RCSA Industry Competency and Certification Exams
RCSA Certification Exam Skill Sets: Embedded Systems and Robotics
Embedded systems and robotics is one of the fastest growing areas of information technology. Similarly to the exponential increase in hardware technology described by Moore's law, there is an analogous exponential growth in embedded software.
Modern automobiles are a real gathering place for embedded systems. Each new car has between twenty and one hundred embedded controllers, each dedicated to one particular task. There are individual controllers for engine control, dashboard displays, trip computer, keyless entry, electric seat adjustment and position memory, mirror adjustment, power windows, cruise control, airbag control and many others. With new features being added to automobiles every day, it is cheaper to add additional embedded controllers than to develop a single monolithic automotive computer system.
Embedded systems and robotics is one of the fastest growing areas of information technology. Similarly to the exponential increase in hardware technology described by Moore’s law, there is an analogous exponential growth in embedded software. Robotics has come a long way. Especially for mobile robots, a similar trend is happening as we have seen for computer systems: the transition from mainframe computing via workstations to PCs, which will probably continue with handheld devices for many applications. In the past mobile robots were controlled by heavy, large, and expensive computer systems that could not be carried and had to be linked via cable or wireless devices. Today, however, we can build small mobile robots with numerous actuators and sensors that are controlled by inexpensive, small and light embedded computers systems that are carried on-board the robot.
Passing the examination requires a working knowledge of the performance tasks listed
below.
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Skill Sets
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Tasks
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Basic Electronics |
- Voltage regulators
- Timers
- Resistors
- Capacitors
- Electrical symbols
- Diodes
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AVR Technology |
- Microcontroller
- Microprocessors
- EEPROM
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Embedded C Programming |
- Hardware interfacing with C
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Interfacing Peripherals |
- LEDs and LCD
- DC Motor
- Stepper Motor
- Servo Motor
- Sensors
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Sensors |
- Bump
- Line
- Light
- Infrared
- Temperature
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Actuators |
- DC Motors
- Stepper Motors
- Servo Motors
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Motor Drivers |
- Microcontroller interfacing with Motor Drivers
- Motor Drivers using relay and transistors
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Introduction to Programming Software |
- WinAVR
- AVR Studio
- Multisim
- Keli
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