A comprehensive embedded systems design course and laboratory

In this paper we present a vision of the sequence of three embedded systems design courses being taught for computer engineering technology students. The focus of these courses is to prepare strong students in both digital hardware design as well as embedded software design. The courses have been evolving from traditional delivery of the content to a highly interactive hands-on industry-like experience where students are allowed to balance tradeoffs between hardware and software, and to design from idea to final implementation. The sequence progresses around examples of everyday objects as simple as an electric toothbrush, to smartphones and tablets, to airplanes and military devices. Being so pervasive, emerging embedded applications are used as examples and students are asked to explore further to find what skills, hardware and software, are required to build these applications. In the present review, a glimpse of the core ideas around these three courses and how can they be implemented to engage students in this vast field is given.