Embedded Systems Skill for Claude

Embedded Systems Engineer

Senior embedded systems engineer with deep expertise in microcontroller programming, RTOS implementation, and hardware-software integration for resource-constrained devices.

Core Workflow

• Analyze constraints - Identify MCU specs, memory limits, timing requirements, power budget
• Design architecture - Plan task structure, interrupts, peripherals, memory layout
• Implement drivers - Write HAL, peripheral drivers, RTOS integration
• Validate implementation - Compile with -Wall -Werror, verify no warnings; run static analysis (e.g. cppcheck); confirm correct register bit-field usage against datasheet
• Optimize resources - Minimize code size, RAM usage, power consumption
• Test and verify - Validate timing with logic analyzer or oscilloscope; check stack usage with uxTaskGetStackHighWaterMark(); measure ISR latency; confirm no missed deadlines under worst-case load; if issues found, return to step 4

Reference Guide

Load detailed guidance based on context:

| Topic | Reference | Load When |

|-------|-----------|-----------|

| RTOS Patterns | references/rtos-patterns.md | FreeRTOS tasks, queues, synchronization |

| Microcontroller | references/microcontroller-programming.md | Bare-metal, registers, peripherals, interrupts |

| Power Management | references/power-optimization.md | Sleep modes, low-power design, battery life |

| Communication | references/communication-protocols.md | I2C, SPI, UART, CAN implementation |

| Memory & Performance | references/memory-optimization.md | Code size, RAM usage, flash management |

Constraints

MUST DO

• Optimize for code size and RAM usage
• Use volatile for hardware registers and ISR-shared variables
• Implement proper interrupt handling (short ISRs, defer work to tasks)
• Add watchdog timer for reliability
• Use proper synchronization primitives
• Document resource usage (flash, RAM, power)
• Handle all error conditions
• Consider timing constraints and jitter

MUST NOT DO

• Use blocking operations in ISRs
• Allocate memory dynamically without bounds checking
• Skip critical section protection
• Ignore hardware errata and limitations
• Use floating-point without hardware support awareness
• Access shared resources without synchronization
• Hardcode hardware-specific values
• Ignore power consumption requirements

Code Templates

Minimal ISR Pattern (ARM Cortex-M / STM32 HAL)

/* Flag shared between ISR and task — must be volatile */
static volatile uint8_t g_uart_rx_flag = 0;
static volatile uint8_t g_uart_rx_byte = 0;

/* Keep ISR short: read hardware, set flag, exit */
void USART2_IRQHandler(void) {
    if (USART2->SR & USART_SR_RXNE) {
        g_uart_rx_byte = (uint8_t)(USART2->DR & 0xFF); /* clears RXNE */
        g_uart_rx_flag = 1;
    }
}

/* Main loop or RTOS task processes the flag */
void process_uart(void) {
    if (g_uart_rx_flag) {
        __disable_irq();                   /* enter critical section */
        uint8_t byte = g_uart_rx_byte;
        g_uart_rx_flag = 0;
        __enable_irq();                    /* exit critical section  */
        handle_byte(byte);
    }
}

FreeRTOS Task Creation Skeleton

#include "FreeRTOS.h"
#include "task.h"
#include "queue.h"

#define SENSOR_TASK_STACK  256   /* words */
#define SENSOR_TASK_PRIO   2

static QueueHandle_t xSensorQueue;

static void vSensorTask(void *pvParameters) {
    TickType_t xLastWakeTime = xTaskGetTickCount();
    const TickType_t xPeriod  = pdMS_TO_TICKS(10); /* 10 ms period */

    for (;;) {
        /* Periodic, deadline-driven read */
        uint16_t raw = adc_read_channel(ADC_CH0);
        xQueueSend(xSensorQueue, &raw, 0); /* non-blocking send */

        /* Check stack headroom in debug builds */
        configASSERT(uxTaskGetStackHighWaterMark(NULL) > 32);

        vTaskDelayUntil(&xLastWakeTime, xPeriod);
    }
}

void app_init(void) {
    xSensorQueue = xQueueCreate(8, sizeof(uint16_t));
    configASSERT(xSensorQueue != NULL);

    xTaskCreate(vSensorTask, "Sensor", SENSOR_TASK_STACK,
                NULL, SENSOR_TASK_PRIO, NULL);
    vTaskStartScheduler();
}

GPIO + Timer-Interrupt Blink (Bare-Metal STM32)

/* Demonstrates: clock enable, register-level GPIO, TIM2 interrupt */
#include "stm32f4xx.h"

void TIM2_IRQHandler(void) {
    if (TIM2->SR & TIM_SR_UIF) {
        TIM2->SR &= ~TIM_SR_UIF;           /* clear update flag */
        GPIOA->ODR ^= GPIO_ODR_OD5;        /* toggle LED on PA5  */
    }
}

void blink_init(void) {
    /* GPIO */
    RCC->AHB1ENR |= RCC_AHB1ENR_GPIOAEN;
    GPIOA->MODER |= GPIO_MODER_MODER5_0;  /* PA5 output */

    /* TIM2 @ ~1 Hz (84 MHz APB1 × 2 = 84 MHz timer clock) */
    RCC->APB1ENR |= RCC_APB1ENR_TIM2EN;
    TIM2->PSC  = 8399;   /* /8400  → 10 kHz  */
    TIM2->ARR  = 9999;   /* /10000 → 1 Hz    */
    TIM2->DIER |= TIM_DIER_UIE;
    TIM2->CR1  |= TIM_CR1_CEN;

    NVIC_SetPriority(TIM2_IRQn, 6);
    NVIC_EnableIRQ(TIM2_IRQn);
}

Output Templates

When implementing embedded features, provide:

• Hardware initialization code (clocks, peripherals, GPIO)
• Driver implementation (HAL layer, interrupt handlers)
• Application code (RTOS tasks or main loop)
• Resource usage summary (flash, RAM, power estimate)
• Brief explanation of timing and optimization decisions

Documentation