Embedded Systems and Micro controllers

An embedded system is a (mosty likely small) computer with a special and dedicated functionality within a larger mechanical or electrical system. An embedded system is often based on a micro controllers and has to deal with real-time computing constraints.
I dealt with embedded systems and micro controllers while working at Bochum University of Applied sciences and I am still using with them in my spare time.
Every topic regarding embedded system news and development of embedded devices will be listed in this category.

Upgrading Wireless Light Control System via CLI

I got stucked while upgrading the Wireless Light Control System from Dresden Elektronik through the web interface. The deCONZ software just closed when I invoked an update. To work with this issue, one can just start the upgrade process manual via CLI. I write it down here, as I haven´t found it documented anywhere else. Log in [...]

Sven Seiler2016-01-01T15:04:23+00:00

Holistic blended framework for Research and Education in Mechatronics and Computer Science

“If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then ’real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain” Laurence Fishburne, The Matrix, 1999 The 'Holistic blended framework for Research and Education in Mechatronics and Computer Science' (BLC) consists of a technical and a didactical part. These parts are accompanied by those [...]

Sven Seiler2019-01-03T16:46:59+00:00Tags: Computer science education, Distance learning, framework, Remote systems, Robotics, virtual micro controller|

Creating a REST web service with Python for serving TinkerForge sensor data in JSON

This tutorial is demonstrating one solution to serve data read from TinkerForge sensors via a REST web service. It is implemented utilizing Python on a Fedora Unix (for ARM) running on a Cubietruck. It is not handling the basics of connecting to TinkerForge hardware, as this is covered quite well on their homepage. About REST [...]

Sven Seiler2019-01-03T16:47:21+00:00Tags: JSON, Python, REST, sensor data, TinkerForge, web service|

Accessing an ecryptfs filesystem on a LVM group (Synology encrypted drive)

I was in need today to access one of my older Synology hard drives, that I had encrypted before. As I have no slot currently available in my NAS, so I tried to access it through an Ubuntu Linux via USB connection. First of all, the encrypted device is on a LVM (Logical Volume Manager 2 [...]

Sven Seiler2019-01-03T16:47:22+00:00Tags: ecryptfs, lvm, synology|

Moving cubietruck Linaro to a „real“ hard drive

In this guide I will record the steps I completed to move the rootfs to a SSD harddrive. When your hard disk is connected to your cubietruck power on and connect via Putty (or control directly via keyboard). Check, if the hard disk was found and what kind of partitions are available: seiler@cubietruck:~# sudo fdisk -l [...]

Sven Seiler2019-01-03T16:47:23+00:00Tags: cubietruck, linaro, linux|

Wireless Lan with WPA2 on the Cubietruck (Fedora)

This short tutorial will introduce how to set up Wireless Lan on a Fedora-driven Cubietruck. The aim is to load the necessary module and set-up the connection to a Wireless network during system startup automatically. First of all, the module for the Broadcom AP6210 chipset (offering Bluetooth and Wireless functionality) must be added to the [...]

Sven Seiler2019-01-03T16:47:26+00:00Tags: cubietruck, Fedora, Wireless Lan|

Definition of Remote, Online, Virtual, Simulation and Distance Labs

In the literature, various terminologies are used for describing remote accessible or virtual online experiments. To avoid confusion this article discusses these terms before the principal section. Distance Labs A Distance Lab is a web platform offering any kind of online accessible experiment. This can be a remote or a virtual lab. These two kinds [...]

Sven Seiler2019-01-03T16:47:27+00:00Tags: Definition, Distance, Labs, Online, Remote, simulation, virtual|

Prestashop issues (502 Bad Gateway) with nginx as a Proxy server running on a Plesk Parallels enabled host

I am running a Plesk Parallels Panel (v. 11.0) on a Ubuntu 12.04 LTS with PrestaShop (v. 1.5.3) combined with a nginx webserver (v. 1.3.0) as a reverse proxy server. Be aware, that in any other case the solution presented here might not work for you! One of my friends (Sven Fennema) is running Presta Shop [...]

Sven Seiler2019-01-03T16:47:34+00:00Tags: internet, nginx, parallels, plesk, presta shop, server, tutorial|

Virtual Micro Controller Unit

General information about the VMCU The Virtual Micro Controller was developed by it:matters and Bochum University of Applied Sciences in a Leonardo da Vinci project in the frame of the European Life Long Learning programme. Virtual Micro Controller Minimum requirements for the VMCU For working with the VMCU in a satisfying way, your hardware/software [...]

Sven Seiler2019-01-03T16:47:35+00:00Tags: micro controller, simulation, virtual, virtualization, vmcu|