So You Wanna Be an Embedded Engineer

So You Wanna Be an Embedded Engineer

by Lewin Edwards
Released August 2006
Publisher(s): Newnes
ISBN: 9780080498157

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

In this new, highly practical guide, expert embedded designer and manager Lewin Edwards answers the question, “How do I become an embedded engineer?” Embedded professionals agree that there is a treacherous gap between graduating from school and becoming an effective engineer in the workplace, and that there are few resources available for newbies to turn to when in need of advice and direction. This book provides that much-needed guidance for engineers fresh out of school, and for the thousands of experienced engineers now migrating into the popular embedded arena.
This book helps new embedded engineers to get ahead quickly by preparing them for the technical and professional challenges they will face. Detailed instructions on how to achieve successful designs using a broad spectrum of different microcontrollers and scripting languages are provided. The author shares insights from a lifetime of experience spent in-the-trenches, covering everything from small vs. large companies, and consultancy work vs. salaried positions, to which types of training will prove to be the most lucrative investments. This book provides an expert’s authoritative answers to questions that pop up constantly on Usenet newsgroups and in break rooms all over the world.

* An approachable, friendly introduction to working in the world of embedded design
* Full of design examples using the most common languages and hardware that new embedded engineers will be likely to use every day
* Answers important basic questions on which are the best products to learn, trainings to get, and kinds of companies to work for

Table of contents

  1. Front Cover
  2. So, You Wanna Be an Embedded Engineer
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction
    1. 1.1 About This Book
    2. 1.2 What Is an Embedded Engineer?
  6. Chapter 2. Education
    1. 2.1 Traditional Education Paths into Embedded Engineering
    2. 2.2 Getting in Without Traditional Education (and Acquiring It Thereafter) (1/3)
    3. 2.2 Getting in Without Traditional Education (and Acquiring It Thereafter) (2/3)
    4. 2.2 Getting in Without Traditional Education (and Acquiring It Thereafter) (3/3)
    5. 2.3 I Write Software—How Much Electronics Must I Learn?
    6. 2.4 Educational Traps, Dead-Ends, and Scams to Avoid
    7. 2.5 Practical Skills You’ll Want to Acquire
  7. Chapter 3. Teaching Yourself, Bottom-Up (Small Embedded Systems)
    1. 3.1 Target Audience
    2. 3.2 Intel (Et al.) 8051 Variants (1/3)
    3. 3.2 Intel (Et al.) 8051 Variants (2/3)
    4. 3.2 Intel (Et al.) 8051 Variants (3/3)
    5. 3.3 Atmel AVR (1/2)
    6. 3.3 Atmel AVR (2/2)
    7. 3.4 Texas Instruments MSP430 (1/2)
    8. 3.4 Texas Instruments MSP430 (2/2)
    9. 3.5 Microchip PICmicro (1/2)
    10. 3.5 Microchip PICmicro (2/2)
    11. 3.6 Less Common Architectures for Special Needs
    12. 3.7 What Programming Languages Should I Learn? C++ vs. C vs. Assembly Language in Small Embedded Systems
    13. 3.8 Brief Ravings on Copy-Protected Development Tools
    14. 3.9 An Example 8-Bit Project Using AVR and Free Tools (1/7)
    15. 3.9 An Example 8-Bit Project Using AVR and Free Tools (2/7)
    16. 3.9 An Example 8-Bit Project Using AVR and Free Tools (3/7)
    17. 3.9 An Example 8-Bit Project Using AVR and Free Tools (4/7)
    18. 3.9 An Example 8-Bit Project Using AVR and Free Tools (5/7)
    19. 3.9 An Example 8-Bit Project Using AVR and Free Tools (6/7)
    20. 3.9 An Example 8-Bit Project Using AVR and Free Tools (7/7)
  8. Chapter 4. Teaching Yourself, Top-Down (Large Embedded Systems)
    1. 4.1 Target Audience
    2. 4.2 Embedded x86 Solutions (1/3)
    3. 4.2 Embedded x86 Solutions (2/3)
    4. 4.2 Embedded x86 Solutions (3/3)
    5. 4.3 ARM (1/3)
    6. 4.3 ARM (2/3)
    7. 4.3 ARM (3/3)
    8. 4.4 PowerPC
    9. 4.5 Linux (1/2)
    10. 4.5 Linux (2/2)
    11. 4.6 eCos
    12. 4.7 What Programming Languages Should I Learn for Large Embedded Systems?
    13. 4.8 A Final Word on Part Selection
  9. Chapter 5. Working for Yourself as an Embedded Engineer
    1. 5.1 Is Self-Employment for You? Risks and Benefits
    2. 5.2 From Moonlighting to Full-Time Consultant Status— Bookkeeping, Taxes and Workload (1/2)
    3. 5.2 From Moonlighting to Full-Time Consultant Status— Bookkeeping, Taxes and Workload (2/2)
    4. 5.3 Ways to Find and Keep Customers
    5. 5.4 Iterative Projects: Never-Ending Horror?
    6. 5.5 Pricing Your Services Appropriately
    7. 5.6 Establishing Your Own Working Best Practices
    8. 5.7 More Than a Handshake: The Importance of Contracts
  10. Chapter 6. Working for a Small Company
    1. 6.1 Analyze Your Goals: Benefits and Downsides of the Small Company
    2. 6.2 How to Get the Job
    3. 6.3 Responsibilities and Stresses in a Small Company
    4. 6.4 Personal Dynamics in Small Companies
    5. 6.5 Managing Tightly Limited Resources
    6. 6.6 Task Breakdown: A Typical Week
  11. Chapter 7. Working for a Larger Company
    1. 7.1 Analyze Your Goals: Benefits and Downsides of the Large Company
    2. 7.2 How to Get the Job
    3. 7.3 Globalization: Outsourcing and Temporary Worker Visas (1/2)
    4. 7.3 Globalization: Outsourcing and Temporary Worker Visas (2/2)
    5. 7.4 Procedures and You: Keeping Your Head Above Water (1/2)
    6. 7.4 Procedures and You: Keeping Your Head Above Water (2/2)
    7. 7.5 Managing Relationships with Marketing
    8. 7.6 Task Breakdown: A Typical Week
  12. Chapter 8. Conclusion
    1. Go Forth and Conquer

Product information

  • Title: So You Wanna Be an Embedded Engineer
  • Author(s): Lewin Edwards
  • Release date: August 2006
  • Publisher(s): Newnes
  • ISBN: 9780080498157