Hardware Podcasts

211: 4 weeks, 3 days

Embedded.fm · 17 Aug 2017 · 1h 19m · Episode 211

What this episode covers

Dennis Jackson, Director of Firmware at Element Science, discusses how software engineers can transition into embedded systems by building personal projects using low-cost hardware like STM32 Discovery boards. He advises new hires to read James Grenning’s Test Driven Development in Embedded C and Elecia White’s Making Embedded Systems, emphasizing that understanding build systems like Make and continuous integration is as critical as writing drivers. Jackson argues that the distinction between firmware and software is fading, urging engineers to apply general software best practices like unit testing and static analysis to embedded constraints. He shares his interview philosophy, which prioritizes problem-solving and code quality over syntax, and highlights the importance of establishing a reproducible build environment to ensure reliable production releases.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Element Science, Airware, St. Jude Medical, Decca Research
Products
STM32 Discovery boards, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Test Driven Development in Embedded C, Making Embedded Systems
Tools
Jenkins, Git, SVN, BitBucket, GitHub, Make, Lint, Clang, GCC

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