# 170: Electron Gnomes

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2016-10-04
- Length: 1h 05m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/170-electron-gnomes

## Summary

Hosts Elecia White and Christopher White discuss the hidden complexities of embedded software engineering in preparation for Elecia's upcoming IEEE presentation on 'The Tricky Parts' of embedded systems. They cover specific technical challenges including the difficulty of debugging with limited visibility, the counterintuitive nature of power optimization (such as balancing sleep states against wake-up costs), and the pain of managing unstable SDKs and sample code from vendors like Nordic and NXP. The conversation also touches on the necessity of understanding map files for memory management and the importance of using test equipment like oscilloscopes for accurate timing analysis.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes#t=6) Introduction and Contest Winners
- [6:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes#t=394) Preparing the IEEE Talk: Debugging and Hardware Visibility
- [9:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes#t=544) Integration Challenges: BLE, WS2812s, and Glue Logic
- [31:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes#t=1880) The Pain of Vendor SDKs and Sample Code
- [46:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes#t=2815) Power Optimization: Sleep States and Clock Speeds
- [41:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes#t=2480) Profiling, Map Files, and Remote Debugging
- [54:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes#t=3242) Manufacturing Tests, FCC Compliance, and Outro

## Topics

- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- ARM (company)
- mbed (product)
- Nordic (company)
- WS2812 (chip)
- NXP (company)
- Keil (tool)
- STM32 (chip)
- MSP430 (chip)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Check The Dummy Box](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-03-04-check-the-dummy-box) (The Amp Hour)
- [Why isn't this working?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-02-14-why-isnt-this-working) (The Amp Hour)
- [Super Tecmo Bug](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2023-02-13-super-tecmo-bug) (The Amp Hour)
- [The Toggle Boggle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-03-05-the-toggle-boggle) (The Amp Hour)
- [Christmas Special](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2021-12-22-christmas-special) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-10-04-170-electron-gnomes. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.