Embedded Testing

Testing computing technology that does not have a visual interface

‘Pervasive computing’ or ‘on-demand computing’, or ‘real –time computing’, is here to stay and so is testing of such computing technology essentially characterized by lack of a ‘visual interface’ - in other words embedded systems testing.

Take for instance the automobile industry, according to Forrester, electronics software contributed approximately 4% to the development costs of an automobile in 2003. That number is expected to grow to 15% by 2015. Not just in automobiles such embedded systems are in every ‘intelligent’ device that is infiltrating our daily lives be it aerospace and defense, consumer electronics, high-tech, medical instruments and even apparels.

While on one end stories of automobile majors recalling cars due to failure of its engine control software or communication companies recalling cell phones due to a software glitches that cause audio problems or the recall of certain defibrillators implanted in patients due to a software memory error do the rounds, the importance of embedded testing is now appreciated more than ever.

Customer’s thirst for newer and innovative products in work and homes, ever growing demand for more personalization and mission-critical functionality and the unabated urge to improve quality of life while reducing costs is going to ensure intelligent systems with near zero glitches continue to proliferate.