# 26: The Tofu Problem

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2013-11-07
- Length: 1h 00m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-07-26-the-tofu-problem
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/mes-ep26-mp3

## Summary

Dr. Ken Lunde, a font development expert at Adobe and author of 'CJKV Information Processing', explains the complexities of internationalizing embedded devices for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK) languages. He and host Elecia Wiewiorka use a hypothetical smart refrigerator to discuss the technical requirements of supporting CJK text, including character sets, encoding standards like UTF-8, and the structure of Unicode planes. Lunde highlights specific challenges such as Han unification, where shared Unicode code points require different glyph shapes for different regions, and the memory constraints of storing fonts on resource-limited hardware.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-07-26-the-tofu-problem#t=6) Introduction: Ken Lunde and CJKV Information Processing
- [4:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-07-26-the-tofu-problem#t=259) Localization vs. Internationalization and Language Selection
- [14:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-07-26-the-tofu-problem#t=881) Screen Resolution and Glyph Legibility for CJK Characters
- [21:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-07-26-the-tofu-problem#t=1297) Unicode, Han Unification, and Regional Glyph Variations
- [33:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-07-26-the-tofu-problem#t=2033) Bitmap vs. Outline Fonts and Memory Constraints
- [38:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-07-26-the-tofu-problem#t=2328) UTF-8, UTF-16, and the Basic Multilingual Plane (BMP)
- [54:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-11-07-26-the-tofu-problem#t=3288) The Tofu Problem and Google's Noto Fonts

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Adobe Systems (company)
- CJKV Information Processing (product)
- Unicode (other)
- UTF-8 (other)
- Noto (product)
- Google (company)
- O'Reilly (company)
- Shift JIS (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep110: One Unicode to Rule Them, Hacking Focus Stacking, Virtual Typing, and Zombie Weather Channel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-03-19-ep110-one-unicode-to-rule-them-hacking-focus-stacking-virtual-typing-and-zombie) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

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