HN user
Electrical Engineer, Detroit Metro Area, Automotive
I've been working on an OBDII scanner application for my port of Tock to the Microchip SAMV71. The idea is that it will help prove out the CAN peripheral in a real world environment before I start layering other things like UDS on top of it.
I started experimenting with meshtastic in December last year, but so far it has been a really quiet network, so I'm not seeing the congestion problems the author highlights. According to meshmap there should be a node ~2 miles from my house but I don't reliably see it. I don't see the next closest at 4.3 miles either. For some reason I saw the next furthest (~8.4 miles) for a few days, but it has since disappeared. Since Christmas I've seen 583 nodes from mine - none reliably.
My node is a solar powered tree hanger hanging maybe 25 ft above the ground, and I'm in southeast michigan with a typical ~30 minute commute into the suburban cities.
I really liked this article but in the end it reinforced my belief in meshtastic - I don't need a computer connected to my node and I'm not paying for any meshcore features. I just wish there were more fixed nodes out there to extend the network.
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA area
Remote: Yes (or in person)
Willing to relocate: No
Technologies: Automotive Electronics, ECAD - Altium or KiCAD, Python, Project Management
Résumé/CV: https://bobadams5.com/files/resume/2025-03-31_Public_Resume....
Email: bob@bobadams5.com
I'm an electrical engineer with 14 YoE. I'm currently a hardware project lead at ZF group, but will be transferring to Harman this year since our ADAS group was sold to them. I left my former job after a disappointing acquisition (Dana acquiring Pi Innovo), so I'm looking for options in case history repeats itself.
I'd love to get back to faster more agile development teams, but I'm open to anything.
My blog, random side projects.
I have been working on an open-source automotive controller that can run TockOS (embedded operating system written in Rust).
The rough overview is on my X post here: https://x.com/BobAdamsEE/status/1965573686884434278
It's a long running process, and the HW is mostly defined (but not laid out) but on pause while I work on porting TockOS to an ATSAMV71 to make sure I won't run into any project ending issues with the SW before I build the hardware.
Are you using simulink for code generation or something else? I used to work at a company that made automotive controllers and a simulink "platform" for developing controls on them, and I occasionally flirt with starting a similar company that uses a cheaper/open source toolchain, but always come up empty handed. There are some academic libraries and papers around the Xcos ecosystem, but nothing near production level that I could find.
KiCad continues to improve, and that plain text file thing is a killer feature. Also in the new version they added the capability to have library databases for components which is a massive step towards professional libraries.
If they could bring in better signal integrity tools and Altiums outjobs, it would be a no brainer to use KiCad for hobbyist to small business applications.
I've really wanted a Stargate-esque galaxy explorer type game. Something 2D (like RimWorld graphics) that has procedurally generated planets and addresses, base management, etc
No Man's Sky is ok, but the alien life is mostly focused on lower intelligence animals, and base building feels clunky relative to what you can do in games like RimWorld or prison architect.
I've thought about learning unity to do this, but I have not had the time.
One of the best discussions I ever heard was from Stephan Kinsella when he discussed the patent system as a system of negative servitudes or negative easements (https://www.stephankinsella.com/paf-podcast/kol365-guest-lec...). Essentially IP is similar to joining an HOA, which might give you negative rights in your property such as the inability to use it as a dump, the inability to paint it bright pink, etc. but with IP your potential competitors are petitioning the USPTO to create negative rights in property you already own.
In general, for anyone with a general interest in the anti-IP position, the following resources are good:
* C4SIF - Center for the study of innovative freedom - c4sif.org
* The Case Against Intellectual Monopoly by Michele Boldrin and David K. Levine - http://www.dklevine.com/general/intellectual/against.htm
This is why I've heard the argument (presumably from Stephan Kinsella, who wrote a book against intellectual property) that the patent system is unconstitutional - it is dubious that patents "promote the progress of science and useful arts."
The economist Fritz Machlup did a study in the 1950s on the economics of the patent system in the US and in his conclusion came to: "If we did not have a patent system, it would be irresponsible, on the basis of our present knowledge of its economic consequences, to recommend instituting one."
A technical background may be helpful for understanding IP, but certainly not sufficient. Compare Massie to someone like Stephan Kinsella (BS and MS in electrical engineering and a law degree) who literally wrote a book called "Against Intellectual Property."
I went ahead and bought a boox air within a week of the original connect service announcement (yet to arrive). I originally wanted a RM after trying a coworker's RM1 but the connect announcement pushed me away.
With supernote currently giving a roadmap that improves handwriting recognition and boox allegedly having the ability to convert and search handwritten notes already, the remarkable connect plan is very unattractive.
Is it correct to interpret this as the IEEE not recognizing any milestones since 1994? They have a list of items being considered, but such a large gap makes me think the milestones program is one of IEEEs low priority, nearly forgotten activities.
I agree it is awesome but the current semiconductor market is really hurting the ability to make this.
Note that if you follow the kitspace link for the non-FeatherWing version and use the digikey link, there is one part that disallows backorder, but 18 other line items with backorder status. This includes really important items like the microcontroller that has a 52 week lead time.
I looked into building one a while back and found that many items can have substitutes, some could be redesigned easily into leadless versions of the components, but some were just too difficult to redesign or source.
Can anyone point to any Ohio legal precedents where something not regulated by PUCO has been considered a common carrier?
Per the original "An entity can be a common carrier and/or public utility under Ohio common law,even if it is expressly excluded from regulation by PUCO"
I'd be curious what precedent makes Google a common carrier in Ohio law. From a US federal standpoint individual websites appear to me more akin to radio broadcast stations, which according to Ronald Coase had a failed attempt to be declared common carriers.
I am not a lawyer, so I'd be happy to be corrected on that.
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Area, USA
Remote: If desired
Willing to relocate: Only to southern half of Appalachian mountains
Technologies: Circuit Design, Altium, Automotive electronics, LIN/CAN
Résumé/CV: https://bobadams5.com/files/resume/2021-06-03_BobAdamsResume...
Email: bob at bobadams5 dot com
Hi everyone! The small company I worked for was recently (March 2021) acquired by a Fortune 500 so I'm looking around for other small companies that need an electronics design engineer.
I've done stencils from OSH stencils before, but its not something I usually do. Typically I solder only a few hundred SMD components per year. The oven is less for reducing soldering time and more for increasing part selection; Too many parts come in leadless packages like QFNs that are painful to solder well by hand.
I've been building a Controleo3 reflow oven kit (https://www.whizoo.com/controleo3). It had all been going well until yesterday when I broke one of the heating elements. Now I'll have to get another toaster oven and do a transplant.
The end goal is to generally improve my ability to prototype PCBAs in my home lab, starting with a CAN gateway module that I've been designing. I'm hoping to be done with quarantine before I get to actually use the reflow oven.
A few questions from an Altium user:
1. Does Horizon support an equivalent to the 'Variant Manager?' This is something that will allow variance of build outputs (different component populations, different schematic text, etc).
2. In the docs it seems to mention submitting parts to the default pool. If people submit parts to the pool are there style guides somewhere? (line widths, US vs EU resistor symbols, etc)
3. Looking at a random SMD footprint (SOT-363) it looks like the paste window is equal to the pads. Is there a way to set paste mask expansion like is done in Altium? (Automatically offset paste window from pad by some amount)
I still do not understand how EAGLE attained its 'golden-standard' status. Out of the cheap or OSS EDA tools (DipTrace, g-EDA, KiCAD, Eagle)* I thought it had the most difficult learning curve. My best assumption is that it is riding on historical momentum.
* Although not really in the list, last year Cadence was selling OrCAD for something like $430. Hopefully we get more < $500 USD offerings.
At KiCon 2019 there was a presentation on SKiDL which allows you to describe circuits in Python. You can then output a netlist for use in KiCAD's PCB tool (or potentially other EDA tools). I have not tried to use it personally.
What is your evidence for the average person not reading? Trying to find some numbers I came across the following pew research poll that showed nearly 3/4th of their survey participants reading a book in one format or another in the last 12 months.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/25/one-in-five...