A Test-oriented Embedded System Production Methodology

In the business world, the use of Agile methodologies has been demonstrated as providing a pro-active, rather than reactive, path for the developer to create defect-free products. Although similarities exist with business desktop and line-of-business systems, the closer connection of signal processing systems to the hardware side of a product, and associated physical constraints, makes the adaption of desktop Agile methodologies for the embedded world difficult; and the adoption of these methodologies by developers problematic. We focus on our experiences in developing test frameworks to support transforming a subset of extreme programming from the world of desktop applications into a suitable embedded domain production methodology. Details are provided of the issues surrounding an Embedded xUnit testing framework that will permit development of digital signal processing applications on a wide range of standalone and multi-processor systems in research, teaching and commercial development environments.

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