Windows 7 to support sensors

Martin Rowe, Senior Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 5/13/2009 10:05:00 AM

Windows 7, Microsoft’s upcoming operating system, will include support for collecting data from sensors, both inside and outside the PC. According to Microsoft, the Microsoft Windows Sensor and Location Platform will solve the problem of nonstandard interfaces between sensors and Windows.

The platform will include a device-driver interface, a Windows Sensor API (application programming interface), a Windows Location API, a sensors control panel, and privacy controls. It will support sensors such as GPS, accelerometers, proximity sensors, light sensors, cameras, microphones, temperature sensors, and moisture sensors. Information about the platform on the Microsoft Website includes links to papers that describe the architecture.

Internally, the framework has the potential to make a PC aware of its environment. A light sensor, for example, could let a PC adjust its text font or screen brightness in response to ambient light. With an accelerometer, a portable PC could reorient its screen settings from portrait to landscape.

A common API set could make Windows hardware independent—just as some test-equipment makers have done with their products. For example, you can change hardware platforms from PC plug-in to USB without changing your application code, provided you use equipment produced by the same company. The Windows 7 Sensors Framework could, if hardware manufacturers support it, let you change not only hardware platforms, but hardware suppliers, without changing your code. It’s similar to the idea behind IVI (interchangeable virtual instruments), which lets you change instruments such as oscilloscopes or DMMs without changing your application code.

Thus far, the only way to interface sensors into Windows 7 is through a development board from Freescale Semiconductor. Freescale has developed drivers for its JM Badge development kit that work with Windows 7’s Sensor Framework. The kit includes several sensors, a microcontroller, and a USB interface for communication to a PC.

Jim Weil, global product and enablement manager for Freescale’s microcontroller business, explained the reasoning behind the Sensors Framework. “Prior Microsoft operating systems didn’t allow for easy access for sensor technology. Sensors are handled by some kind of embedded microcontroller with a custom API structure. Microsoft realized that Windows needed to be more extensible and updateable to handle sensors. Developers need a way to get access to sensors without having to write custom drivers.”

Even if Microsoft can successfully develop a standard API for collecting data from sensors, the measurement community will take years to use it. First of all, Windows 7 isn’t released yet, and many engineers are reluctant to change operating systems unless they have to. If you already have a custom measurement application, you have a lot invested in your code. Sure, a common API might be useful in the future, but to migrate to it, you’ll need new code.

To learn more about Windows 7, start with Microsoft’s Windows Sensor and Location Platform. There, you’ll find links to several papers that explain the platform architecture. You’ll also find links to blogs and videos on the topic.

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Unfortunately, Freescale doesn't yet have firmware that will reprogram
the BadgeBoard to operate with Win 7. The alternate is to follow
instructions that "trick" the board into working with Win 7. You have
to repeat this trick of tapping one of the touch-sensitive "keys" each
time you reboot the board.

The BadgeBoard uses a USB connection with a host PC that runs Win 7,
so why not simply use the existing USB "Test & Measurement" Class (a
subset of the Application Specific Interface) or update the T&M Class
for better throughput. It seems to me Microsoft has decided to overly
complicate things--again. With full-duplex USB 3.0 on the horizon, it
would make even more sense to stick with existing interfaces and
drivers. USB 3.0 is even backward compatible with USB 2.0

Let Microsoft use its Win 7 sensor support for sensors inside a PC. The
T&M industry--manufacturers and users--will do better to continue
on the USB path. --Jon Titus

Jon Titus - 2009-14-5 17:37:00 EDT

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