# Better Devices

> Vision meets execution.


## Posts

- [Spec-driven testing: why tests should derive from the spec, not the pins](https://betterdevices.io/blog/spec-driven-testing-spec-not-pins/): If you've worked on embedded hardware for any length of time you've probably had a morning like this one.
- [What AI still can't do once the code hits real hardware](https://betterdevices.io/blog/where-agentic-firmware-work-stops/): I use AI to write firmware most days. This is not a piece about how it cannot do the job. It does a lot of the job, and it has changed how I work.
- [AI in hardware-in-the-loop testing: the loop embedded never closed](https://betterdevices.io/blog/ai-in-hardware-in-the-loop-testing-the-loop-embedded-never-closed/): Every firmware engineer using AI right now has had this moment.
- [How to Run a Feasibility Study for a Hardware Product](https://betterdevices.io/blog/how-to-run-a-hardware-feasibility-study/): A hardware feasibility study is a short, structured piece of engineering work that answers one question before money is committed: can this product be built, at this cost, in this timeframe, with this risk, and which of the available ways of building it is the right one?
- [Is RISC-V Ready for Production Embedded Systems? A 2026 Maturity Report from the Bench](https://betterdevices.io/blog/is-risc-v-ready-for-production-embedded-systems-a-2026-maturity-report-from-the-bench/): Every few weeks a founder or a CTO asks me some version of the same question: "Should we build this on RISC-V?"
- [How to Design Resilient Embedded Systems and Software for Mass-Market IoT Devices](https://betterdevices.io/blog/how-to-design-resilient-embedded-systems-and-software-for-mass-market-iot-devices/): Resilient embedded systems and software for mass-market IoT are designed to keep working when conditions are imperfect: power cut mid-write, network dropped mid-transfer, memory nearly exhausted after months of uptime.
- [Intermittent Field Failures: How to Find the Root Cause When the Fault Will Not Reproduce](https://betterdevices.io/blog/intermittent-field-failures-how-to-find-the-root-cause-when-the-fault-will-not-reproduce/): A support ticket arrives. Eleven units out of a fleet of four thousand are rebooting, roughly once a fortnight, with no pattern anyone can see.
- [The True Cost of Building an IoT Device in 2026](https://betterdevices.io/blog/the-true-cost-of-building-an-iot-device-in-2026-a-hardware-accurate-breakdown/): Search for "IoT device cost" and you will find pages about app development budgets. Useful if you are building an app.
- [How to Validate AI-Generated Firmware.](https://betterdevices.io/blog/how-to-validate-ai-generated-firmware-beyond-unit-tests-a-practical-methodology/): In September 2025, researchers Seyed Moein Abtahi and Akramul Azim at Ontario Tech University published a paper titled Securing LLM-Generated Embedded Firmware through AI Agent-Driven Validation and Patching (arXiv:2509.09970).
- [Why Most Embedded Teams Get OTA Wrong](https://betterdevices.io/blog/why-most-embedded-teams-get-ota-wrong/): "We'll add OTA later."
- [Why Standard Agile Fails Hardware Teams and the Dual-Cadence Model That actually Works](https://betterdevices.io/blog/why-standard-agile-fails-hardware-teams/): Standard Agile fails hardware teams because it assumes change is cheap.
- [A HIL Rig That Needs More Than One Engineer to Operate Has Failed](https://betterdevices.io/blog/a-hil-rig-that-needs-more-than-one-engineer-to-operate-has-failed/): Every embedded team that runs a HIL bench has the same conversation at some point. A regression slips into the firmware.
- [Digital Product Passport for Embedded Devices](https://betterdevices.io/blog/digital-product-passport-embedded-devices-implementation/): The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a machine-readable, per-device record required under the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
- [ESP32-S3: The DAC Removal That Breaks Projects Ported From the S2](https://betterdevices.io/blog/esp32-s3-the-dac-removal-that-breaks-projects-ported-from-the-s2/): If you are here because dacWrite() stopped compiling after you moved a project to the ESP32-S3: you are not missing a config flag. The peripheral is gone.
- [Self-Hosted CI Runners for Embedded E2E Testing](https://betterdevices.io/blog/self-hosted-ci-runners-embedded-e2e-testing/): Most embedded teams have CI. Very few have CI that touches hardware.
- [SMARC vs OSM vs COM Express vs Chip-Down: The Modular Embedded Platform Decision](https://betterdevices.io/blog/smarc-vs-osm-vs-com-express-vs-custom-modular-platform-decision/): Every product programme that outgrows a single MCU hits the same fork: put the compute on a standard module, or design it chip-down onto your own board.
- [Rust in Embedded Is Overhyped for 80% of Projects and Undersold for the Other 20%](https://betterdevices.io/blog/rust-in-embedded-is-overhyped-for-80-of-projects-and-undersold-for-the-other-20/): The Rust-in-embedded conversation in 2026 is two arguments dressed up as one.
- [The ESPR Is Coming for Your Embedded Architecture: How European Hardware Teams Should Redesign for Repairability, Modularity, and Circularity](https://betterdevices.io/blog/espr-ecodesign-circular-embedded-electronics-european-hardware-teams/): For embedded hardware teams selling into the EU, the Cyber Resilience Act is the regulation everyone is talking about right now.
- [How to Choose a Continuous Validation Platform for Embedded Systems](https://betterdevices.io/blog/how-to-choose-continuous-validation-platform-embedded-systems/): A connected sensor manufacturer we work with bought a six-figure continuous validation platform two years ago. The sales demo was excellent.
- [EU Cyber Resilience Act Guide](https://betterdevices.io/blog/eu-cra-draft-guidance-what-hardware-teams-must-do-september-2026/): The European Commission published draft guidance for the EU Cyber Resilience Act this week.
- [Edge AI on Embedded Devices: A Decision Framework for CTOs and Engineering Leaders](https://betterdevices.io/blog/edge-ai-embedded-devices-cto-decision-framework/): Edge AI on embedded devices spans three distinct tiers, each with different BOM, power, and engineering implications.
- [Why Most Embedded Teams Get OTA Wrong (And How to Architect It Right from Day One)](https://betterdevices.io/blog/why-most-embedded-teams-get-ota-wrong-and-how-to-architect-it-right-from-day-one/): "We'll add OTA later."
- [5 HIL Testing Mistakes That Ship Bugs to the Field](https://betterdevices.io/blog/5-hil-testing-mistakes/): Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing is widely considered the gold standard for embedded systems validation.
- [How to Build a HIL Test Bench for Embedded Devices | Expert Insights](https://betterdevices.io/blog/how-to-build-a-hil-test-bench-for-embedded-devices-expert-insights/): Most embedded firmware bugs don't show up in a debugger.
- [7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Embedded Engineering Consultancy](https://betterdevices.io/blog/embedded-hardware-outsourcing/): Choosing an embedded engineering partner is one of the highest-stakes decisions a hardware team makes because in embedded, mistakes become physical objects you can't patch.
- [3 Engineering Bottlenecks We Need to Talk About at Hannover Messe](https://betterdevices.io/blog/3-engineering-bottlenecks-we-need-to-talk-about-at-hannover-messe/): Every year, Hannover Messe fills its halls with the latest hardware innovations.
- [EVT, DVT, PVT, MP: What Each Stage Actually Means for Your Engineering Team](https://betterdevices.io/blog/evt-dvt-pvt-mp-what-each-stage-actually-means-for-your-engineering-team/): If you've just been handed a working PoC and told to "take it to production," this article is for you.
- [LoRaWAN vs. NB-IoT vs. LTE-M: The No-BS Engineering Guide (2026)](https://betterdevices.io/blog/lorawan-vs-nb-iot-vs-lte-m-the-no-bs-engineering-guide-2026/): If you ask three different connectivity providers which LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) protocol is best for your new IoT device, you will get three contradictory answers.
- [Surviving the EU Cyber Resilience Act: A Guide for Legacy Hardware](https://betterdevices.io/blog/surviving-the-eu-cyber-resilience-act-a-guide-for-legacy-hardware/): "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." For decades, this was the golden rule of embedded engineering. This philosophy made perfect sense in a disconnected world.
- [Why Your $50 Prototype Will Cost $500k to Manufacture](https://betterdevices.io/blog/cost-of-manufacturing-embedded-device/): "It works on my desk."
- [Accelerating Time-to-Market with Modular Embedded Platforms](https://betterdevices.io/blog/accelerating-time-to-market-with-modular-embedded-platforms/): For CTOs and VPs of Engineering, Time-to-Market (TTM) is often the most critical constraint.
- [Security by Design: Protecting Embedded Systems from the Ground Up](https://betterdevices.io/blog/security-by-design-protecting-embedded-systems-from-the-ground-up/): For technical leadership, security can no longer be a patch applied just before launch or a perimeter defense added as an afterthought.
- [Beyond the Chip: Why Systems Thinking is the Key to Embedded Profitability](https://betterdevices.io/blog/beyond-the-chip-why-systems-thinking-is-the-key-to-embedded-profitability/): For technical leadership, the challenge is no longer just designing a functional printed circuit board (PCB).
- [Sustainable by Design: A Guide to Longevity, Repairability, and Impact in Embedded Systems](https://betterdevices.io/blog/sustainable-by-design-a-guide-to-longevity-repairability-and-impact-in-embedded-systems/): The embedded systems powering our smart homes, wearables, industrial automation, and robotics are transforming daily life and industry.
- [Beyond the Lab Bench: 5 Continuous Validation Strategies for Resilient Embedded Products](https://betterdevices.io/blog/beyond-the-lab-bench-5-continuous-validation-strategies-for-resilient-embedded-products/): For technical leaders, the "testing phase" in embedded development often conjures images of lab benches, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.
- [Beyond the Spec Sheet: Why Your Embedded Engineering Needs a Product-First Approach](https://betterdevices.io/blog/beyond-the-spec-sheet-why-your-embedded-engineering-needs-a-product-first-approach/): Why do so many connected device projects backed by deep engineering expertise still fail to capture the market or run over budget?
- [Connectivity at Scale: How to Ship IoT Devices That Actually Work](https://betterdevices.io/blog/connectivity-at-scale-how-to-ship-iot-devices-that-actually-work/): Connectivity is where many IoT programs quietly bleed money, missed data, dead batteries, flaky updates, support tickets, angry customers.
- [OpenHAB vs. Home Assistant: Which Is Faster and Easier ](https://betterdevices.io/blog/openhab-vs-home-assistant-which-is-faster-and-easier/): If you want the fastest setup, polished on-boarding, and a UI-first workflow.
- [How to Build Hybrid Embedded Systems That Scale](https://betterdevices.io/blog/scaling-production-from-inception-of-embedded-systems-technology/): Connected products are moving beyond stand-alone firmware.
- [Human-Centered Engineering: Designing Embedded Devices People Actually Use](https://betterdevices.io/blog/human-centered-engineering-designing-embedded-devices-people-actually-use/): Connected products are everywhere, but not all of them are a pleasure to use.
- [When Hardware Meets Cloud: How to Build Hybrid Embedded Systems That Scale](https://betterdevices.io/blog/cloud-edge-devices-smart-devices-embedded-devices/): Connected products are moving beyond stand-alone firmware.
- [Translating Legacy Analogue RF Protocols into Modern Digital Applications: Part 2](https://betterdevices.io/blog/translating-legacy-analog-rf-protocols-into-modern-digital-applications-part-2/): In Part I, we described how we worked from undocumented RF protocols towards production.
- [White Paper: Hardware Development in Cross-Functional Agile Teams](https://betterdevices.io/blog/white-paper-hardware-development-in-cross-functional-agile-teams/): In the fast paced world of today where technology and platforms are moving fast, within weeks, days, and maybe soon in hours, the technological landscape is changing.
- [De-risking Embedded Systems Development: Why Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) Testing is Your Blueprint for Robust & Scalable Embedded Systems](https://betterdevices.io/blog/hil-testing-embedded-systems/): Embedded systems development is a complex cross-domain world.
- [Translating Legacy Analog RF Protocols into Modern Digital Applications: Part I](https://betterdevices.io/blog/translating-legacy-analog-rf-protocols-into-modern-digital-applications-part-i/): Modern products frequently encounter the challenge of integrating with outdated legacy systems.
- [Smart Homes: Are We as Connected as We Think?](https://betterdevices.io/blog/smart-homes-are-we-as-connected-as-we-think/): The idea of a fully connected smart home has been a dream for decades lights that adjust to our presence, appliances that anticipate our needs, and security systems that keep us safe without a second thought.

## Pages

- [Synapsio](https://betterdevices.io/de/synapsio/)
- [Synapsio](https://betterdevices.io/synapsio/)
- [Systemanalyse](https://betterdevices.io/de/analyse/)
- [Testinfrastruktur](https://betterdevices.io/de/testinfrastruktur/)
- [Geräteentwicklung](https://betterdevices.io/de/entwicklung/)
- [Machbarkeit & Systemarchitektur](https://betterdevices.io/de/machbarkeit/)
- [Embedded Firmware & Software Development](https://betterdevices.io/embedded-firmware-development/)
- [Referenzen](https://betterdevices.io/de/referenzen/)
- [Hardware-Kostenrechner](https://betterdevices.io/de/werkzeuge/)
- [Zusammenarbeit](https://betterdevices.io/de/zusammenarbeit/)
- [Kontakt](https://betterdevices.io/de/kontakt/)
- [Karriere](https://betterdevices.io/de/karriere/)
- [Über uns](https://betterdevices.io/de/ueber-uns/)
- [Better Devices — Embedded-Systems-Entwicklung](https://betterdevices.io/de/)
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- [About](https://betterdevices.io/about/)
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- [Home](https://betterdevices.io/)
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- [Device Testing Infrastructure](https://betterdevices.io/testing/)
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- [Feasibility & Device Architecture](https://betterdevices.io/feasibility/)

## Optional

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