Verma recommends online self-learning. “Those who want to learn about Open Source hardware can join Openhardware.org—an initiative to Open Source hardware. It consists of physical artefacts of technology designed and offered in the same manner as free and Open Source software. A candidate can also opt for renowned certifications such as CDAC—a course that takes six to nine months to complete. However, as candidates learn the subject, they must acquire a strong understanding of hardware and its working, digital electronics fundamentals, systems domain and operating systems. The skills we look for are a good understanding of computer architecture, knowledge of ‘C’ and Assembly languages, problem solving and debugging skills, and knowledge of microprocessors and microcontrollers. All semiconductor and real-time system development companies recruit Open Source electronics engineers,” Verma shares.
Will open hardware rival open software in popularity?
An increasing number of start-ups and entrepreneurial initiatives are opting for Linux in embedded systems for handheld devices, network switches, etc. There is a lot of focus on low-power architecture these days, where electronics engineers can play a crucial role. In software, the demand for people experienced in Open Source has increased as organisations get a deep understanding and foundation of software.
When asked whether we will see a similar trend in electronics engineers who have worked on Open Source, Verma replied, “Yes, it is very true for electrical engineers who have a very good understanding of hardware. They can be very helpful in designing real-time systems, human-machine interfaces, data acquisition systems, point-of-sale devices, etc.”
Krishna believes that some companies are trying the route of Open Source electronics to enable people to develop products, but have not reached the same level of popularity as is seen with software.
“Open Source electronics is still in a very nascent stage. The entire industry might have to wait for a few more years before it becomes a significant movement that leads to job creation in large numbers. One example I have closely observed is Texas Instruments which has deployed low-cost development boards based on its OMAP and Da Vinci product lines. They have also provided development kits with the boards to enable easy application development,” he adds.
Recommended Reading
- Embedded Linux Primer: A Practical Real-World Approach’ by Christopher Hallinan
- Embedded Linux System Design and Development’ by P. Raghavan, Amol Lad, Sriram Neelakandan
- Building Embedded Linux Systems’ by Karim Yaghmour
- Linux for Embedded and Real-Time Applications, Second Edition’ by Doug Abbott
- Embedded Linux: Hardware, Software, and Interfacing’ by Dr Craig Hollabaugh
- Embedded Linux’ by John Lombardo
- The Linux TCP/IP Stack: Networking for Embedded Systems’ by Thomas Herbert
- Hacking the TiVo’ by William von Hagen
- Practical Linux Programming: Device Drivers, Embedded systems, and the Internet’ by Ashfaq A. Khan
The author is business correspondent at EFY Bengaluru
