Wi-Fi security has significantly improved over the years from initially being more aspirational than real until today, where Wi-Fi 6 security is considered to be on a par with the security of 5G telephony. This FAQ will answer several questions related to Wi-Fi security and encryption: What’s the difference between WEP, WPA, WPA2, and WPA3? […]
What to consider when selecting a Wi-Fi antenna
Antennas are a critical part of the link budget in all wireless communications applications, including Wi-Fi. In addition to the numerous antenna performance and link budget issues in wireless communications, there are general architectural challenges. The architectural options are the focus of this FAQ, including; long-distance versus local Wi-Fi and the use of directional vs. […]
Wi-Fi by the numbers
This FAQ briefly reviews the generations of Wi-Fi and backward compatibilities, looks at the different frequency bands used by the latest Wi-Fi specifications, and reviews the bandwidths offered by various Wi-Fi implementations. The first five generations of Wi-Fi focused on evolutionary and incremental advancements and backward compatibility. Wi-Fi 6 changed that trajectory and is a […]
Quantifying embedded MCU energy consumption
There are several methods and benchmarks for quantifying the energy consumption of embedded microcontroller units (MCUs) and related energy consumption benchmarks for common peripheral functions such as Bluetooth low energy and Wi-Fi. Over time, MCU designs have changed to support the demand for higher energy efficiency. In addition, there is another world of energy consumption […]
Specifying MCUs for satellites and spacecraft
There is not a single group of standards but a continuum of qualification criteria for the components and systems used in satellites and spacecraft (Figure 1). With the growth of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites where the environment is less demanding and where some satellites are expected to be replaced regularly with upgraded designs, the […]
How does embedded software work?
Embedded software is specialized programming on a chip, such as a microcontroller (MCU), or in firmware in an embedded MCU, to control its functions. Unlike general computer applications, designed to be installed on various computer systems or modified to provide varying levels of functionality, embedded software is generally purpose-built for a single hardware environment and […]
What’s special about embedded microcontrollers?
Embedded MCUs are purpose-built for use in various specific applications and rely on embedded peripherals, various communications protocols, conventional operating systems (OS) or specialized real-time operating systems (RTOS), middleware, application software, and development environments. While MCU stands for microcontroller unit, it could also be interpreted as mission controller unit since these devices are optimized for […]
MCUs for ADAS – what’s the difference?
The emergence of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is changing how designers use and specify microcontrollers (MCUs), but it’s only one dimension of the changes occurring in the design of automotive systems (Figure 1). This FAQ will begin with the basics of AEC-Q100 requirements for automotive integrated circuits – those requirements are not going away […]
MCU specification considerations for robotics
Robotics platforms have unique needs where microcontroller (MCU) performance is concerned. MCUs that have been optimized for use in robots often incorporate multiple functions, including built-in internet protocol (IP) connectivity, safety and security functions, and advanced control algorithms. Integrating an MCU core with a field programmable gate array (FPGA) is another approach to achieving optimized […]
Nuances of low power MCUs for wireless sensors and wearables
The optimization of microcontrollers (MCUs) in power-sensitive applications such as wireless sensor nodes and wearables is all about maximizing power management effectiveness. To minimize power consumption, low-power MCUs typically operate at frequencies below 50 MHz, compared with hundreds of MHz or even 1+ GHz for conventional MCUs. These power-optimized MCUs also use low-power peripherals; they […]
