Applied Embedded Electronics

Preface

Why I Wrote This Book

Whereas most academic textbooks cover the ideal theory of electronics, the approach here is centered on design methods that work in the challenging environment of real-world devices.

The topics were motivated by my experiences troubleshooting unreliable and problematic devices for many clients. The book sprang from my revisions of deficient electronics and my coaching sessions with designers on important issues that must be addressed to develop reliable products. Many such incidents motivated me to publish a series of trade magazine articles dealing with related topics, and the need for this book became evident.

Who This Book Is For

This book is a reference for engineers, scientists, and other designers who want to create an electronic system. The term applied embedded electronics covers a wide swath of devices that includes embedded controllers, cell phones, medical instruments, computers and tablets, all consumer electronics, industrial robots, automation systems, and countless others. All electronic devices that use digital control methods also fall under this broad heading.

The topics covered here are common to all of these devices. The emphasis here is on hardware design—the actual circuits and systems—with a brief look at coding and software issues.

The reader is presumed to have a background in engineering or science and a grasp of fundamental electronics.

Evolving Design Methods: A Different Approach

Electronics textbooks tend to fit ...