How Embedded Systems Hooked Me

When I started computer engineering, I thought I was going to write a lot of Python and maybe some web apps.
Then I met SystemVerilog, UART timing diagrams, and the absolute joy of getting a waveform to match what was in my head.

Over the past few quarters, I’ve worked on:

• A Moore FSM-based UART receiver
• A custom 9-bit RISC-like ISA with an 8-bit datapath
• Weird little projects that live halfway between hardware and software

There’s something really satisfying about designing a module, synthesizing it, and then watching real signals appear on a board or in a waveform.

Why embedded clicks for me

1. Constraints feel good.
   You don’t have infinite memory or compute, so every decision matters.

2. You see the whole stack.
   From flip-flops to machine code to C to the application, it’s all connected.

3. Debugging is a puzzle.
   ”Why is this bit flipping at the wrong time?” is somehow fun when the solution is in a timing diagram.

What I’d like to work on next

I’d love to:

• Build a small bare-metal project on a microcontroller.
• Explore more communication protocols (I²C, SPI) beyond the classroom labs.
• Tie everything back into something practical, like a sensor-based project.

This blog will probably have more posts where I break down specific labs or projects, partially for future-me, and partially for anyone else who enjoys blinking LEDs a little too much.