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Do you have a question on Embedded electronics and controls? Ask our Expert, Paul Clarke

pjclarke

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Paul Clarke

Paul has 20+ years of working as a digital electronics engineer and has strong software skills in assembly and C for embedded systems. Currently developing embedded electronics for thermal management control solutions for the air movement industry (HVAC & RAC).




  • Hi Paul

     

    i am new here and i came on element 14 to learn things i am interested in Embedded Systems do you have some good advice for a beginnger like to start i am a computer student i love AI but also have a pasion for hardward. i want to know what is a good set of kits to start with. i have been reading about arduino and other broads but really dont know where to start.

     

    and advice is most welcome

    Thanks

  • in reply to e14 Contributor

    Ben,

     

    I'm currently reading

     

    .NET Framework Board - Book to Read Getting Started With the Internet of Things
    Arduino Board - Book to Read Adruino Projects from the Evil Genius

     

    Steven

  • in reply to e14 Contributor
    The arduino is differently a good starting point as you will not need much knowledge of hardware or software to get started. There is also lots of Shields that you can use as plugging so never having to switch a soldering iron on.
     
    After that its really where you want to go. AI is a long jump from basic C coding and basic hardware so I would suggest a progressive approach. Lear the arduino and then start designing you own hardware to go with it. Robot kits are common and easy to design, program and make something interesting. Design is about development, so do the same yourself, develop your skills is my advice and look for help as you go along.
     
    Check out for more information on Arduino (an expert himself) and also check out a young lady call RobotGrrl who is working on AI robots.

  • Hello Paul,

    i have a rather strange question that im sure has a simple answer, i hope i am asking the right person!!

    I am currently trying to make a 'magnet detector' and install it into a mans wrist watch, i really have no idea on which direction to take to create this circuit, all i have at the moment is some 10mm coin vibration motors (to secretly inform me once i am near the magnet) a small reed switch, and some 3v cell batteries. as the circuit is going to be built into a watch, it has to be fairly small and compact, but i do not know whether i need more than just the battery/reed switch/vibration motor hook up to achieve this or whether there has to bo some kind of amplifier or constrictor to ensure the circuit doesnt short out or anything. i am hoping that you might have some advice on how to make this and whether it might be better to purchase some hall effect sensors rather than the reed switch.

    thanks for any help you can offer me

    kind regards,

    Ben.

  • Hello Sir,

    I have complete my B.E. Electronics this year and right now i am taking trainign on Anroid Embedded.The trainers told us that they will train us for anroid programming and implement on panda board.

    So, I want to know that industry is demanding for this type of embedded or not.

    thank you.

  • in reply to e14 Contributor

    Hi Ben,

     

    I assume you are trying to measure a DC magnetic field from a standard magnet?

     

    As you have said your circuit will be fine to use, however reed switches need a medium sized magnetic field to respond to. I'm guessing you want to measure very weak fields? You’re going to need something more specialized I think. Not done anything like this myself but think may you want something like a digital device to detect changes in field that’s designed for the job.

     

    However, if you had a ferrite rod and a winding around it and then feed it with a fixed frequency it would have a fixed impedance. As the magnetic field around it changes, so would the flux density in the air and so the inductance.... I think?

     

    To be honest its really not my field (LOL) of expertise but that’s how I would start off.

  • in reply to e14 Contributor
    Hi Pratik
     
    Any of the development boards are a good starting point. What we as employers are looking for are people with hands on experience. Anroid or arduino based you will be able to prove to someone at some point you can do this stuff. Employers what engineers that go that bit more and are passionate about engineering.
     
    I would not judge someone any different who showed me a project made from a pre-made panda board programmed with Anroid to someone with a Microchip hand build board. It’s the level and depth of knowledge that will take you on.
     
    As for using dev kits in industry – well some people do and some don’t. I have a mix of arduino and mbed kits and others that I may try stuff out on – but in the real world engineers quickly move to prototype boards or skip dev kits completely. However in education there is not the money to design boards from scratch, or the time. So platforms are good and excepted.
     
    I hope that answers your question?
  • in reply to pjclarke

    Hello Pratik,

     

    Paul's opinion is other than mine !

    I rate would be engineers MUCH higher if they have done work on their own hardware design. The way I see it is using an Arduino is a bit like going on a package holiday - everything is sorted out for you in advance and you go "Ooh" at the right places. Designing your own hardware starting with a blank sheet of paper is like being an explorer.

     

    Having said that your college's choice of Android is very topical  - there is a lot of interest in using Android in industrial embedded systems. Try and design some hardware of your own to connect the Panda to some sensors or actuators.

     

    MK

  • in reply to michaelkellett

    Oh I agree to a point - someone doing there own hardware and makes a LED flash is not on the same level as using an arduino as a web server interface to the homes heating controls, lighting etc.

     

    We all use pre designed units - like micros, RF modulas etc - we could debate this all day, but point is what is the end product and has the engineer used their brain or just plugged stuff togetter. Inivation is what I want to see.

  • e14 Contributor
    e14 Contributor in reply to pjclarke

    I second that. Building your own hardware is neat of course, but that does not make you great engineer per se. Great engineer is the one that reaches his goal with least resources and in least time.
    I just had a case where I needed to build start/stop system for white water competitions. Be arduino what it is, but hooking up and getting to work GLCD, keypad, SD card, GPS and photodetector took me a day, now it is just user interface and logic that needs to be implemented.