Focus on Embedded Development for PCB Designers

| Created: January 31, 2023 | Updated: August 4, 2024

January 13, 2023

ONTRACK BI-WEEKLY

As we look forward to 2023, major players in the industry are looking closer at integrating advanced technologies like edge computing, 5G, and AI into product ecosystems. As devices get smarter, embedded developers need to work closer with PCB layout engineers to ensure designs are solvable while also being functional. Here are some of the newest developments in the embedded space.

Leading Insights

What’s Next in AI

Expect creative chat bots, more regulation that limits AI, and expanding applications in fields like healthcare. Will we eventually see a transition from the cloud to AI at the edge?

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Health Tech and AI Are Big Themes at CES 2023

The popular Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas features some of the newest consumer tech, with this year’s most interesting products including organic photovoltaics and an AI-powered mixer.

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DDR5 Prices Continue to Fall

Back in 2021, it was predicted that DDR5 would overtake DDR4 memory by 2023. Now that prices for DDR5 have come down, it looks like that prediction may prove accurate.

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Infineon CEO: Expect Shortages to Continue After 2023

Remarks from Infineon CEO Jochen Hanebeck at a recent event in Germany align with Intel’s view that chip shortages will persist past 2023, even as CPU inventories recover.

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New PCB Materials Could Be Easier to Recycle

A research group from Kazakhstan demonstrates a new class of PCB laminate materials that is easier to recycle; the results have been published in Nature.

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Trending Resources

LATEST DESIGN RESOURCES

How Embedded Design Teams Can Simplify I/O and Routing

By Zachariah Peterson

Should the embedded designer dictate pin selection and pinouts, or should the PCB designer? It depends on the processor you’re using. Learn some simple strategies for determining who drives pin selection and ultimately routing in the PCB layout.

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LATEST DESIGN RESOURCES

Substrate-Like PCBs Push the Limits of HDI

By Zachariah Peterson

HDI embedded devices are scaling smaller in terms of feature size and linewidths, to the point that they resemble IC substrates. Substrate-like PCBs sit at the border between IC substrates and ultra-HDI PCBs.

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FROM THE VAULT

Leading a Team for Embedded Electronics

By Ari Mahpour

Embedded engineer Ari Mahpour offers his insights on leading a development team. Learn who is involved, what teams need to succeed, and see resources for working together.

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FROM THE VAULT

Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing: An Introduction

By Ari Mahpour

Testing embedded systems often involves an automated process board bringup, data capture, and data analysis. See how it’s done in this article from Ari Mahpour.

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ONTRACK PODCAST

FPGAs Are Moving Beyond Prototyping

The role of FPGAs is evolving from chip-level prototyping to being the main processor used in many new systems. Mark Oliver, VP of Marketing at Efinix, joins Zach on the OnTrack podcast to discuss the future of FPGAs in electronics and the benefits they can provide PCB designers.

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NEW VIDEOS AND TUTORIALS

Stitching Via Deep Dive

If you intend to use stitching vias in a PCB layout, how should they be sized and placed? Zach jumps into this topic from two perspectives: power and RF.

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Automating MicroPython Development and Testing Using Continuous Integration

MicroPython is becoming more popular as a language for microcontroller development. Ari gives an excellent overview and shows how to develop test routines.

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How to Make Polygon Pours and Cutouts More Professional

Zach answers a viewer question about using the polygon pour tools and some strategies for making polygons with cutouts look more professional.

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ALTIUM ACADEMY

Weekly Webinars

Altium is pleased to offer free weekly webinars that cover basic and advanced challenges that designers and PCB engineers face. Sign up for free today!

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Sourcing Insights

Spectra’s EDDI features the most recent and comprehensive look at the electronics industry supply and demand trends, backed by data from millions of parts.

The latest insights from Spectra’s Electronic Design to Delivery Index (EDDI)

Supply: In the most recent EDDI, the Industry Supply Index rose 4 points to a total of 124 points. This was the 8th consecutive month of a steady increase since the last index low in March of 2022. The overall increase in the Supply Index was driven by category index increases across all commodities. The largest category increase was in Power Products, with a month-over-month change of 7.4% (12 points).

Demand: The Industry Demand Index decreased by 5 points in the last report, to a value of 137 points. Sourcing activity was down across all categories with most indices showing slight decreases for the month. The largest decline was seen in the Integrated Circuits category with a 9 point drop. However, even with the 4.2% change, this category’s demand index remains the highest at 204 points.

Coming in February 2023, EDDI will be online. Make the data work for you with customizable data sets, filters and views, so you can explore the trends in your personalized dashboard and reports.

For more EDDI insights - subscribe here