Niklas Hauser - Analyzing ARM Cortex-M Firmware with the Perfetto Trace Processor - embO++ 2024

This talk introduces the debug functionality inside ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers DWT, ITM, and ETM as well as the formatters SWO and TPIU. Together with instrumentation examples of the NuttX RTOS as used in the PX4 Autopilot project, we explore each data stream individually from source generation to formatting to reception via a debug probe to a conversion process into the Perfetto trace format via the open-source [Auterion Embedded Debug Tools](https://github.com/Auterion/embedded-.... We now have a complete picture of the firmware execution including the state of all threads, IRQs, workqueues, semaphores, heap, and DMA channels as well as call stacks for each thread and IRQ. Then we use the PerfettoSQL to query metrics out of the trace for the purpose of validating our assumptions about the firmware and prevent future regressions. I'm passionate about improving the software and tooling ecosystem of ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers. I studied MSc Computer Science at the RWTH Aachen University and have always been very interested in aviation, railways and autonomous robotics. At Auterion, I work on PX4 tooling for debugging, refactoring and quality assurance. Homepage: salkinium.com