The Most Annoying Sound
Independent consultants often face requests and requirements that go beyond the technicalities of software and hardware. Designing user interfaces is a common example, and even though most of us are not UI experts, we still have to get it right, otherwise the users may get annoyed, and the product will fail. However, what happens when we're asked explicitly to annoy users? Here's a true story about such a case.
The Backstreet Consultant
A distinct market has grown between Arduino-wielding hobbyists and professional embedded engineers, fueled by cheap boards and maker culture. This post maps that market, shows who the "backstreet consultants" are, and explains why clients hire them for one-off prototypes instead of full product development. Read it to understand the economics, common project types, and how professional engineers can adapt to this new client funnel.
Patents and the little guy working at home
Patents can look impressive, but for a solo engineer or small startup, they can also be an expensive distraction. This post argues that the patent system is badly broken and points to Don Lancaster’s advice, which is simple, avoid the mess unless you are operating at a very large scale. It is a blunt, practical take on when patents may not be worth the hassle at all.
Public speaking
Presenting technical work is unavoidable for embedded engineers, but few get formal training on how to do it well. This post gives practical, low-overhead tactics: use a single person focus to steady nerves, build a bullet point memory palace to guide remarks, time your talk with about 100 words per minute, avoid reading slides, and rehearse on camera. These tips make talks clearer and less stressful.
Getting smacked by the long tail of poor design habits
Bad design choices in embedded products have a habit of coming back years later and biting the people who made them. Drawing on decades of consulting and product support, the author reflects on version control, part selection, comments, manuals, and usability choices that seemed harmless at the time but became costly in the field.
Welcome to my life!
Self-employed embedded engineer Morten Dramstad mixes industrial microcontroller work with hands-on hobbies and community projects. He describes AVR-based livestock automation, a current LPC1788 Cortex-M3 project and practical compiler choices like Keil and Imagecraft. Outside engineering he restores a 1952 AJS, built an electronic injection prototype on a Motorola 68HC16, trains for a private pilot license, and runs DMX512 workshops at his church.
Small business tackling big jobs.
A part-time engineering job quickly turned into a full-time scramble when the original engineer had to drop out and the project was far behind schedule. Gene Breniman describes the reality of stepping in, stabilizing hardware, fixing buggy software, and learning the business side of running a small company along the way. It is a practical look at how technical work, client expectations, and reputation can collide in a startup-sized operation.
Getting smacked by the long tail of poor design habits
Bad design choices in embedded products have a habit of coming back years later and biting the people who made them. Drawing on decades of consulting and product support, the author reflects on version control, part selection, comments, manuals, and usability choices that seemed harmless at the time but became costly in the field.
The Most Annoying Sound
Independent consultants often face requests and requirements that go beyond the technicalities of software and hardware. Designing user interfaces is a common example, and even though most of us are not UI experts, we still have to get it right, otherwise the users may get annoyed, and the product will fail. However, what happens when we're asked explicitly to annoy users? Here's a true story about such a case.
The Backstreet Consultant
A distinct market has grown between Arduino-wielding hobbyists and professional embedded engineers, fueled by cheap boards and maker culture. This post maps that market, shows who the "backstreet consultants" are, and explains why clients hire them for one-off prototypes instead of full product development. Read it to understand the economics, common project types, and how professional engineers can adapt to this new client funnel.
Public speaking
Presenting technical work is unavoidable for embedded engineers, but few get formal training on how to do it well. This post gives practical, low-overhead tactics: use a single person focus to steady nerves, build a bullet point memory palace to guide remarks, time your talk with about 100 words per minute, avoid reading slides, and rehearse on camera. These tips make talks clearer and less stressful.
Patents and the little guy working at home
Patents can look impressive, but for a solo engineer or small startup, they can also be an expensive distraction. This post argues that the patent system is badly broken and points to Don Lancaster’s advice, which is simple, avoid the mess unless you are operating at a very large scale. It is a blunt, practical take on when patents may not be worth the hassle at all.
Welcome to my life!
Self-employed embedded engineer Morten Dramstad mixes industrial microcontroller work with hands-on hobbies and community projects. He describes AVR-based livestock automation, a current LPC1788 Cortex-M3 project and practical compiler choices like Keil and Imagecraft. Outside engineering he restores a 1952 AJS, built an electronic injection prototype on a Motorola 68HC16, trains for a private pilot license, and runs DMX512 workshops at his church.
Small business tackling big jobs.
A part-time engineering job quickly turned into a full-time scramble when the original engineer had to drop out and the project was far behind schedule. Gene Breniman describes the reality of stepping in, stabilizing hardware, fixing buggy software, and learning the business side of running a small company along the way. It is a practical look at how technical work, client expectations, and reputation can collide in a startup-sized operation.
Patents and the little guy working at home
Patents can look impressive, but for a solo engineer or small startup, they can also be an expensive distraction. This post argues that the patent system is badly broken and points to Don Lancaster’s advice, which is simple, avoid the mess unless you are operating at a very large scale. It is a blunt, practical take on when patents may not be worth the hassle at all.
Getting smacked by the long tail of poor design habits
Bad design choices in embedded products have a habit of coming back years later and biting the people who made them. Drawing on decades of consulting and product support, the author reflects on version control, part selection, comments, manuals, and usability choices that seemed harmless at the time but became costly in the field.
Public speaking
Presenting technical work is unavoidable for embedded engineers, but few get formal training on how to do it well. This post gives practical, low-overhead tactics: use a single person focus to steady nerves, build a bullet point memory palace to guide remarks, time your talk with about 100 words per minute, avoid reading slides, and rehearse on camera. These tips make talks clearer and less stressful.
Welcome to my life!
Self-employed embedded engineer Morten Dramstad mixes industrial microcontroller work with hands-on hobbies and community projects. He describes AVR-based livestock automation, a current LPC1788 Cortex-M3 project and practical compiler choices like Keil and Imagecraft. Outside engineering he restores a 1952 AJS, built an electronic injection prototype on a Motorola 68HC16, trains for a private pilot license, and runs DMX512 workshops at his church.
The Backstreet Consultant
A distinct market has grown between Arduino-wielding hobbyists and professional embedded engineers, fueled by cheap boards and maker culture. This post maps that market, shows who the "backstreet consultants" are, and explains why clients hire them for one-off prototypes instead of full product development. Read it to understand the economics, common project types, and how professional engineers can adapt to this new client funnel.
The Most Annoying Sound
Independent consultants often face requests and requirements that go beyond the technicalities of software and hardware. Designing user interfaces is a common example, and even though most of us are not UI experts, we still have to get it right, otherwise the users may get annoyed, and the product will fail. However, what happens when we're asked explicitly to annoy users? Here's a true story about such a case.
Small business tackling big jobs.
A part-time engineering job quickly turned into a full-time scramble when the original engineer had to drop out and the project was far behind schedule. Gene Breniman describes the reality of stepping in, stabilizing hardware, fixing buggy software, and learning the business side of running a small company along the way. It is a practical look at how technical work, client expectations, and reputation can collide in a startup-sized operation.
