What are the most effective ways to learn and update hardware programming and scripting skills?

Hands-On Practice: Hardware Kits: Invest in hardware kits like Arduino or Raspberry Pi. These kits come with various sensors and components, allowing you to practice programming in a real-world context. Simulators: Use online simulators for microcontrollers and other hardware components. They enable you to experiment without needing physical hardware.

? Starting with understanding logic concepts as AND, OR, XOR...etc is very good start. ? If you are new to programming, then it's recommended to start learning C or C++ as a starter to hardware programming ? Start learning on kits as Arduino (If you can't afford one try on simulators as Proteus and Tinkercad) is helpful to understand how hardware programming is done. It would be better not to consume much time using Kits. Go with simple microcontrollers as AVR to understand more concepts as interrupts, timers, ADC, ...etc. ? Learn how to Read DataSheet so that you don't get stuck when you are dealing with a new hardware that doesn't have tutorials. Finally, The best way to learn is explaining to other people. So, Share your knowledge

Practice! Practice! Practice! After you have done your extensive research and have a firm understanding of how these various concepts theoretically work, it’ll be beneficial to you to start applying them at various levels of your understanding. Join a developer community and shadow the conversations that are being had and equip yourself with your technologies documentation.

Come?e com alguma coisa simples e vá montando a partir disso. Por exemplo, fiz um projeto com minha filha para ensinar os fundamentos de hardware e firmware. O projeto era um barra de leds que mudava de cor de acordo com a posi??o do bra?o, de forma que era possível criar uma coreografia luminosa enquanto ela dan?a. O projeto como um todo era muito complexo para ela iniciar, ent?o dividimos em pequenas partes e fomos construindo cada pedacinho. Acender e apagar os LEDs foi a primeira tarefa, depois foi feita a leitura do aceler?metro, e assim por diante. Dessa forma é possível avan?ar sem grandes frustra??es.

There are many ways to cook a chicken but you need to have a chicken first to cook it. Find manual tasks around you that can be automated and plan a project around. Start with writing specifications, flow/block diagram and a deadline just like any professional project. Prepare a bill of materials if applicable. Write code and make rough electrical connections(if applicable) which serves as a proof of concept. Keep it minimal so that you can get started quickly. Use AI models such as ChatGPT to steamroll your proof of concept. Use keywords such as best practices, efficient, advanced level, intuitive to get better result. Use version control to keep all the documentation, files and code in check.

1 . Regular Practice: Code daily, even if it's just for a short period of time. Work on small projects to apply what you've learned. Maintain a git repo for your reference 2. Learn Data Structures and Algorithms: Understanding data structures and algorithms is crucial for writing efficient and scalable code on hardware . 3. Read datasheets / errata, Documentation: Reading datasheets of the hardware helps you to understand the features and limitations of the hardwares. Books can provide in-depth knowledge, and official documentation is often the best resource for understanding a language or HW 4. Debugging Skills: Learn to debug efficiently. This involves understanding error messages, using debugging tools, and systematic problem-solving.

To me, the most important thing when choosing a platform is the quality of its documentation. Especially the reference manual of the core CPU (microcontoller or SoC). Having good documentation allows you to fully understand the mapping between the source code and the underlying hardware. That's the reason why I would recommend Beagle Bone boards to learn about embedded Linux and ST32Fxx boards for bare-metal programming.

Start small; my very first project was a line-following robot. It wasn't complex but provided insights into the technology's potential. Then I progressed to more advanced projects like a smart door lock with a keypad (Arduino-based). I began with just the keypad, then added a display, and later integrated Bluetooth. Each iteration built upon the previous, allowing me to review, fix bugs, and perfect the code. For your first project, I recommend Arduino due to the abundance of resources and tutorials. It's modular, inexpensive, and supports various programming languages, including its C++ variant, Python, or C#. If you're new to programming, I recommend Python.

Raspberry Pi is a robust platform to play on. if you have older hardware (be a Desktop or laptop), you can run Proxmox (community version is free without support, and this is similar to VMware's vSphere baremetal virtualization) or learn Linux (install and configure QEMU/KVM/Virt-manager, you can run Windows, MacOS or Linux, you can even run Nested-OS: meaning install vSphere and then run Windows within vSphere)

Raspberry pi is an easy and inexpensive platform to learn Python or C and C++ on. Perfect for a beginner who wants to learn fundamental concepts and skills.

Most of the programming resources I am familiar with do not mention what I consider the pillars: test your code. For a long time I had a post-it in my laptop that said: 'If it isn't tested it doesn't work'. Getting used to write tests for the code is, in my opinion, as important as learning to write the code itself. Unfortunately, this was never mentioned in any of my programming courses at college.

Regarding hardware description languages (HDLs): There are many quality online courses, including free ones, even from prestigious universities. HDLs can be difficult. Verilog and VHDL will feel arcane to someone with a software background. There are newer HDLs based on various programming languages, so if you have a favorite programming language, you may be able to find an HDL that will be easier for you. Regardless, be careful that the details of the language do not distract you from learning hardware. My own focus is Transaction-Level Verilog which has helped even middle-schoolers learn hardware even though it is built for large-scale commercial semiconductor projects. See makerchip.com.

YouTube and Online Videos: YouTube is a valuable resource for hardware programming and scripting tutorials. Many experts and educators create video content that can help you understand complex concepts visually.

There are numerous online videos and tutorials available. I also recommend exploring the manufacturer's portals. For instance, the Arduino portal offers courses and a welcoming community for you to join, which can greatly assist you in getting started.

Problem Decomposition Breaking a complex challenge into smaller parts assists you in focusing on learning each segment individually before combining them. By tackling one small task at a time, you facilitate a better understanding of the foundational concepts required for that particular component. This results in a less daunting learning experience. After learning the basics for each segment, reassembling them to address the overall challenge becomes considerably more manageable. This method not only simplifies the learning journey but also eases the transition from basic to more advanced tasks in your project.

When approaching a larger project, decompose it into smaller parts. I've learned that doing that first helps immensely. Before moving on to another section, write tests to exercise what you've just created. Not just that it works on the input you expect, but that it handles unreasonable input values too. This helps you learn to create robust code. Until the entire project is done, I keep these tests around, either commented out or simply not accessed. This way, when you need to change how one piece works, you can update the tests accordingly and run them again.

There's an online learning platform for almost every technology, and they are generally the best way to get your feet wet without platform/installation issues. Next would be VMs and containers. For folks interested in modern digital semiconductors, my startup provides makerchip.com.

Once you have selected your project, you've selected the platform, and you have learned the basics. If you are just starting, it might be difficult to get the real hardware components and start experimenting and exploring. In these cases you could use simulation applications such as Proteus, LTspice, EasyEDA, EveryCircuit, or any other application environment that lets you simulate your circuit, it will allow you to make some modifications, pick up the correct values or IC part numbers, you can even test your code if the simulator allows it. Remember to document every step you have made and take notes of the important information. In the real embedded software development work. The documentation is the key to a successful project.

The main thing is to have fun. When coding your device, sometimes it seems like it's not working or doing something different than expected. Review your code carefully to ensure there are no syntax errors – and don't forget that pesky semicolon. I once spent an hour "debugging" in vain, only to realize later that I missed a semicolon. Check for logical errors in your code. Logical errors can be the trickiest because they don't get flagged by the IDE and don't prevent compilation, but they can make your code not work as expected. If possible, I recommend finding a project buddy who is working on a similar project. You can each review each other's code. Having a second pair of eyes can save you many hours of code review and frustration.

Most manufactures provide a Software Development Kit (SDK) for every microcontroller [family]. These SDKs can often be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. It can be taken much advantage of the SDK examples and even the drivers source code. They are a great starting point to experiment and explore the peripherals. However, datasheets and user manuals must be carefully studied to fully understand the SDK code. As a rule of thumb, never take the examples as valid code for your application. Their purpose is merely illustrative. Real code often requires a good design: a Finite State Machine (FSM) to avoid blocking code, some design pattern to properly synchronize with other software components or effectively interchange data, etc.

Attend hackathons or workshops. These events can introduce you to new technologies and methodologies. Stay updated by attending webinars or conferences like Embedded Systems Conference, FPGA Congress, etc.

If I could pinpoint one thing that’s improved my skills and problem solving, it’s the feedback and support of others in the community. In the self development path, we sometimes cocoon ourselves in our own way of thinking. It’s so easy to hit a ceiling in self-development when you don’t have the feedback and perspective of others to help you think differently about the problem you’re trying to solve. It might seem scary to put your work in front of others for critique. But the feedback you get from this is so valuable. Learning how others think and problem solve will only improve your own problem solving skills moving forward. I guarantee that getting feedback and being engaged with others will supercharge your skill set.

Some community colleges and universities frequently host rallies and events that you can participate in. At my university, we had annual robot wars and line follower competitions, open to anyone. A significant benefit is the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals working on similar projects, potentially leading to collaboration. Additionally, these events are often organized by professors who you can later consult for guidance on your own projects.

In my experience in embedded systems and IOT, the skills that stand out the most in a good embedded systems engineer are - the ability to extract useful information from the datasheet - the understanding of the PCBA circuit and the ability to use tools such as a logic analyzer or an oscilloscope to debug embedded software. Some engineers count themselves as “software” engineers and don’t want to get involved with circuitry. While PCBA design might not be in your JD, your ability to debug and point out potential issues in a circuit that affect your code can be invaluable to a project’s success and to your career progression in embedded systems.

For all of my years in hardware and software development it has been a constant learning process. Never stop learning, hardware and software are dynamic, they change all of the time. Read constantly trade journals, attend peer groups, interact with the industry, seek out those whose skills you would like to learn. In this industry you have to constantly keep learning. Learn something of AI, it will become an even greater tool to accomplish your tasks.

There are great guys and gals out there offering free resources and webinars - Doulos, Embedded Artistry, TimeSys, the Embedded Online Conference... just to mention a few. Moreover, some of them offen announce training and courses. Shawn Hymel has a cool youtube channel too.

Indeed, do not be afraid of change. As technology advances, continue to read about your particular field and others as well. Experiment with how it applies to the work you currently do, it would like to get into. And if it really doesn't fit, then learn from that. People are too averse to failure. Most of the best innovations came after many failed attempts. Just remember to learn something from the encounter.

Companies like Texas Instruments, Atmel, and Microchip often provide comprehensive datasheets, application notes, and sample code. They may also offer workshops and online training sessions.

GitHub is full of open source projects. Browsing through some of them definitely helps learning. If you want to take it up a notch, contact the project owners and contribute to the project if you think you have ideas.

Learning and updating hardware programming and scripting skills is an ongoing journey. The key is to maintain a growth mindset, be open to new technologies, and adapt to changing industry demands.

Take Lots of Notes Hands on and Practice Repetition Having someone to talk to along the way who already knows so you can get some honest feedback on where your weaknesses are.

Since I've spent the last few decades in the BIOS/UEFI space, I'll come from that perspective. Take a C function and implement it in assembly. Years ago I was learning C and was frustrated at the size of a simple 'Hello world' C program. I learned how the libraries linked and wrote a very minimal library to make the experiment work. It made me very aware of how the higher level language was translated to machine code. Over the years, it enabled me to create code that is compact and/or fast when needed. Implement a program or function using a new language. Looking hard at how it works helps you understand it better. Lastly, don't be afraid of change. Technology always moves forward. Grow with it and you'll be happier.