# 302: Worst Book Ever

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2019-09-05
- Length: 1h 11m
- Episode: 302
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/302-worst-book-ever

## Summary

Alicia White, an embedded systems engineer with ~25 years of experience, discusses her career trajectory from HP Bioscience to startups like Crossbow and LeapFrog, and her time at ShotSpotter. She details the technical challenges of building MEMS inertial navigation systems, designing educational toys with custom silicon, and developing audio processing for gunshot detection. White also reflects on writing her book 'Making Embedded Systems' and shares field stories from racing tracks and bomb ranges.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever#t=6) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [3:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever#t=185) Education and Early Career at HP
- [15:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever#t=918) Building MEMS Navigation at Crossbow
- [29:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever#t=1751) Designing Educational Toys at LeapFrog
- [41:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever#t=2514) Gunshot Detection at ShotSpotter
- [48:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever#t=2926) Writing 'Making Embedded Systems'
- [54:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever#t=3278) Field Adventures and Listener Q&A

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Harvey Mudd College (other)
- Hewlett Packard (company)
- HP Bioscience (company)
- Crossbow Technology (company)
- LeapFrog (company)
- Odyssey Globe (product)
- ShotSpotter (company)
- Making Embedded Systems (other)
- O'Reilly (company)
- TI CC26xx (chip)
- 8051 (chip)
- Kalman Filter (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Interview with Elecia White - Wirewove Worshipping Wookieist?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-03-05-an-interview-with-elecia-white-wirewove-worshipping-wookieist) (The Amp Hour)
- [#020: The Hidden Architecture of Autonomy: How Skydio Drones Think, See, and Connect](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2026-01-29-020-the-hidden-architecture-of-autonomy-how-skydio-drones-think-see-and-connect) (Coredump Sessions)
- [An Interview with Bob Davidson - Hoodied HP Hijinks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-05-08-an-interview-with-bob-davidson-hoodied-hp-hijinks) (The Amp Hour)
- [Conversation with IEEE Medal of Honor Recipient Asad Madni](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2022-03-11-conversation-with-ieee-medal-of-honor-recipient-asad-madni) (EE Times Current)
- [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/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever. 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.