Embedded Firmware Implementation

Proof required

Submit: (1) a brief system overview (100–150 words) stating the target platform, the two peripherals your HAL covers, and the firmware system you plan to build in M2; (2) the HAL source code for both peripherals (in a public GitHub repository or Wokwi project link); (3) a short video or GIF (30–60 seconds) or Wokwi simulation link showing the HAL test running — each peripheral demonstrating its expected behaviour; (4) a confirmation that the development environment compiles and uploads without errors (screenshot of the IDE/terminal with a clean build output).

What gets checked

• HAL functions expose a clean interface with no hardware-specific constants or register names visible to the caller — a function called `sensor_read_raw()` that returns an integer is a valid HAL function; a function that requires the caller to pass a GPIO pin number and an ADC channel number is register-level code exposed to the caller, not a HAL
• Each peripheral has at least two HAL functions (init and at least one operation function) — a HAL with only one function per peripheral has not separated initialisation from operation
• The test proof shows the expected behaviour in real time — a static photo of the hardware is not sufficient; video, GIF, or Wokwi simulation link showing the peripheral operating is required

Common mistakes

• Using Arduino library functions directly in the application code rather than wrapping them in HAL functions — `digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH)` in main application logic is not abstracted; the HAL wraps this into `led_set(LED_ON)` so the application is hardware-independent
• Selecting a firmware system for M2 that uses only one peripheral — the firmware must justify the two-peripheral HAL; a system that only blinks an LED does not demonstrate HAL design principles

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Engineering Design Triad: M1 produces a design artifact (HAL source code with clean interface) and an analysis artifact (test demonstration showing each peripheral's correct behaviour) — both must be present.
• HAL interface must hide hardware details — check that application-level code never passes GPIO pin numbers, register addresses, or ADC channel numbers; only semantic function names and values.
• Test proof must show real-time behaviour — static photos are not sufficient; video, GIF, or Wokwi simulation link required.
• Clean build output must be shown — a compilation error in the screenshot fails M1.
• Reviewer must be a software or electrical engineer with embedded systems development experience — HAL design quality and peripheral driver correctness require domain expertise.

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Proof required

Submit: (1) the complete firmware application source code in a public GitHub repository or Wokwi project; (2) the FSM diagram (state diagram with states, transitions, and trigger conditions — draw.io is free); (3) the five test cases with expected and actual outputs (as code with assertion statements, or as a documented test log); (4) a video or Wokwi simulation link showing the application running through at least two FSM state transitions.

What gets checked

• FSM is implemented as an explicit state variable and a transition table or switch statement — an implicit FSM (a series of if/else blocks with no named states) does not demonstrate FSM design; the state enum or constant names must appear in the code
• Real-time constraint is verified in the test cases — if the design requires 100 ms sensor sampling, a test case must confirm this (e.g. measure the actual interval using the system timer and assert it is within ±10%)
• Five test cases exercise distinct behaviour — five tests that all check the LED state in the idle state are not five distinct tests; tests must cover at least three different FSM states or event types

Common mistakes

• Implementing the application without using the HAL — calling `digitalWrite()` or hardware library functions directly in the application layer defeats the purpose of the M1 HAL; all hardware access must go through the HAL functions
• Writing tests that only verify compilation rather than behaviour — a test that calls `led_init()` and checks that it returns without crashing is not a behavioural test; tests must check observable outputs against expected values

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• FSM must be explicit — check that state names appear as enum values or named constants in the code, not as implicit flags or boolean combinations.
• All hardware access must go through HAL functions — check that the application layer contains no direct GPIO, ADC, or UART register/library calls.
• Real-time constraint must be verified in a test case — check that the timing requirement from the design brief appears as an assertion in the test log.
• Five test cases must cover distinct FSM states or event types — check that the tests are not all testing the same state.
• Reviewer must have embedded systems firmware development experience — FSM design quality, HAL boundary correctness, and real-time constraint verification require domain expertise.

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Proof required

Submit: (1) the firmware design document (all sections above, 600–900 words); (2) the code review record — the reviewer's two specific issues (with file name and line number or function name), the author's response, and whether each issue was addressed in a code update (200 words minimum, attributing reviewer by professional role); (3) the updated code with the two issues addressed (GitHub commit link showing the changes).

What gets checked

• Known limitations are specific and technical — 'if the temperature sensor is disconnected, the ADC returns a floating value that the FSM interprets as a temperature of −40°C and enters the cooling state indefinitely' is a valid limitation; 'could be improved' is not
• Code review record includes file/line or function references — 'the reviewer identified that `sensor_read_raw()` has no bounds check on the return value (sensor.c line 34), which could cause the FSM to enter an invalid state if the ADC returns a value above 1023' is a valid record entry
• Code updates are visible in a GitHub commit — the reviewer's issues must map to traceable changes in the repository; verbal claims that issues were fixed without visible code changes cannot be verified

Common mistakes

• Presenting to a reviewer who has not read the code before the review session — a code review requires the reviewer to have read the code before the meeting; a first-read during the session is a walkthrough, not a review
• Addressing reviewer issues by adding comments rather than fixing the code — a comment that says 'TODO: add bounds check here' is not a fix; the bounds check must be implemented

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Engineering Design Triad check: M1–M3 together produce a design artifact (HAL source code + FSM diagram + system architecture diagram), an analysis artifact (test cases with expected/actual outputs + timing analysis), and a documentation artifact (firmware design document + code review record with addressed issues) — confirm all three types are present.
• Known limitations must be specific and technical — check that each limitation describes a specific failure mode, not a general area for improvement.
• Code review record must include file/line references — check that the issues are locatable in the submitted code.
• Code updates must be visible as a GitHub commit — the commit must be traceable to the reviewer's specific issues.
• Reviewer must have embedded systems firmware development experience — code review quality for embedded firmware requires domain-specific knowledge of memory management, interrupt safety, and real-time constraints.
• The Proof Accessibility Rule applies — Wokwi, Arduino IDE, PlatformIO, Unity, and draw.io are all free.

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