Curtis Franklin

One of the things I like most about Circuit Cellar readers—and about makers in general—is that they don’t do just one thing. Engage a group in conversation, and you’re likely to end up talking about the virtues of using various single-board computers in embedded projects

Today’s engineers can no longer view hardware, firmware, user interfaces, or network security as independent siloes. Instead, resilient, intelligent systems require unified perspectives across every layer of design.

Today’s engineers can no longer view hardware, firmware, user interfaces, or network security as independent siloes. Instead, resilient, intelligent systems require unified perspectives across every layer of design.

Explore today's leading microcontroller units (MCUs), including ESP32, STM32, RP2040, and RISC-V platforms powering edge AI, IoT, automotive, and embedded systems.

In recent months, I’ve been absolutely amazed by the quality and creativity of the articles that have come our way. I’d love to see our readers’ creative projects, especially those using 3D printing.

I’m not one of those people who thinks that AI is going to completely overturn human existence, but it’s difficult to ignore the fact that it can be a powerful tool for all phases of embedded system design and deployment. And, just as with soldering irons and IDEs before it, learning how to best use that powerful tool is now part of the process of becoming a solid embedded systems professional.

Single-board computers with ARM processors at their core were once limited to education and prototyping but a new generation of powerful microprocessors are making these small computers suitable for a growing number of applications and solutions.

I spend what is, perhaps, an unusual amount of time thinking about communications. Recently, conversations about radio communication have become more common and more oriented toward embedded systems.

Sensor Shields Bring the Real World to Microcontrollers The most popular single-board computers-—Raspberry Pis and Arduinos—see expanded functions from add-on boards called Hats or Shields. When those add-ons are sensors, they allow single-board computers to be part of applications that respond to conditions in their environment and beyond. The Hardware Attached on Top (HAT) and […]

Let’s talk about solder. The gulf between theoretical knowledge and practical application is famously wide but there’s something about using solder—the visceral feeling of metal flowing around metal to make a physical circuit—that’s simply magical.

Haptic Devices Bring Physical Feedback to the Human InterfaceThere are many technologies but a single purpose; to provide physical feedback to the human-machine interface. Whether vibration, interface movement, or a simulation of mechanical switches, haptic feedback can make the interface to an application more precise, more intuitive, and more accurate for users. Haptic technology has […]

The June 2026 issue focus of Circuit Cellar is data that moves through the air around us, carried by radio-frequency waves of various sorts.

Explore modern Linux-based SBCs, from Raspberry Pi 5 to NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano, powering edge AI, IoT, and embedded systems with high performance and flexibility.

History of the captivating artist Robert Tinney and his contributions to Circuit Cellar and Byte Magazine

In this issue we take a look at one branch of that technology, Long Range (LoRa) and its overlay, Meshtastic.

In this issue we take a look at one branch of that technology, Long Range (LoRa) and its overlay, Meshtastic.

The June 2026 issue focus of Circuit Cellar is data that moves through the air around us, carried by radio-frequency waves of various sorts.

A few years ago we moved into a new house...I will basically add a microcontroller to anything that’s not too fast to escape

May 2026 issue will have a tech focus on AI at the Edge. Share your project with your peers through an article in Circuit Cellar.

Explore power quality monitoring systems for homes and industry, including how voltage, waveform stability, and energy usage impact reliability, safety, and operational efficiency.