
The Most Annoying Sound
Independent consultants often face requests and requirements that go beyond the technicalities of software and hardware. Designing user interfaces is a common example, and even though most of us are not UI experts, we still have to get it right, otherwise the users may get annoyed, and the product will fail. However, what happens when we're asked explicitly to annoy users? Here's a true story about such a case.
Scorchers, Part 4: Burned by the Happy Path (Simon Says)
As engineers, we have to think carefully about how our designs may be used in ways we did not foresee. You may have heard of the happy path, which describes a sequence of events someone takes to use a product — whether it’s software or hardware. The line between software and hardware has gotten pretty blurry in recent years due to the prevalence of embedded systems. (Good news for embedded engineers!) Things have gotten
Graphical medicine
Although an appealing user interface is a good option for any device, in medical applications it can be a life saver.
Blinkenlights 2.0
Nothing spells old movie computers like a panel of randomly blinking lights, but in fact, these so-called "blinkenlights" can be valuable indicators - especially in embedded systems where the user interface must be minimal, small and cheap. Control of these lights can be achieved using a very simple, real-time interpreted script, and this kind of solution may be extended to other and more complex embedded tasks.
More than just a pretty face - a good UI is essential
A user interface can make or break a device - determining its success in the marketplace. With careful design, the UI can make the product compelling and result in a high level of satisfaction from new and experienced users.
A Wish for Things That Work
As the end of the year approaches, I become introspective. This year I am frustrated by bad user interfaces in software.
Actually, every year, throughout the year, I am frustrated by bad user interfaces in software. And yet here it is, the end of 2017, and things aren’t getting much better! Argh!
I wrote about this sort of thing a bit back in 2011 (“Complexity in Consumer Electronics Considered Harmful”) but I think it’s time to revisit the topic. So I’m...
Android for Embedded Devices - 5 Reasons why Android is used in Embedded Devices
The embedded purists are going to hate me for this. How can you even think of using Android on an embedded system ? It’s after all a mobile phone operating system/software.
Sigh !! Yes I did not like Android to begin with, as well - for use on an Embedded System. But sometimes I think the market and needs decide what has to be used and what should not be. This is one such thing. Over the past few years, I have learned to love Android as an embedded operating system....
Embedded Toolbox: Windows GUI Prototyping Toolkit
In this installment of my "Embedded Toolbox" series, I would like to interest you in the free Windows GUI Toolkit called QWin for prototyping, developing and debugging embedded C or C++ code on Windows.
If you work on devices with non-trivial user interfaces consisting of LCDs (segmented or graphic), buttons, LEDs, etc., QWin could be just the tool for you. It has improved my productivity in such projects dramatically. I personally consider it a gem in my "Embedded...
LCD Control with an MCU
Controlling a liquid crystal display (LCD) to indicate a few ASCII characters should not be a big challenge as a project. That’s exactly what I thought when I decided to include a 2 line by 16 character display in my current project. My initial thought was. “How difficult could it be with all the resources on the internet and my embedded development expertise primarily in telecoms?” Let me tell you it is not as straightforward as I thought it would be and therefore I...
Complexity in Consumer Electronics Considered Harmful
I recently returned from a visit to my grandmother, who lives in an assisted living community, and got to observe both her and my frustration first-hand with a new TV. This was a Vizio flatscreen TV that was fairly easy to set up, and the picture quality was good. But here's what the remote control looks like:
You will note:
- the small lettering (the number buttons are just under 1/4 inch in diameter)
- a typeface chosen for marketing purposes (matching Vizio's "futuristic" corporate...
Scorchers, Part 4: Burned by the Happy Path (Simon Says)
As engineers, we have to think carefully about how our designs may be used in ways we did not foresee. You may have heard of the happy path, which describes a sequence of events someone takes to use a product — whether it’s software or hardware. The line between software and hardware has gotten pretty blurry in recent years due to the prevalence of embedded systems. (Good news for embedded engineers!) Things have gotten
The Most Annoying Sound
Independent consultants often face requests and requirements that go beyond the technicalities of software and hardware. Designing user interfaces is a common example, and even though most of us are not UI experts, we still have to get it right, otherwise the users may get annoyed, and the product will fail. However, what happens when we're asked explicitly to annoy users? Here's a true story about such a case.
Embedded Toolbox: Windows GUI Prototyping Toolkit
In this installment of my "Embedded Toolbox" series, I would like to interest you in the free Windows GUI Toolkit called QWin for prototyping, developing and debugging embedded C or C++ code on Windows.
If you work on devices with non-trivial user interfaces consisting of LCDs (segmented or graphic), buttons, LEDs, etc., QWin could be just the tool for you. It has improved my productivity in such projects dramatically. I personally consider it a gem in my "Embedded...
LCD Control with an MCU
Controlling a liquid crystal display (LCD) to indicate a few ASCII characters should not be a big challenge as a project. That’s exactly what I thought when I decided to include a 2 line by 16 character display in my current project. My initial thought was. “How difficult could it be with all the resources on the internet and my embedded development expertise primarily in telecoms?” Let me tell you it is not as straightforward as I thought it would be and therefore I...
Complexity in Consumer Electronics Considered Harmful
I recently returned from a visit to my grandmother, who lives in an assisted living community, and got to observe both her and my frustration first-hand with a new TV. This was a Vizio flatscreen TV that was fairly easy to set up, and the picture quality was good. But here's what the remote control looks like:
You will note:
- the small lettering (the number buttons are just under 1/4 inch in diameter)
- a typeface chosen for marketing purposes (matching Vizio's "futuristic" corporate...
Graphical medicine
Although an appealing user interface is a good option for any device, in medical applications it can be a life saver.
A Wish for Things That Work
As the end of the year approaches, I become introspective. This year I am frustrated by bad user interfaces in software.
Actually, every year, throughout the year, I am frustrated by bad user interfaces in software. And yet here it is, the end of 2017, and things aren’t getting much better! Argh!
I wrote about this sort of thing a bit back in 2011 (“Complexity in Consumer Electronics Considered Harmful”) but I think it’s time to revisit the topic. So I’m...
Blinkenlights 2.0
Nothing spells old movie computers like a panel of randomly blinking lights, but in fact, these so-called "blinkenlights" can be valuable indicators - especially in embedded systems where the user interface must be minimal, small and cheap. Control of these lights can be achieved using a very simple, real-time interpreted script, and this kind of solution may be extended to other and more complex embedded tasks.
Android for Embedded Devices - 5 Reasons why Android is used in Embedded Devices
The embedded purists are going to hate me for this. How can you even think of using Android on an embedded system ? It’s after all a mobile phone operating system/software.
Sigh !! Yes I did not like Android to begin with, as well - for use on an Embedded System. But sometimes I think the market and needs decide what has to be used and what should not be. This is one such thing. Over the past few years, I have learned to love Android as an embedded operating system....
More than just a pretty face - a good UI is essential
A user interface can make or break a device - determining its success in the marketplace. With careful design, the UI can make the product compelling and result in a high level of satisfaction from new and experienced users.
Android for Embedded Devices - 5 Reasons why Android is used in Embedded Devices
The embedded purists are going to hate me for this. How can you even think of using Android on an embedded system ? It’s after all a mobile phone operating system/software.
Sigh !! Yes I did not like Android to begin with, as well - for use on an Embedded System. But sometimes I think the market and needs decide what has to be used and what should not be. This is one such thing. Over the past few years, I have learned to love Android as an embedded operating system....
Complexity in Consumer Electronics Considered Harmful
I recently returned from a visit to my grandmother, who lives in an assisted living community, and got to observe both her and my frustration first-hand with a new TV. This was a Vizio flatscreen TV that was fairly easy to set up, and the picture quality was good. But here's what the remote control looks like:
You will note:
- the small lettering (the number buttons are just under 1/4 inch in diameter)
- a typeface chosen for marketing purposes (matching Vizio's "futuristic" corporate...
Embedded Toolbox: Windows GUI Prototyping Toolkit
In this installment of my "Embedded Toolbox" series, I would like to interest you in the free Windows GUI Toolkit called QWin for prototyping, developing and debugging embedded C or C++ code on Windows.
If you work on devices with non-trivial user interfaces consisting of LCDs (segmented or graphic), buttons, LEDs, etc., QWin could be just the tool for you. It has improved my productivity in such projects dramatically. I personally consider it a gem in my "Embedded...
A Wish for Things That Work
As the end of the year approaches, I become introspective. This year I am frustrated by bad user interfaces in software.
Actually, every year, throughout the year, I am frustrated by bad user interfaces in software. And yet here it is, the end of 2017, and things aren’t getting much better! Argh!
I wrote about this sort of thing a bit back in 2011 (“Complexity in Consumer Electronics Considered Harmful”) but I think it’s time to revisit the topic. So I’m...
LCD Control with an MCU
Controlling a liquid crystal display (LCD) to indicate a few ASCII characters should not be a big challenge as a project. That’s exactly what I thought when I decided to include a 2 line by 16 character display in my current project. My initial thought was. “How difficult could it be with all the resources on the internet and my embedded development expertise primarily in telecoms?” Let me tell you it is not as straightforward as I thought it would be and therefore I...
More than just a pretty face - a good UI is essential
A user interface can make or break a device - determining its success in the marketplace. With careful design, the UI can make the product compelling and result in a high level of satisfaction from new and experienced users.
Blinkenlights 2.0
Nothing spells old movie computers like a panel of randomly blinking lights, but in fact, these so-called "blinkenlights" can be valuable indicators - especially in embedded systems where the user interface must be minimal, small and cheap. Control of these lights can be achieved using a very simple, real-time interpreted script, and this kind of solution may be extended to other and more complex embedded tasks.
Graphical medicine
Although an appealing user interface is a good option for any device, in medical applications it can be a life saver.
Scorchers, Part 4: Burned by the Happy Path (Simon Says)
As engineers, we have to think carefully about how our designs may be used in ways we did not foresee. You may have heard of the happy path, which describes a sequence of events someone takes to use a product — whether it’s software or hardware. The line between software and hardware has gotten pretty blurry in recent years due to the prevalence of embedded systems. (Good news for embedded engineers!) Things have gotten
The Most Annoying Sound
Independent consultants often face requests and requirements that go beyond the technicalities of software and hardware. Designing user interfaces is a common example, and even though most of us are not UI experts, we still have to get it right, otherwise the users may get annoyed, and the product will fail. However, what happens when we're asked explicitly to annoy users? Here's a true story about such a case.
