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Analog and mixed-signal chipmakers are increasingly aiming to integrate analog signal chain with embedded processing platforms to build vertical solutions, and today’s announcement from Analog Devices Inc. reinforces this design trend.
ADI is creating what it calls a software-defined version of itself by providing a base software enablement platform that offers drivers, operating systems, middleware, and libraries built on a robust and secure software supply chain. The Wilmington, Massachusetts-based company calls it CodeFusion Studio.
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Figure 1 The embedded software development platform encompasses core technologies like amplifiers, RF, and sensors as well as embedded digital software for processing, algorithms and security along with solution stacks on top. Source: Analog Devices Inc.
“ADI is expanding its digital portfolio, from lower-cost MCUs for precision applications to more advanced heterogeneous compute devices to analog chips with a digital interface,” said Rob Oshana, senior VP of Software and Security Group at ADI. “CodeFusion Studio provides a single, unified development environment for our digital portfolio.”
CodeFusion Studio
CodeFusion Studio—a software development environment tailored for ADI’s analog and digital technologies—is based on Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code. It comprises three core components. First, software development kit (SDK), which includes drivers, OSes, middleware, libraries and domain-specific reference applications.
Second, an integrated development environment (IDE) facilitates heterogeneous application development, debugging, and optimization. Third, configuration and productivity tools assist in system and core configuration, end-to-end security implementation, technical discovery, and efficient data flow through the system.
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Figure 2 Essential features include breakpoints, disassembly, heterogeneous debugging, and RTOS thread awareness. Source: Analog Devices Inc.
Oshana notes that everything in CodeFusion Studio—from SDK to IDE and configuration tools—is open-source, offering design engineers greater control over their software development pipeline. “Open-source tooling provides developers full ownership of their software development pipeline.”
CodeFusion Studio leverages a modern IDE and command-line interface, encompassing open-source configuration and profiling tools to simplify development on heterogeneous processors. It also makes SDKs easily accessible by including Zephyr(r) and other communities with a broad ecosystem of technology plug-ins and providers.
Next, the new software platform supports the Assure Trusted Edge Security Architecture, ADI’s hardware and software security foundation that aims to facilitate a simple and flexible way to natively implement security inside semiconductor devices. It includes hardware security capabilities within select ADI hardware products and software layers with application programming interfaces (APIs) available within Code Fusion Studio.
Developer Portal
Besides CodeFusion Studio, an embedded software development environment, ADI has also unveiled a Developer Portal, which centralizes code samples, product documentation, and other resources to efficiently work with ADI’s technology and alleviate complexity. The Developer Portal brings together resources including tools, drivers, SDKs, sample code, tutorials, documentation, community news, and updates on design events.
ADI wants developer.analog.com to become the primary place for developers to find the tools and resources they need to create new products and solutions and to stay current with the company’s hardware and software offerings.
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Figure 3 The new embedded software development offers features like quick project setup as well as clock and configuration tools. Source: Analog Devices Inc.
At a time when embedded software engineering is becoming an increasingly complex challenge, development environments such as CodeFusion Studio built from the ground up can help simplify the embedded development experience. Especially, when it comes from an analog and mixed-signal design house like ADI, already engaged in algorithm development for signal processing applications.
“We looked for new ways for ease of use by reducing complexity and we didn’t have to worry about old, legacy software offerings,” Oshana said. He added that legacy platforms are often proprietary and fail to provide open, extensible interfaces essential for modern heterogeneous systems.
“Silicon vendors rarely think about consumers and debug. Fantastic that ADI is addressing this,” noted a user after reviewing this new development platform. “I needed this 20 years ago.”
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