[TriEmbed] Learning (Electronics Engineering) Curve

[Terry King]

QUOTE:
I love the question of how to go from Arduino to "lower level" embedded stuff, without a stop at
an engineering degree along the way.
This free edX course covers some of the "engineering" side:
https://www.edx.org/course/embedded-systems-shape-world-utaustinx-ut-6-02x
But aside from that I don't know of any prepackaged resources.
/QUOTE

This is a great question, and I have entertained variations on it for about 50 years (or they have
entertained ME)..

The basic issue is: There is TOO TOO much detail in "Engineering Having To Do With Electricity"
for any one human to dig into all of it. So how do you handle the situation where you start out in
one area and then need/want to dig into another area, and what does "School" have to do with it?

Early example: I designed Audio equipment, Recording Studios, Disk Jockey Studios. BUT I would
like to really be able to design multi-tower broadcast directional arrays (before computers).. Go
back to school? Find a Mentor? Hit the books myself?  Net: I never got real far with it, but
studied enough and talked with people in the field enough to get by.

Today: Totally different situation because of information technology. You can find books, hit
Amazon, hit Google and learn about almost anything.  So since I hit IBM VNET in 1975 (IBM's
discussion forums before the internet) I've been able to learn far enough ahead of the curve so
that 2 years later I end up teaching it... To those people who want to sit in a class.

Lately one of my Engineer Sons and I have discussed classes we have taught over the years (SUNY,
IBM, NRG, High School, now Makerspaces) and  what the relationship is today between Arduino-era
hands-on easy-to-get started on Electronics and "Electronics Engineering" (Whatever THAT is)..  We
are trying to figure out what Engineering (OH: Engineering to us means "You can actually Design
stuff yourself!"). ...what Electronics Engineering areas a person really needs to go from an
Arduino Kit (Like the one I've sold 2000 of) to being able to really design Microcomputer-based
systems with some sophistication and manufactureability.

I just finished being Technical Editor of the second edition of  "Beginning C with Arduino", which
is a nice thorough walk through 'C' with code actually running on Arduino.  It has crossed my mind
that my Son and I could write something like "Beginning Electronics Engineering with Arduino",
with enough depth in DC and AC circuits, Digital Logic, Microcontrollers, Sensors, Analog Design,
electronics packaging and circuit board design, 'C' programming, Servo-DC-Step motors, and related
Stuff to take a smart Arduino enthusiast to the point where they can really design interesting
devices, or start to.   It all relates. Maybe.

Some disciplines really require a thorough scientific grounding and advanced study to be able to
approach deep scientific research. I have great respect for the people (Like my daughter: Phd,
Biochemistry Professor) who do that. But there are other paths and today there is much more
freedom to explore them.

Oh.. where did I start. Oh, Yeah.. "That's a Great Question"  :-)

I dunno.. but I want to do more of this before I get Old...

Regards, Terry King
...In the Woods in Vermont USA
terry at terryking.us

-The One who Dies with the most Parts LOSES. What do you need??