Glossary
Electronics development is full of acronyms. Here they are explained in plain language, so you can follow any quote or specification document.
- Firmware
- The software that runs inside the electronic board, on the microcontroller. It drives the sensors, the communication and everything the device does. In Hebrew it is called "קושחה" (koshcha).
- Embedded system
- A small computer built into a product to perform one job, such as the controller in a washing machine or a field sensor. "Embedded development" is developing the hardware and firmware of such a computer.
- MCU (microcontroller)
- A single chip with a processor, memory and interfaces. It is the "brain" of most electronic products. Examples: STM32, ESP32, Nordic nRF52.
- PCB (printed circuit board)
- The board the electronic components are soldered onto, with the copper traces that connect them. A board can have two or more copper layers.
- Schematic
- The drawing that describes which components are in the circuit and how they are connected. It comes before the PCB and defines the electrical behavior of the product.
- PCB layout
- The physical placement of components and traces on the PCB. The layout decides whether the board passes EMC tests, whether it overheats and whether it can be manufactured.
- Board bring-up
- The stage where a new board is powered on for the first time: voltages are measured, every component is checked and hardware and firmware are made to talk to each other.
- BOM (bill of materials)
- The complete list of components in the product, with part numbers, quantities and alternates. The factory orders parts from it, and it sets most of the unit cost.
- DFM (design for manufacturing)
- Adapting the design so it is easy and cheap to build on an assembly line, without manual work or production defects.
- Test jig
- A fixture that connects to the board on the production line and tests it automatically in seconds, so every unit leaving the factory has been tested.
- EMC / EMI
- Electromagnetic compatibility: a device must not disturb other devices with electrical emissions (EMI), and must not be disturbed by them. Products sold to the public must pass EMC tests.
- CE / FCC
- Approvals an electronic product needs to be sold in Europe (CE) or the US (FCC). They include EMC and safety tests, and for radio products also radio tests.
- OTA / FOTA (remote firmware update)
- Updating a device's firmware over its communication link (Wi-Fi, cellular, BLE or LoRa), without physically reaching it. It should be designed in from the start.
- Bootloader
- A small program that runs first when the device starts. Among other things, it allows the firmware to be replaced safely, including during remote updates.
- RTOS (real-time operating system)
- A small operating system for microcontrollers, such as FreeRTOS, that runs several tasks in parallel and meets hard deadlines. Bare-metal is firmware with no operating system at all.
- DMA (direct memory access)
- A hardware mechanism that moves data between memory and interfaces without occupying the processor. Essential for high-speed communication and high-rate sampling.
- IoT (Internet of Things)
- Physical products connected to a network: sensors, controllers and devices that report to a server and are managed remotely, often through an app.
- LoRa
- A long-range (kilometers), low-power wireless technology for small amounts of data. Suited to sensors in open terrain. In Israel there is a limit on transmit time.
- BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy)
- A low-power version of Bluetooth for short-range communication between a device and a phone. Suited to configuration, control and reading data from an app.
- CAN / RS485 / RS422
- Reliable wired communication standards used to connect controllers in vehicles, machines and defense systems, even over distance and in noisy environments.
- Edge AI
- An AI model that runs on the device itself rather than in the cloud, for example for fault, voice or image detection. It works without an internet connection.
- HIL (hardware-in-the-loop)
- A test method where the real board is connected to a setup that simulates its environment and automated scenarios run on it. Every version is tested on the hardware.
- EOL (end of life)
- A manufacturer's notice that a part will stop being made. A product that depends on such a part needs an alternate or a redesign.
- Prototype
- A first working version of the product that proves the idea is possible. It is not necessarily ready for production, but can be shown to investors and customers.
- Pilot
- A small batch, a few dozen units, that goes into real use before mass production, to find problems you can't see in the lab.
- NDA / IP
- An NDA is a non-disclosure agreement. IP is the intellectual property: schematics, PCB files and source code. At ProtoMakers all IP is handed over to the client at the end of the project.
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