Embedded Firmware Development

Many products are still designed without an operating system due to cost, speed and/or power constraints; this approach is often called ‘bare metal’. RVL engineers have decades of experience developing embedded firmware using assembly and more prominently C/C++ for implementation and performance optimisation. Working across many architectures (AVR, PIC, ARM, H8S) and toolchains we have brought a wide variety of products to life, whilst also offering consultancy on existing designs where the original developer is no longer available. We have completed several FPGA projects using the Altera Cyclone series (low-cost, high-performance, and power-efficient FPGA solutions).

We have designed ’bare metal’ firmware for the following projects where flexibility and performance have been key considerations:

Pressure / temperature sensor module
PCMCIA RF transceiver module
Industrial communications hub
Bench top & industrial analytical equipment
SIP home & office security system
Refrigeration control equipment
Fuel dispensing management system
Home energy monitoring system
Video overlay system

Embedded firmware development is crucial in applications ranging from consumer electronics (like smartphones and smart appliances) to industrial machinery, automotive systems, medical devices, and IoT devices. The development process includes tasks such as:

Writing low-level code that communicates directly with the hardware.
Managing real-time operations, including task scheduling and interrupt handling.
Optimizing memory usage and computational efficiency.
Ensuring reliability and robustness in various environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, voltage).
Testing and debugging to ensure the firmware operates as expected.

Embedded firmware enables the core functionality of an electronic device, acting as a bridge between the hardware and higher-level software (such as application software running on the system).

Embedded firmware development is our specialism at RVL, but we provide an entire range of services for your electronics project, depending on your requirements. Ask us about PCB design services, reverse engineering, PCB prototyping, testing and our electronics assembly services, all of which take place on site in Kent, UK.