities in emerging applications. Heterogeneous devices built around selecting the optimum balance of compute resource to task workload is becoming the new norm. In general, I think we can all agree the days of one-size-fits-all is certainly over.
By Art Swift, VP marketing & business development, Esperanto Technologies; vice chair, RISC-V Foundation Marketing Committee
RISC-V is the new processor ISA that has been adopted by more than 100 companies, organizations, and academic institutions as the platform of choice for architecture innovation and new chip development. The RISC-V ecosystem is growing rapidly, and in certain market segments, already rivals the ecosystem breadth of established players. One very well-established technology player, storage company Western Digital, has already announced that the company will transition consumption of over one billion cores per year to RISC-V.
By Senthil Kumar, engineering manager, appliances, TE Connectivity
IoT is creating a trend in the appliances space, as well. Appliances are becoming smarter, and consumers expect them to connect to other devices for real-time information about health of appliances and for easier remote management of the appliances. This accelerating adoption of smart technology, particularly in appliances, poses a big challenge for connector industry, which must evolve to deliver smarter, smaller, and more efficient solutions.
By Paul Dobbins, CTO, telent Technology Services
The growing range of apps being developed that are meeting the needs and bringing huge changes to the engineering field. They can give 24/7 access to live information on faults at the swipe of a finger, offer a database of reference information, enable virtual reality location tours, as well as the ability to plan, manage and monitor jobs at lightning-speed, which will bring a smarter, more productive way of working to the field.
By Arun Vemuri, general manager, body electronics & lighting, Texas Instruments
Semiconductors will continue to assist in the adoption of comfort and convenience features in a car. Analog semiconductor processes are continuing to shrink in geometries and analog semiconductor designs are incorporating many innovative circuits that help the reduction of overall solution size and an increase in power densities. This implies that smaller and lighter electronic control units can be used in a car, thus reducing the weight of the car, which, in turn, reduces the energy needed for vehicle traction. Similarly, innovative semiconductor designs are reducing quiescent current consumption of the systems and enhancing electromagnetic compliance by using a reduced number of electronic components in the systems. Moreover, these innovations will allow continued expansion of semiconductors to replace relays and fuses, which means lower vehicle weight thus making more energy available for comfort and convenience features.
By Harsha Nanduri, sr. marketing engineer, Microchip’s Development Systems BU
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its use can be seen virtually everywhere. Examples include how our social media feeds are optimized by AI-powered algorithms, automated chat boxes replacing traditional customer service, and algorithmic investing and apps. I think AI will have a significant impact on how engineering disciplines are approached and studied.
By Ramanuja Konreddy, sr. product marketing engineer, Microchip’s 32-bit Microcontroller BU
The next wave of technology that could significantly impact the engineering discipline is machine learning. Although machine learning is at its infancy for embedded computing, there are some interesting initiatives that are looking promising.
By David Paloian, academic program manager, Microchip Technology
The Internet of Things (IoT) is making secure connectivity more ubiquitous. All engineers will need at least a basic understanding of various wireless protocols, RF fundamentals, and cryptography.
Q: What is the single piece of advice you have for future engineers?
By Martin Croome, VP of business development, GreenWaves Technologies
If you are targeting embedded software engineering don’t forget to develop a strong level of mathematics and skills in understanding how to exploit processor architecture for deeply embedded artificial intelligence!
By Kevin McDermott, VP marketing, Imperas Software
Transcend your boundaries. Be a technology leader, but strive to be multi-faceted in understanding the economics of your market, customer applications, and overall company business. Have lunch with marketing and salespeople occasionally, you can see your own company from a new perspective through them. Also, some of the partners or vendors that call you may often have more to share than you expect. Watch great managers, and read books. Then, take a risk!
By Art Swift, VP marketing & business development, Esperanto Technologies; vice chair, RISC-V Foundation Marketing Committee
Find an innovation wave created by a market disruption and ride it! Or in the formula for success of the late Mike Hackworth, co-founder and CEO of Cirrus Logic, “You have to put yourself in a place to be hit by technology lightning!”
By Senthil Kumar, engineering manager, appliances, TE Connectivity
While every engineer MUST familiarize oneself with existing and mature technologies for base knowledge, it is imperative that we start from scratch to be innovative and bring in smart solutions. Traditional technologies sometimes act as mind blockers, and hence from the outset engineers should start thinking in an outside-the-box manner that some may view as “CRAZY.”
By Paul Dobbins, CTO, telent Technology Services
Technology is evolving at lightning-speed and it can be difficult to stay up to date. I would urge budding engineers to make a conscious effort to stay as current as you can in such a rapidly changing arena, but also remain broad. You don’t have to specialize too early, rather take time to reflect on new projects to see where you can apply skills you’ve learnt in one area to the next project; you might just surprise yourself.
By Arun Vemuri, general manager, body electronics & lighting, Texas Instruments
This is one of the most exciting times in the evolution of cars. Electrification of the car, advanced driver assistance systems usage, infotainment systems that allow video, audio, and vehicle connectivity, and finally comfort and convenience features are all rapidly changing the car as we know it. Electrical engineers who design electronic control units using a variety of semiconductor components will play an even more important role in this changing landscape. While we all encounter day-to-day technical challenges in designs, a project manager that is asking for expedited deliverables or a customer that is asking for what may seem an unreasonable solution, engineers can be quite successful by being clearly aware of the overall objective and by making rationale, well-informed and well-analyzed tradeoffs. These tradeoffs may not only be technical in nature but could also involve marketing, sales, and other disciplines.
By Harsha Nanduri, sr. marketing engineer, Microchip’s Development Systems BU
Focus on fundamentals. We have seen time and again that as technologies evolve and become commercialized, the need increases for greater focus on fundamentals driving them, such as materials involved, semiconductor devices used, and the underlying software programming etc. Future engineers will have an edge in solving complex problems when the approach is taken with a focus on fundamentals.
By Ramanuja Konreddy, sr. product marketing engineer, Microchip’s 32-bit Microcontroller BU
Focus on understanding the technology concepts to create products and solutions that will help enhance the way we live, work, and play.
By David Paloian, academic program manager, Microchip Technology
Develop your curiosity. You can easily take classes and do online learning to acquire new skills and knowledge to keep up with the changes in technology. But it takes sustained effort to maintain the curious outlook that will lead you to innovative ideas and approaches.