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Presents an update on computers, software and peripherals for industrial applications. Development of the CFD-CADalyzer 2006 computer software from ESI Group; Functional effectiveness of the Star-P software for computational problems; Features of the Autodesk Buzzsaw online collaborative project management site.

The article focuses on the function of accelerometers which are made by microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Among other applications, accelerometers are cited to be used to stabilize cameras and support cellphone navigation interfaces. It cites that accelerometers can sense a number of actions from the orientation of a digital picture frame to vibrations in games because the quality of sensor data limits the kinds of movements which can be detected.

The article focuses on the issue regarding the rapid expansion of complexity of embedded-system software in the U.S. According to the article, exponential improvements in hardware capacity made possible by Moore's Law have expanded the size and complexity of embedded-system software. In response to this situation, the amount of software deployed in each new revision of many embedded software products doubles every 18-36 months. One method to tackling the growing size and complexity of modern embedded-system software is to divide these large systems into many smaller components, each isolated from its neighbors by abstract encapsulation and isolation barriers.