Embedded

Christopher White (@stoneymonster) and Elecia talk about the failed startups (and projects) they've been through, focusing on identifying how to discern the end is nigh.  A nice collection of startups introspecting their failure. Wonderful, in-depth Everpix post-mortem. If you liked this episode, try 24: I AM A TOTAL FRAUD.

Micah Elizabeth Scott (@scanlime) came to talk about Fadecandy, a really neat way to control smart LEDs (NeoPixel, AdaFruit's term for the WS2812). The conversation ranged from beautiful LED control algorithms and open source embedded projects to triangle tessellations, art, and identity.  AdaFruit has a great intro to Fadecandy. Fadecandy is open source hardware and software, see the repository. Micah's blog is a combo of art and technology. Burning Man's Ardent Mobile Cloud (also a lovely still pic). Elecia also mentioned Deep Darc's hack of the GE Color Effects lights.

Evil Mad Scientist's Lenore Edman (@EMSL) talks about what evil mad scientists do on their path to world domination. Surprisingly, it consists largely of art, education, and soldering. Some EMSL items we talked about: LED Menorah kit (solderless breadboard and soldering version). ATtiny2313 Target Boards Bristlebot: a very cute, easy to build mini robot  We also mentioned Maker Faire, a wonderful community, and Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. There is a give away on this show: EMS's Snap-O-Lantern kit. Tweet to Elecia (@logicalelegance) or contact the show. Send in the name of the author of the final quote, first one to do so wins the kit! [Update: Matthew J has won the kit!]

Jen Costillo (@r0b0ts0nf1r3) joined Elecia to talk about Jen's start-up: Bia Sport (@BiaSport). They discuss the difficulties of being in an underfunded start-up as well as the joys of shipping a new product and their upcoming conference talks. Jen discussed the company's focus on safety and privacy at the DesignCon sponsored Geek Girl Dinner. She will be speaking at : Wearables Device Conference. Beyond Activity Trackers: Sport Wearables Thursday, March 6, 2014 3:15pm. (Use the coupon code COSTILLO to save 30%.) EELive's embedded systems conference. Battle Out of Painted Corner, Thursday, April 03, 2014 10:45am. EELive's EE Times Fantastical Theater of Engineering Innovation (in the Expo, free!):  Bia Sport Teardown. Time TBD. (With Elecia!) Elecia will also be speaking at EELive, on how the internet of things isn't serving consumers very well on Thursday, April 03, 2014 at 1pm, though the talk title keeps changing. 

Producer Chris White (@stoneymonster) and Elecia discuss some insurmountable problems and some strategies for approaching them.  Google it (or look on Stack Exchange). Explain the problem to someone else… even if they aren't there (use a stuffed animal or write a really detailed email, anticipating potential questions). Draw a picture (system/subsystem architecture or code block diagram or a doodle). Make sure you are running what you think you are, start over from a blank slate, making no assumptions about how your hardware is programmed. Identify and verify your assumptions about the all the pieces involved. Get scientific: define the problem, create a hypothesis, run an experiment, record the results. Small steps! Also: get methodological and write everything down. Return to first principals: how is this supposed to work? Revert to last known good and diff to find the cause of a new issue. Logging functions: they take time but can lead to a better trace, better picture. Make it reproducible: there is information in the solution if you can find the steps to repro. Step by step, reduce the steps until you can nab it in the act. Remove the voodoo. Avoidance: accept the bug (it's a feature!) and go on. Sleep, go for a walk, or work on something else.

Dr. Karen Shell and Elecia talk about modelling vs. building models, ocean albedo vs. ice, climate vs. weather, and science vs. policy. They gloat about being on vacation only intermittently. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) NASA's climate change home  Help run climate models on your home computer at climateprediction.net Karen's class will be looking at data from NOAA's Climate at a Glance

Elecia gushes about her favorite logic (and protocol) analyzer to Saleae co-founder Mark Garrison. They also discuss start-ups, manufacturing, and covering yourself with rum and pretending to be a pirate when harbor patrol arrives.  Saleae Logic 8 on Amazon (or from Saleae) Saleae Logic 16 on Amazon (or from Saleae) Space X reusable rocket video Saleae's blog talks about Mark and Joe's boat, start here The mooshimeter multimeter (as seen on Hackaday and Dragon Innovation)

Want to learn how to get from idea to schematic, through layout, all the way to physical boards? Elecia spoke with Chris Gammell about his Contextual Electronics course to teach the missing steps between what an EE learns in college and what an design engineer's job entails. Chris is co-host of the excellent electronics podcast The Amp Hour and author of Chris Gammell's Analog Life. On twitter, contact Chris via @Chris_Gammell or ask questions about the course @ContextualElec. We mentioned UT Austin's online embedded systems course which starts soon as well. Contextual Electronics includes some in-depth KiCad instruction. Some intro (and free) KiCad tutorials: Chris' Getting to Blinky Series teho Labs Wayne and Layne  Curious Inventor

Elecia describes to Christopher (@stoneymonster) how to design and create a firmware update mechanism. Hilarity ensues.  4k PC emulator Making Embedded Systems, the book, on O'Reilly (coupon in last 2 minutes of the show) or on Amazon.    

Alison Chaiken (Google+) and Elecia discuss what you need to know to get into development for the automotive market.  Check out Alison's she-devel site for a big list of links and resources or go to a Silicon Valley Automotive Open Source Group meetup to say hello. A small subset: Open source engine management system on DIYEFI Car hacking site MP3 Car Vehicle standards ISO-26262 CORRECTION: In the show, Elecia talks about airplane certification levels as though only the size of the plane matters. As listener Burko points out, the certification level also depends on how critical the subsystem is. Those seatback tray tables don't have to be certified to DO178A, but the artificial horizon does.]