# 417: I Don't Know How My Brain Works

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2022-06-16
- Length: 47m
- Episode: 417
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works
- Listen: https://embedded.fm/episodes/417

## Summary

Alexandra Covor, a product manager at Zalmotek and Ada Lovelace Fellow, discusses her journey as a maker who blends electronics with art. She details specific projects like the tiny violin PCB, the PicoLight studio light, and an automated hydroponic strawberry system using Edge Impulse and Waylay. Covor also shares insights on her master's curriculum, the Romanian tech scene, and her philosophy on open-source hardware and PCB design aesthetics.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works#t=7) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [5:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works#t=314) The Tiny Violin and PicoLight Projects
- [15:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works#t=903) Project Selection and Open Source Philosophy
- [20:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works#t=1218) Ada Lovelace Fellowship and Tools
- [26:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works#t=1573) Work at Zalmotek: Waylay and Edge Impulse
- [30:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works#t=1803) Automated Hydroponic Strawberry System
- [33:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works#t=2026) Master's Degree and Romanian Tech Scene
- [40:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works#t=2440) Alpaca Dev Board and PCB Design Advice

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Zalmotek (company)
- Waylay (company)
- Edge Impulse (company)
- Tiny Violin (product)
- PicoLight (product)
- ATtiny (chip)
- KiCad (tool)
- EAGLE CAD (tool)
- Grafana (tool)
- InfluxDB (tool)
- NVIDIA Jetson Nano Developer Kit (chip)
- Hakko (tool)
- Vector Watch (product)
- Fitbit (company)
- Google (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Can AI Design IoT Hardware? | Flux's Matthias Wagner | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-04-14-can-ai-design-iot-hardware-fluxs-matthias-wagner-internet-of-things-podcast) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Eurocircuits PCB Contest Winners, Maker Faire Rome 2022, LattePanda Giveaway!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2022-10-21-eurocircuits-pcb-contest-winners-maker-faire-rome-2022-lattepanda-giveaway) (The Electromaker Show)
- [Ep008: The Art Episode: Joe Kim, Strings And CRTs, Hydrogen Done 2-Ways](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-03-01-ep008-the-art-episode-joe-kim-strings-and-crts-hydrogen-done-2-ways) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [3D Printed Shark Jumps - Edifying Edison's Energy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-09-24-3d-printed-shark-jumps-edifying-edisons-energy) (The Amp Hour)
- [#440.3 - Interviews with Anool Mahidharia, AJ Keller, Uriel Guy, Ste Kulov, and Craig Bishop at KiCon 2019](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-05-04-440-3-interviews-with-anool-mahidharia-aj-keller-uriel-guy-ste-kulov-and-craig-b) (The Amp Hour)

## 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/2022-06-16-417-i-dont-know-how-my-brain-works. 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.