# 370: This Is the Whey

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2021-04-22
- Length: 58m
- Episode: 370
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-04-22-370-this-is-the-whey
- Listen: https://embedded.fm/episodes/370

## Summary

Alvaro Prieto, an electrical and firmware engineer at Sofar Ocean, discusses his work on oceanic remote-sensing buoys and his personal passion projects, including making cheese and building weather stations. He details the evolution of his cheese-monitoring device from an over-engineered prototype to a low-power Bluetooth wedge using an nRF52, and explains how these side projects helped him secure jobs at companies like Apple and Verily. Prieto also shares insights on choosing wireless protocols (Zigbee, BLE, LoRa) for his weather station and the importance of getting a working prototype before optimizing.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-04-22-370-this-is-the-whey#t=7) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [3:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-04-22-370-this-is-the-whey#t=214) Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast
- [7:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-04-22-370-this-is-the-whey#t=456) Work at Sofar Ocean and Oceanic Buoys
- [12:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-04-22-370-this-is-the-whey#t=724) Career History and Job Search Strategy
- [17:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-04-22-370-this-is-the-whey#t=1063) Cheesemaking and Cheese-Shaped PCBs
- [39:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-04-22-370-this-is-the-whey#t=2356) Weather Station and Wireless Protocol Comparison
- [50:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-04-22-370-this-is-the-whey#t=3047) 3D Modeling and Project Management

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Sofar Ocean (company)
- OpenROV (product)
- Spoondrift Technologies (company)
- nRF52 (chip)
- STM32 (chip)
- FreeRTOS (tool)
- LoRa (chip)
- Zigbee (chip)
- Raspberry Pi (tool)
- FreeCAD (tool)
- Apple (company)
- Verily (company)
- Planet Labs (company)
- Project Loon (company)
- Crowd Supply (company)
- OSHPark (company)
- The Things Network (company)
- Amazon Sidewalk (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep 367: Radioactive Weather, Continuous Pickles, and Moon Junk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-04-24-ep-367-radioactive-weather-continuous-pickles-and-moon-junk) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Brewing Electronics with Eli Hughes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-10-05-brewing-electronics-with-eli-hughes) (The Amp Hour)
- [012 - Cheese vs. SDR](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-29-012-cheese-vs-sdr) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [Eli Hughes' Nordic and i.MX powered Guitar, Pico Operating System, WiFi over LoRaWAN and more!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2024-05-24-eli-hughes-nordic-and-i-mx-powered-guitar-pico-operating-system-wifi-over-lorawa) (The Electromaker Show)
- [Stick 'Em On Whales](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-12-28-stick-em-on-whales) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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