The Amp Hour · 25 Oct 2020 · 1h 13m · Episode 514
Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the debate between being a generalist versus a specialist in engineering, using Zephyr RTOS as a case study for focused expertise. They analyze Jay Carlson's comprehensive guide on building embedded Linux systems and the strategic importance of component obsolescence management, citing Raspberry Pi's eight-year supply guarantees. The conversation also covers the challenges of remote work for hardware teams, the downsizing of commercial real estate, and Dave Jones's personal transition to a new home lab setup.
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Hosts Elecia White and Christopher White answer listener emails, covering topics from I2C pitfalls and RTOS choices to advice for students and engineers dealing with legacy code. They discuss the 'March Micro Madness' dev kit tournament, automation in embedded testing, and the challenges of refactoring a 60,000-line monolithic codebase. The episode also includes career advice for undergraduates and a discussion on short stories.
Hosts Elecia White and Christopher White reflect on nine years of the Embedded.fm podcast, discussing the evolution of embedded systems from 2013 to 2022. They highlight improvements in tools like VS Code and open-source RTOSs, while criticizing persistent issues with vendor datasheets and the lack of standardized device drivers. The conversation also covers the shift in hardware capabilities, the rise of TinyML, and the hosts' personal experiences with consulting, Fitbit, and community building.
Luka Mustafa, founder and CEO of Irnas Product Development, explains how Zephyr RTOS, a Linux Foundation-backed project, enables hardware-agnostic embedded development by abstracting low-level details through device trees and a comprehensive ecosystem. He highlights the dramatic reduction in porting time—moving Bluetooth code between chip architectures in an hour versus months—and the ability to run native POSIX simulations on Linux for faster development. Mustafa also details Zephyr's testing framework, Twister, and its cultural impact, noting the steep learning curve for electrical engineers while emphasizing the long-term benefits of code reuse and reduced maintenance overhead. The discussion covers resource constraints, safety-critical certification processes, and specific scenarios where simpler solutions like Arduino are preferable to an RTOS.
Elecia White and Christopher White discuss the LeapFrog LeapPad and Odyssey Globe, recalling Elecia's work on their capacitive sensing and custom ASIC technology around 2001. They analyze the governance models of open source projects like Valetudo, ESPHome, and Zephyr as analogies for large company politics, and review Bunnie Huang's Dabao Evaluation Board for its verifiability features. The hosts also cover practical tools like Merlin Bird ID and Excel data bars, while debating the use of Ethernet in embedded systems and the state of Renesas MCUs.
Hosts Christopher White and Elecia White answer listener emails covering career transitions, tool selection, and embedded systems design. They discuss the value of generalist software experience for embedded roles, the importance of using established C++ safety standards like those from NASA and the F-35, and the practical benefits of tools like Beyond Compare and the Teensy Audio Library. The conversation also addresses the STEM vs. STEAM debate, the choice between bare-metal and RTOS for power efficiency, and the use of Tracery for generative art bots.
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