Exploring Firmware Design in Embedded Systems with Elixir

Jon Carstens presents an insightful discussion on firmware design, regarding it as a critical component that bridges software and hardware. The term 'firmware' roots back to 1967, emphasizing its nature as not being strictly software nor hardware, but something 'firm' between the two. Firmware often plays a role in user interactions with devices, whether it's smartphones, tablets or dedicated hardware like IoT devices. Carstens argues that firmware development is crucial for the future of smart, connected devices, and he highlights the importance of Elixir and Nerves in modern firmware development. Nerves provides tooling for building firmware for devices like the Raspberry Pi, and Carstens encourages developers to consider firmware design, particularly because of the rise of embedded systems and the importance of seamless device interaction. He advises developers to keep as much development on the host as possible to streamline the process and to consider the creation of hardware abstraction layers to facilitate testing and development processes. Jon's session endorses the utility of Elixir's tools in the embedded domain and the overarching message of combining thoughtful design with proactive firmware implementation.