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The journey through embedded systems development is rarely linear, but it's always fascinating. Over the past decade, I've had the privilege of working across diverse domains—from consumer electronics to aerospace—each presenting unique challenges and learning opportunities.

The Foundation: Home Automation and Remote Control (2014-2016)

My professional journey began at Elektronika s.p., where I cut my teeth on practical embedded systems development. Working with Microchip PIC and STM32 microcontrollers, I designed devices for remote control systems and home automation. This period was crucial for mastering the fundamentals:

Low-level driver development in C
PCB design, from schematics to layout
Hardware prototyping, including hands-on soldering
Radio module integration for wireless communication

These early years taught me that successful embedded development isn't just about writing code—it's about understanding the entire hardware-software ecosystem.

Scaling Up: Real-Time Systems and Aviation Standards (2016-2019)

Moving to RT-RK marked a significant shift toward more complex, standards-driven development. I worked on Time-Triggered Ethernet (TTE) systems for aviation, developing user-space drivers for:

PikeOS and VxWorks operating systems
TTTech's A664 End System cards
Compliance with ARINC 653, DO-178B, and MISRA standards

This role introduced me to the rigorous world of aviation software, where reliability isn't optional—it's mandated by international standards. I learned to balance performance requirements with safety constraints, a skill that would become increasingly valuable.

Key Takeaway: Standards Drive Quality

Working with DO-178B taught me that standards aren't bureaucratic obstacles—they're frameworks for building reliable systems. Every requirement, every test case, every line of documentation serves a purpose in the safety chain.

Deepening Expertise: Railway Safety and R&D (2019-2021)

At Thales, I transitioned to ground transportation, specifically railway systems. Working with ARM Cortex M4 processors (STM32F4 series), I contributed to an R&D project targeting EN 50128 (SIL-4) compliance—one of the highest safety integrity levels.

Key responsibilities included:

System and software architecture design
Requirements management across hardware and software domains
PCB design for safety-critical applications
Preparing proof-of-concept implementations

This role reinforced the importance of early-stage design decisions. In safety-critical systems, architectural choices made during R&D can determine the feasibility of achieving certification years later.

Aviation Returns: DO-178C and System Design (2021-2022)

My time at Schiebel brought me back to aviation, this time working with PowerPC processors (NXP5744P). The highlight was designing an in-house Software Design Standards document compliant with DO-178C—the latest iteration of aviation software standards.

This experience taught me that creating standards is as important as following them. A well-designed internal standard:

Captures lessons learned from past projects
Provides clear guidance for future development
Ensures consistency across teams
Facilitates certification efforts

Current Focus: Safety HMI and Multi-Core Systems (2022-Present)

At TTControl, I'm working on some of the most technically challenging projects of my career:

Multi-Core ARM Development

NXP iMX8QM SoC with multiple ARM Cortex M4 processors
Bare-metal and FreeRTOS/SafeRTOS environments
Low-level C programming for performance-critical paths

Safety-Critical HMI Development

Developing a Human-Machine Interface device compliant with:

ISO 13849 (Performance Level c)
ISO 25119 (Safety Requirement Level C)
MISRA coding standards

Application Development

Qt6 and C++ for demo applications
GStreamer integration for multimedia
Supporting remote testing teams across time zones

Lessons from a Decade in Embedded Systems

1. Standards Evolve, Principles Remain

From DO-178B to DO-178C, from ISO 13849 to ISO 25119, standards evolve but the core principles—traceability, verification, validation—stay constant.

2. Multi-Disciplinary Skills Matter

The best embedded engineers understand hardware, software, and system design. PCB design skills complement driver development; understanding real-time constraints improves architecture decisions.

3. Safety Culture is a Mindset

Working in safety-critical domains changes how you think about code. Every pointer dereference, every buffer access, every timing assumption matters.

4. Continuous Learning is Non-Negotiable

From PIC microcontrollers to multi-core ARM SoCs, from bare-metal to SafeRTOS, the technology stack constantly evolves. Staying relevant means never stopping learning.

Looking Forward

The embedded systems landscape continues to evolve with:

AI/ML at the edge
Increased functional safety requirements
Multi-core and heterogeneous computing
Cybersecurity integration

Each advancement brings new challenges and opportunities. The key is maintaining a solid foundation in fundamentals while embracing new technologies and methodologies.

This journey reflects not just technical growth, but the evolution of the embedded systems industry itself. From simple microcontrollers to complex SoCs, from basic functionality to safety-critical certification, embedded development continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in the physical world.