2011/06/23

Embedded Systems: Exploring the Design Requirements

There are embedded everywhere you go. The product development services, consisting of qualified engineers, are responsible for the system architecture and design of such. They normally put emphasis on the embedded system hardware design, high level tools, and not forgetting the software as embedded system are now equipped with a fully functional operating system. Below are some of the characteristics of an embedded system.

The first characteristic is that embedded are designed for a specific task. This is different from other computer systems as embedded cannot carry out multiple tasks. Also, these have real time performance standards that have to be met for safety and usability. Secondly, embedded are not always standalone devices as some of them have small computerized parts within a larger part that serve a more general purpose. Thirdly, the programs and instructions written on the embedded are called firmware. They are stored in read only memory or flash memory. The firmware normally runs on limited memory and computer hardware resources.

Before embarking on the embedded hardware design, most product development services of such have to put into consideration the following design requirements of an embedded system.

The first design requirement is the real time or reactive operation. This means that the correctness of a computation done on an embedded depends on the time the computation was delivered. The product development services responsible for the embedded hardware design have to take into account the worst case performance scenario.

The harsh environment that these work in also requires consideration. Due to the fact that most of the embedded do not operate in a controlled environment, the embedded hardware design should enable this computer to function even under non-survivable fire conditions.

Thirdly, the security of the embedded should also be considered. The HDL for ASIC or FPGA integrated circuits are used for the purposes of security. This is because HDL for ASIC or FPGA are secure microprocessors due to the fact that they support bit stream encryption. Designers have started using HDL for ASIC or FPGA integrated circuits for these as the hardware security of these is of paramount importance.

Lastly, the product development services of an embedded must always consider the cost. Even if such embedded systems have stringent requirements, the cost is always an issue.

It is a well known fact that most embedded have requirements that vary significantly in the design of the. The demands of a specific application normally dominate the hardware design of an embedded system.


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Hospital Policy Management Software - Top Ten Things to Consider When Choosing a System

If you are in charge of finding the best hospital policy management application for your hospital or health network, choose wisely - just because an application is categorized as healthcare IT does not prove its viability in your organization's environment. Even top healthcare IT companies can fail to meet your needs if you overlook certain criteria, particularly if you are looking for a web-based solution. The criteria below can help you make an informed decision when choosing the best software to manage your hospital or health system's policies and procedures.

Is it user-friendly? If you are faced with a choice between an application with a boring, user-friendly interface or a beautiful but complicated one, go with user-friendly. Your staff will thank you.
Is it built with searchability in mind? Fast searching is critical when patient outcomes are at stake. An application's searching should look at every word on a page (full-text) and shouldn't require manual keyword tagging; it should adjust for misspellings and account for stemming (understanding that "medicines" matches "medicine" in a search result). Ask the software provider how it works.
Does it go mobile? Make sure your hospital policy management system works on mobile devices used at your site - whether they are laptops, cell phones or tablets - so caregivers have access to vital information at their fingertips.
Is it in line with your disaster/emergency requirements? Internet connectivity can be lost for a variety of reasons, so you (or the software provider) must be able to back up information on-site for emergency situations when using a Software as a Service application. Ask about how data is backed up and whether they use multiple servers in geographically separated data centers
Is it fairly priced? The Trojan Horse approach to pricing where every new user increases your costs is not only unfair but is also impossible to manage in today's dynamic healthcare environment - don't invest in a software unless the price is capped.
Does it support more than just policies? Healthcare organizations need to house procedures and other vital information in one place, and these can take many forms. Create an inventory of the different document types and find out how suitable the software is for each one.
Is it scalable? Applications must have the ability to expand, change and integrate to support this ever-changing environment of a hospital or a growing health system. If you are part of an integrated health system or health network, ask if the software allows you to share policies across hospitals.
Will it integrate with your existing tools? Just because a healthcare IT application is delivered via the web does not mean that it needs to stand apart from the other applications in your IT environment. Ask your provider if the software integrates with Active Directory and any other tools used by your healthcare organization.
Is it architected for the web? In selecting a SaaS or other web-based hospital policy management software, make sure the application was originally architected for the Internet rather than retrofitted from a non-web-based application. This ensures it has adequate security, speed and site monitoring, among other benefits.
Will it effectively decrease IT's workload? Before committing to a policy management software for your hospital, consider whether a browser plug-in is necessary and whether your IT staff will be required to help or train users; if you're still unsure, run it by IT first.

About the Author

Having spent the majority of his time building high-growth companies, Steven Ehrlich has been in the software industry for 20+ years and is currently president and CEO of PolicyStat. The Indianapolis-based company provides a web-based hospital policy management software for healthcare organizations wanting to reduce costs, increase productivity, mitigate risk and improve patient outcomes.


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Editing PDF Files Without Adobe Acrobat

The popularity of PDF files is due to several reasons. There are different types of documents that need to be converted to PDF. The simple reason to convert varied file formats to PDF is that it is highly user-friendly. And with the accurate knowledge it becomes even more easy to use. PDF file formats are popular because they are compact and their small size makes them easy to share and use. They can easily be preserved in their original formatting. It is easy to edit PDF and it is a safer option as compared to many other formats like word. Since, it has a password-protect feature, it isn't possible for others to view or use content of your PDF file. Only the users who know the password will be able to see the content of your file, or edit it. The biggest advantage of PDF file is that it can be viewed on any web browser, including your mobile phones.

It is very easy to edit PDFs even without the use of Adobe Acrobat, unlike the previous belief. With the help of PDF creator, which also comes with an editor, you can do editing easily. The editing tool offers help in re-touching or doing minor as well as major changes to your PDF document. Besides, editing small or large portions of your file, you could also edit the properties, quality and security settings of your PDF file. With the use of basic tools you can do advanced editing of your files, without any hassle.

You can hide certain non-required parts of your file with the tool. You could add shapes, text and notes to your PDF file. If you want to convert large portions of your file, you can do that with just a single click, with the option of batch conversion. With a good converter suite you can merge multiple PDFs into one file. A wholesome software will allow you to convert PDF files, edit them and create them in a jiffy! You can easily view your files and instantly share them, with the help of such software.

Apart from the above mentioned features, you can also import images anywhere in your PDF document. You can replace images, add signatures and remove blocks of text without actually breaking the flow of the document. This way you can conveniently edit your PDF file with the use of a handy software.

Jenny Hamper enjoys writing about convert PDF to Word Conversion. She works in software development since 2000s and knows very well about the importance of PDF to Word and PDF conversion tools in business industry.


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Does Apple Want to Stop You From Using iPhone Cameras at Concerts? (PC Magazine)

Many concerts ban attendees from taking photos or video footage. But increasingly sophisticated smartphones make it difficult for event security to enforce those rules. Apple, however, is reportedly developing software that would shut off your camera at concerts.

Patently Apple has uncovered a patent published on June 2 that would use infrared receivers to cripple your phone's camera when it's opened at live shows. The idea includes an image-processing system that would "determine whether each image detected by the camera includes and infrared signal with encoded data." Although the camera would be inactive, other apps on the phone would function normally.

How would it work? Infrared transmitters would be placed near the stage and "when a camera is pointed at the stage to take a photograph or video, the infrared transmitter near the stage would communicate with your camera and instruct it to disable capturing capabilities." It could also be used to prevent people from recording in movie theaters.

In some cases, this software would allow photos or videos to be captured, but it would apply a watermark to this protected media.

However, this patent could also be used for other purposes. Patently Apple pointed to museums with exhibits where photography is prohibited; infrared signals could be used to block iPhones from taking pictures. But it could also be used to provide additional information about a painting or a sculpture. It could be used in retail to give information on a particular item like price, availability, and location in the store.


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What Do Photo ID Systems Offer?

Many companies ranging from real estate agencies to entertainment venues like concert halls have photo ID systems on premises to produce employee ID cards. Other businesses choose to hire printing companies to produce the ID cards for them. Either way, photo ID systems are very versatile, and depending on the brand and model, they are sophisticated and could be called a "package deal" because of all of the things that are bundled in them.

Photo ID systems could be bought complete with a printer, a bulk amount of blank plastic cards, a camera, printer software, and a USB printer cable. When a company wants to produce its own employee ID cards, they sometimes purchase the plastic cards, printers, and cameras separately. This is because not all businesses know that photo ID systems are available, and they cost less than buying each part separately. The ID system comes complete with all of the essentials to efficiently print employee ID cards. Depending on the printer that comes with the ID system, companies are able to produce hundreds of ID cards a day without having to worry about the printers getting overheated or having other technical problems. They are designed to handle large volumes of printing.

Photo ID systems offer a way for businesses to quickly produce ID cards and distribute them. They are not just for employee ID cards. They are also used to make library cards, bank cards (like ATM cards, credit cards, and debit cards), ski resort passes, membership ID cards, customer loyalty cards, student ID cards, and more. The possible uses of ID systems is and endless list. However, photo ID systems are usually purchased by large businesses and schools, which produce a massive amount of ID cards every year.

People who are usually required to wear ID cards are doctors, nurses, K-12 students, and security guards. They are often asked to wear their ID cards somewhere easily visible. Therefore, they usually place their ID cards in an ID holder, which comes in different shapes and sizes. More often than not, anywhere a company purchases an ID system, they could find accessories, such as an ID holder, for sale as well. Other than an ID holder, people punch holes into their cards and put them on key chains or strap them onto lanyards.

Depending on the ID card production needs of businesses, they might even necessarily need their own ID system. If a business is small with only a few employees (such as a public relations boutique) it would probably be less expensive to just hire a printing company. Purchasing a photo ID system might hurt their budget rather than save it. However, a larger organization with thousands of employees (such as a nationwide insurance company or non-profit organization with multiple chapters) would benefit the most from having photo ID systems in their office buildings. Hundreds of businesses around the world have realized the time-saving and cost-effective benefits of having their own photo ID systems rather than setting a contract up with another company to make ID cards.

For information about id systems and id holder, call safecardid.com at 888-485-4696 for free ID expert needs analysis.


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