Hands-on Embedded Systems with Atmel SAM4s ARM Processor from Udemy

This course received a major update in Feb 2018 based on the feedback provided.

Welcome to this course on Hands-on Embedded Systems with Atmel SAM4s ARM Processor. At the end of this course you will be comfortable with the ARM processor core, processor model, exception model, reset sequence, general and special registers, and also a master in the ADC peripheral. This course has been made from the ground-up to help you transition from the world of Arduino into the world of 32 bit Atmel SAM4s ARM microcontrollers.

Who am I?

I’m Akshay, and I’ll be your instructor for this course. I have been fascinated with micro controllers since I was a child, and now I consider it lucky to have it as my profession. I currently write firmware for safety critical systems that go inside electric cars. With my knowledge of embedded systems over the past 10+ years, and working in Silicon Valley, I have gained a unique insight into what the industry needs and what the students are lacking.

Course Structure

This course has 8 sections.

Section 1 will help you understand the differences between Arduino and 32 bit ARM Cortex. You will also understand the Cortex-M instruction set.

Section 2 is dedicated to the setup of the development environment and hardware. This section also contains reference documents that you will be using for the rest of the course.

Section 3 is about the processor fundamentals. At the end of this section you will be comfortable with the inner workings of the processor, the general and special registers that do all the magic inside the processor. You will learn how to interpret the assembly instructions and how they work inside the processor.

Section 4 is about the peripherals. You will learn the theory behind the ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) peripheral.

Section 5 is the first project of this course where you will sample an analog voltage using ASF libraries in Atmel studio and understand how the peripheral and processor work together to convert this into a digital code.

Section 6 is the second project in this course where you will understand how an analog voltage is sampled and implement it by directly writing to the registers. (No library use here)

Section 7 is the third project in this course where you will understand how to sample real time temperature and how the processor interprets the value in degrees C of F. You will implement it using ASF code.

Section 8 is a homework project in which you will implement temperature sensing using direct register access. Solutions are provided for reference.

This course content was generated from scratch in a way to get the point across to you, in the most efficient, exciting and engaging way.

Is this course for me?

If you are an embedded systems enthusiast, professional or student who is struggling to start programming on the ARM Cortex-M platform, this course if for you. If you have worked with Arduino before, and have basic working knowledge of embedded systems, this course is for you. If you have already been working with ARM Cortex microcontrollers and want to gain a deeper understanding of the processor’s fundamentals as well as the ADC peripheral, then this course is for you.

Can I use another development board?

I use the Atmel SAM4s Xplained Pro development board in this course which houses a ARM Cortex-M4 processor. You may choose any other microcontroller of your choice that works with Atmel Studio. If you need help selecting a board, let me know and I can help you out.

My personal guarantee

I am proud to say that I stand behind this course 100%, and guarantee you that you will get valuable information from this course. There is also a 30 day money back guarantee from Udemy.

With this, you can feel confident about your purchase and know that it is a valuable find.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Understand the processor and exception model for arm cortex processors
Use asf (atmel studio framework) to write embedded code for arm cortex microcontrollers
Handle adc triggers and interrupts
How to read digital codes and find their corresponding analog value
How to read chip temperature using adcs

Understand the core concepts of analog to digital converters
Directly write to registers to program arm cortex peripherals
Understanding embedded systems
Program adcs on arm cortex
Understand and configure various timing requirements of an adc

Understand the processor and exception model for arm cortex processors
Use asf (atmel studio framework) to write embedded code for arm cortex microcontrollers
Handle adc triggers and interrupts
How to read digital codes and find their corresponding analog value
How to read chip temperature using adcs
Understand the core concepts of analog to digital converters
Directly write to registers to program arm cortex peripherals
Understanding embedded systems
Program adcs on arm cortex
Understand and configure various timing requirements of an adc

Syllabus

Important points before we get started

Before we get started!

Course Introduction

Set up Atmel studio, SAM4s Xplained Pro. Learn concepts of ADCs.

In this lecture, you will power up the board, connect the debug USB cable to the board and load up a hello world project which turns the on board LED on when switch 0 on the board is pressed.

In this video you will learn the theory for analog to digital converters using the block diagram of the SAM4s ADC peripheral.

A few questions on things we covered in Lecture 4 about ADC Theory

This is a simulation to show the importance of sample and hold circuits used in many ADCs on the market.

Quick recap of the ADC theory we learned in this section

Introduces you to the first of 3 projects that we will be working on.

Attached document is a quick start guide provided by Atmel to use its ASF framework to get started with ADCs. There are certain inconsistencies and errors in this document, like the naming of the ADC handler function. But the following video will take you through the correct way of configuring and programming the ADC.

Quick recap of what we learned in the ADC init function

ADC timing quick recap

In project 2 we will be reading an analog signal of 1 volts on ADC 5, but we will configure the ADC by writing directly to the registers. In this video you will learn to program the ADC control register.

In this video you will learn how to program the ADC Mode Register. This is where most of the ADC timing specifications will be programmed.

In this lesson you will learn how to program the ADC Channel Enable register and ADC Interrupt Enable register.

Introduces you to the third project in this course in which you will learn how to program the on board temperature sensor of the SAM4s ARM Cortex M4 microcontroller.

In this lesson you will learn how to measure and interpret the temperature sensor reading at room temperature

In this lesson, we heat up the board using a heat gun and test the temperature sensor that you have programmed in the previous lessons!

This is a homework project for you will learn how to get the configure, enable and read the on board temperature sensor by directly writing to registers.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides hands-on experience with the Atmel SAM4s ARM processor, which is valuable for those looking to deepen their practical skills in embedded systems development

Covers the ARM Cortex-M instruction set, which is essential knowledge for anyone working with ARM-based microcontrollers and embedded systems

Teaches how to directly write to registers to program ARM Cortex peripherals, offering a deeper understanding of microcontroller operation beyond using high-level libraries

Uses Atmel Studio Framework (ASF) for embedded code development, which may require learners to familiarize themselves with this specific framework

Focuses on the Atmel SAM4s Xplained Pro development board, so learners may need to acquire this specific hardware to fully participate in the hands-on projects

Updated in Feb 2018, so learners should be aware that the software and hardware used in the course may not reflect the latest versions available today

Reviews summary

Hands-on arm embedded systems practice

According to learners, this course provides a solid hands-on introduction to 32-bit ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers, specifically using the Atmel SAM4s processor. Students appreciate the course's goal of helping them transition from Arduino to a more powerful platform, noting it covers essential processor fundamentals and the exception model. The course's focus on the ADC peripheral, demonstrated through both library-based (ASF) and direct register access projects, is frequently highlighted as a key strength, offering a practical deep dive. While the content is considered valuable, some students found the initial hardware and software setup using Atmel Studio potentially challenging. The instructor's industry experience and detailed explanations are generally well-received.

Deep dive into processor and registers.

"I really appreciated learning about the processor's internal workings and how to manipulate registers directly. It gives a deeper understanding."

"Understanding the programmer's model and exception model was crucial and well-explained in this course."

"The sections on direct register access for the ADC were invaluable for understanding what libraries abstract away."

"Going beyond ASF to program registers myself was the most insightful part."

Good for moving from Arduino to ARM.

"This course helped me a lot in understanding the difference between Arduino and a 32-bit ARM microcontroller, which was my main goal."

"Coming from Arduino, I found the comparison in the first section very helpful to bridge the gap to ARM Cortex."

"It successfully guided me from basic Arduino concepts to working with a more complex ARM platform."

"I was an Arduino user and wanted to step up. This course provided the necessary steps and knowledge."

Hands-on projects are a highlight.

"The hands-on coding and projects are the strongest part of the course for me, especially the register-level access labs."

"I really enjoyed the projects that showed both the ASF library way and how to do it directly with registers. Very practical."

"Doing the ADC projects gave me a practical understanding of how peripherals work at a low level."

"The project on the temperature sensor was a great practical application of what was taught."

Initial setup can be challenging.

"Getting Atmel Studio and the board set up correctly took me some time and felt a bit challenging initially."

"The setup section is necessary, but configuring the environment and hardware wasn't as smooth as I hoped."

"I had a few issues getting the development environment ready before I could start coding the projects."

"Setting up the tools was a bit tricky, but once done, the rest of the course flowed better."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Hands-on Embedded Systems with Atmel SAM4s ARM Processor with these activities:

Review ARM Cortex-M Architecture

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Reviewing the ARM Cortex-M architecture will provide a solid foundation for understanding the processor fundamentals covered in the course.

Browse courses on Cortex-M Architecture

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Read introductory materials on ARM Cortex-M architecture.
Review the key features and benefits of the Cortex-M series.
Familiarize yourself with the memory map and interrupt structure.

Read 'The Definitive Guide to the ARM Cortex-M3 and Cortex-M4 Processors'

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Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of the ARM Cortex-M4 processor and its peripherals.

View The Definitive Guide to ARM® Cortex®-M3 and... on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to the processor core and memory architecture.
Study the sections on interrupt handling and exception management.
Review the chapters on peripherals, focusing on the ADC.

Implement ADC sampling with ASF

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Practicing ADC sampling using the Atmel Studio Framework (ASF) will reinforce the concepts learned in the course and improve your ability to write embedded code.

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Set up a new project in Atmel Studio with ASF support.
Configure the ADC peripheral using ASF libraries.
Write code to sample an analog voltage and display the digital value.
Test the code with different analog inputs.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Write a blog post on ADC configuration

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Writing a blog post explaining ADC configuration on the SAM4s will solidify your understanding and help others learn from your experience.

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Research and gather information on ADC configuration.
Write a clear and concise blog post explaining the key concepts.
Include code examples and diagrams to illustrate the concepts.
Publish the blog post on a relevant platform.

Build a Data Logger

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Building a data logger project will allow you to apply your knowledge of embedded systems and ADC programming to a real-world application.

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Design the data logger system, including sensor selection and data storage.
Write code to sample data from the sensor using the ADC.
Implement data storage and retrieval mechanisms.
Test and debug the data logger system.

Read 'Embedded Systems Architecture'

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Reading this book will provide a broader understanding of embedded systems architecture and design principles.

View Embedded Systems Architecture: Design and write... on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to processor selection and memory management.
Study the sections on peripheral interfaces and communication protocols.
Relate the concepts to the Atmel SAM4s microcontroller.

Contribute to an open-source embedded project

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Contributing to an open-source embedded project will provide valuable experience in collaborative development and expose you to different coding styles and techniques.

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Find an open-source embedded project that uses ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers.
Study the project's codebase and documentation.
Identify a bug or feature to work on.
Submit a pull request with your changes.

Career center

Learners who complete Hands-on Embedded Systems with Atmel SAM4s ARM Processor will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Embedded Systems Engineer

An Embedded Systems Engineer designs, develops, and tests software for embedded systems, such as those found in consumer electronics and industrial equipment. This course provides a strong foundation in ARM processor architecture and peripheral programming, which are essential skills for an Embedded Systems Engineer. You'll gain hands-on experience with the Atmel SAM4s ARM processor, learning how to program its ADC and core functionality. This course is particularly valuable because it covers both library-based and direct register programming, providing a thorough understanding of the processor. A prospective embedded systems engineer will benefit greatly from the course's emphasis on practical project work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Embedded Systems Engineer

Firmware Engineer

A Firmware Engineer develops the low-level software which is embedded in hardware devices. This course's coverage of the Atmel SAM4s ARM processor and its peripherals directly aligns with the work of a Firmware Engineer. The course provides practical experience with programming the Analog to Digital Converter using both libraries and direct register access, which is critical for hardware interaction. The in-depth look at the processor's architecture, registers, and exception model are also very beneficial. This course is especially helpful for those who want to deepen their understanding of the processor's inner workings and low-level programming techniques, skills that are core to a firmware engineer's success.

See salaries and explore the career path for Firmware Engineer

Robotics Engineer

Robotics Engineers design and build robots and robotic systems for various applications. Embedded systems are at the heart of robotics, controlling the robot's motors, sensors, and other components. This course is directly relevant to a robotics engineer’s work. The course will help you use an ARM processor, program ADCs, handle interrupts, and generally work with an embedded system. A Robotics Engineer will find this course especially useful for the hands-on projects and the focus on direct register programming, which provide a deep understanding of how microcontrollers work, which is useful for robots that require fine control.

See salaries and explore the career path for Robotics Engineer

Automotive Engineer

Automotive Engineers design, develop, and test vehicles and their systems. Many systems in modern vehicles rely on embedded software so the experience gained in this course is very relevant. This course provides hands-on experience with the ARM processor and its ADC, focusing on how the processor interfaces with analog sensors. The course’s focus on both library and register level programming provides a strong foundation on both practical and fundamental concepts. An aspiring automotive engineer interested in vehicle electronics would find this training highly valuable as many automotive control systems rely on this level of understanding.

See salaries and explore the career path for Automotive Engineer

Research and Development Engineer

A Research and Development Engineer focuses on inventing and developing new technologies and products. This role may sometimes require knowledge of embedded systems. This course is particularly useful for an R&D engineer working on embedded hardware. This course covers the practical applications of ADC and ARM processors. The course's emphasis on both library based programming as well as direct register programming helps develop a deep understanding of the processor. The hands-on projects in the course are very useful, as they are essential for understanding how these systems work.

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Control Systems Engineer

A Control Systems Engineer designs systems to control machines and processes. They must understand how sensors read data and how that data impacts a system. This course focuses on practical application of ADC peripherals to read data from physical systems. This course will enhance the depth of understanding for how sensor data and microcontrollers interact. A control system engineer would benefit from this course's emphasis on programming the ADC peripherals, which are critical for sensor data acquisition. Direct register access helps understand the low-level details of the processor's inner workings, which is very helpful in this field.

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Avionics Engineer

Avionics Engineers design, develop, and test electronic systems found in aircraft. Avionics systems heavily rely on embedded systems, requiring a deep understanding of how software interfaces with hardware. This course will be directly relevant, as it provides training on programming the ADC and ARM processor using both libraries and direct register access. Avionics Engineers can use this course to build a foundational understanding of how a central processor and sensor modules can interface. The practical projects offered in this course are particularly useful to understanding how to interface with both hardware and software.

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Hardware Engineer

A Hardware Engineer designs and develops computer hardware systems. While this role is more focused on hardware itself, having a detailed understanding of low-level software is often quite useful. This course provides exposure to the Atmel SAM4s ARM processor, its peripherals, and the corresponding software interfaces. By understanding the software side of things, a Hardware Engineer gains a more complete perspective of system design. This course is good for hardware engineers seeking to broaden their understanding of the software that drives their designs. Notably, the course's emphasis on direct register programming provides a deeper understanding of how hardware and software interact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hardware Engineer

Test Engineer

A Test Engineer creates and executes tests to ensure product functionality and quality. This course may be useful because testing embedded systems often requires a clear understanding of how they work. This course’s focus on the Atmel SAM4s ARM processor and ADC will help an engineer understand how to interpret system behavior. The test engineer will benefit from this course's coverage of hardware interaction through software, which provides a foundation for testing. It will enhance their ability to design and execute more effective tests.

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Product Development Engineer

A Product Development Engineer is involved in the entire process of bringing a product to market. This may involve using embedded systems, and so this course may be useful. This course covers the fundamentals of embedded systems and ADC programming, which are necessary for product development. Product development engineers often need to understand the inner workings of the devices they are involved in bringing to market. This course's focus on both library-level and register-level programming will increase their understanding. This background will allow the product development engineer to better assess the challenges of product development.

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Research Scientist

Some Research Scientists work on instrumentation and data acquisition for their experiments, which often involves embedded systems. This course may be useful as it provides hands-on experience with ARM processors and ADC programming. The coursework focuses on reading data from sensors in practical settings. Those who seek to build custom instrumentation will find that this course helps build a strong foundation in how to acquire data from sensors. The skills in direct register programming can be helpful for custom circuits.

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Systems Analyst

A systems analyst studies computer systems and procedures to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. While this role doesn't involve hands-on coding, a foundational understanding of embedded systems can help. This course on the Atmel SAM4s ARM processor may be helpful. The course's content provides insight into how microcontrollers work, and how they interface with hardware. Systems analysts working with systems that incorporate a microcontroller will find this course beneficial. The system analyst will be able to more accurately assess the bottlenecks and efficiencies of the systems.

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Technical Consultant

A Technical Consultant provides expert advice on technology to clients. This course may be useful for consultants dealing with embedded systems. The course provides a thorough introduction to ARM processors and their peripherals. It also covers how to program ADCs, which can be useful. A technical consultant would find this course helpful to gain a deeper understanding of the software/hardware interface. This understanding will allow them to better advise clients on the capabilities and limitations of embedded systems.

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Field Application Engineer

A Field Application Engineer works with customers to integrate and support products. This role may sometimes require knowledge of embedded systems. This course will be useful in this capacity. This course offers hands on experience with ARM processors and ADC programming. The direct register programming teaches the low level aspects of programming a microcontroller. A field application engineer will have a better understanding of how to integrate these devices because of the deep knowledge gained from the course. This would allow them to better support customers.

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Application Engineer

Application engineers are involved with specifying, designing, and testing product applications. This role can at times involve embedded programming. This course may be helpful because it provides training on an Atmel SAM4s ARM processor. The course’s concentration on ADC programming and hardware interfaces will help an application engineer better design and validate applications. Direct register programming can be particularly useful. An application engineer will enjoy the hands on experience this course offers.

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Hands-on Embedded Systems with Atmel SAM4s ARM Processor

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Hands-on arm embedded systems practice

Activities

Career center

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