How Hardware Helps Build Smarter, Connected Systems
In our world of smarter, interconnected systems, hardware enables the transition from theory to practice. While software is the talk of the town when it comes to connecting devices and systems, it’s the hardware that gives us the foundation of reliable performance, efficiency and scalability. For electrical engineers, understanding how hardware evolves into smarter systems is vital for constructing solutions that can support the needs of contemporary connectivity, data processing, and user needs.
The Foundation of Connectivity
The hardware that makes communication possible is at the core of any connected system. MCUs, SoCs, and FPGAs are the brains that process information, execute code, and operate wireless connectivity protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and LoRa.
High-end MCUs, for instance, combine power-constrained architectures with various connectivity protocols so that IoT devices can run without running out of power. FPGAs are being deployed more widely in edge computers to process data at the edge and alleviate latency and bandwidth costs for centralized cloud platforms. This hardware synthesis of compute power and connectivity is essential to the burgeoning notion of edge intelligence.
Sensors: The System’s Eyes and Ears
Improved systems are based on reliable and real-time information, and sensors are the silent heroes here. From industrial temperature and pressure sensors to biometric sensors in medical devices, hardware spurred the development of smaller, more accurate and less energy-consuming sensors.
Such sensors typically connect to MCUs or custom-developed ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits) to provide compact, specialized systems that report real-time data. The creation of multi-functional sensors with support for multiple parameters reduces the complexity of hardware, minimizing the number of related systems.
Power Control: The Secret to Productivity.
A smart system is only as smart as its power supplies. Electrical engineers find it hard to build hardware that can save energy without sacrificing functionality. Power harvesting and high-tech battery management have become a must-have for IoT devices installed in remote or unreachable locations.
Hardware products like LDOs, DC-DC converters, and PMICs help engineers find a middle ground between energy savings, heat reduction, and performance.
Security at the Hardware Level
As interconnected systems become the norm, security is now top-level priority. Hardware security solutions like secure elements and TPMs provide high levels of cybersecurity by storing encryption keys and securely booting devices.
By implementing hardware security solutions early on in the design, it’s possible for engineers to protect systems from threats and still adhere to industry standards. Hardware-based security, in addition to software-based security, provides a multi-tiered protection model that smart systems demand.
The Future: Hardware Innovation and Cooperation
Building intelligent, interconnected systems is an increasingly collaborative process. Engineers now work with software developers, data scientists and cloud architects to create hardware that is seamlessly scalable across bigger ecosystems. The new trends in chiplets, modular hardware, and AI accelerators are changing the way hardware is built and implemented.
Additionally, open hardware platforms and design frameworks are opening up innovation to the masses, allowing even small teams to create large-scale systems. This, in turn, allows engineers to develop more flexible and scalable solutions for the many industries such as healthcare, automotive, and industrial automation.
Conclusion
Hardware’s place in a smarter, connected system is both fundamental and critical. Hardware drives the future of intelligent systems, from high-speed connectivity and near-real-time data processing to energy conservation and security. For electrical engineers, the challenge is not only to stay at the forefront of hardware development, but to anticipate the way in which new technology can be deployed to address the problems of the future.
Smarter systems start with smart hardware — and engineers are where it all begins.
