The Insider's Guide to Arm Cortex-M Development

Learn and implement the latest Arm Cortex-M microcontroller development concepts such as performance optimization, security, software reuse, machine learning, continuous integration, and cloud-based development from industry experts

Key Features

• Learn how to select the best Cortex-M hardware, software, and tools for your project
• Understand the use of key software components and how to optimize and develop modern applications
• Get hands-on experience implementing quality software using example code provided in the book
• Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in the PDF format

Book Description

Cortex-M has been around since 2004, so why a new book now? With new microcontrollers based on the Cortex-M55 and Cortex-M85 being introduced this year, Cortex-M continues to expand. New software concepts, such as standardized software reuse, have emerged alongside new topics including security and machine learning. Development methodologies have also significantly advanced, with more embedded development taking place in the cloud and increased levels of automation. Due to these advances, a single engineer can no longer understand an entire project and requires new skills to be successful.

This book provides a unique view of how to navigate and apply the latest concepts in microcontroller development. The book is split into two parts. First, you’ll be guided through how to select the ideal set of hardware, software, and tools for your specific project. Next, you’ll explore how to implement essential topics for modern embedded developers. Throughout the book, there are examples for you to learn by working with real Cortex-M devices with all software available on GitHub. You will gain experience with the small Cortex-M0+, the powerful Cortex-M55, and more Cortex-M processors.

By the end of this book, you’ll be able to practically apply modern Cortex-M software development concepts.

What you will learn

• Familiarize yourself with heuristics to identify the right components for your Cortex-M project
• Boot code to efficiently start up a Cortex-M device
• Optimize algorithms with compilers, middleware, and other means
• Get to grips with machine learning frameworks and implementation techniques
• Understand security in the embedded space with solutions like TrustZone and TF-M
• Explore cloud-based development methodologies to increase efficiency
• Dive into continuous integration frameworks and best practices
• Identify future trends that could impact Cortex-M software development

Who this book is for

This book is for practicing engineers and students working with embedded and IoT systems who want to quickly learn how to develop quality software for Arm Cortex-M processors without reading long technical manuals. If you’re looking for a book that explains C or assembly language programming for the purpose of creating a single application or mastering a type of programming such as digital signal processing algorithms, then this book is NOT for you. A basic understanding of embedded hardware and software, along with general C programming skills will assist with understanding the concepts covered in this book.

Table of Contents

1. Selecting the Right Hardware
2. Selecting the Right Software
3. Selecting the Right Tools
4. Booting to Main
5. Optimizing Performance
6. Leveraging Machine Learning
7. Enforcing Security
8. Streamlining with the Cloud
9. Implementing Continuous Integraion
10. Looking Ahead

Zachary Lasiuk is a solutions designer at Arm. He specializes in being a systems-oriented thinker, with a broad understanding of and experience with the full IoT product life cycle in terms of both hardware and software. He is a designer at heart, crafting products that are easy and enjoyable to use. Graduating summa cum laude from Boston University with a degree in electrical engineering, Zach holds several certifications in fields ranging from UX Design to Design Thinking to Humane Technology. He graduated from the UN Young SDG Innovators Programme and has been an XTC judge for AI Ethics. He enjoys playing jazz saxophone and piano in his spare time and has toured with bands and DJ groups across the world. He lives in Austin, Texas with his fiancée, Isabella, who he loves very much.

Pareena Verma is a principal solutions architect at Arm. She works with Arm partners around the world to design system-level virtual prototyping solutions for early IP evaluation, performance analysis, and software bring-up. She has helped software developers and SoC architects on numerous Arm-based projects involving the usage of modeling, compilers, debuggers, and simulation tools. Prior to working at Arm, Pareena worked at a couple of other Electronic Design Automation start-ups, primarily focused on embedded software development and FPGA design. Pareena holds a Master of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Florida. She lives in the Greater Boston area with her husband, Birju, and their two amazing children, Leah and Liam.

Jason Andrews is a solutions director and distinguished engineer at Arm. He helps Arm partners in the areas of IP selection, system architecture, software development, and performance analysis. Jason has written hundreds of articles about Arm technology. As a member of the AWS Community Builders program, he promotes the Arm architecture in cloud and IoT applications. Prior to working at Arm, Jason worked in various Electronic Design Automation companies, including Cadence Design Systems. He lives in the Minneapolis area with his wife, Deborah, where they spend time with their six children and three grandchildren.