Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Coredump Sessions
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #014: Why Your IoT Project Still Hasn’t Taken Off — And How to Fix It | 05 août 2025 | 00:57:04 | |
In today’s Coredump Session, the team takes a hard look at why some IoT projects stall before they ever hit scale. From organizational missteps to product-market fit challenges, they explore the hidden forces that derail even technically sound products. You’ll hear candid insights on why being “connected” isn’t enough—and what it really takes to succeed in IoT today. Key Takeaways
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to IoT Challenges 01:54 Afzal’s Journey in IoT & Early Expectations 04:11 The 500K SIM Card Mirage 08:10 Why IoT Projects Stall: Internal Resistance & Misaligned Incentives 14:25 Rethinking the “IoT” Label: Lessons from Pebble 17:28 When Good Tech Still Fails: The Organizational Blindspot 20:43 Field Reality Check: Why Real-World Feedback is Critical 26:00 Who Owns It? Accountability After Launch 29:07 Designing for Fault Tolerance in Connected Devices 32:52 Fragmentation in IoT: Meeting Diverse Customer Needs 37:27 Niche Focus as a Winning Strategy 39:57 What IoT Can Learn from AI’s Go-to-Market Playbook 44:42 Drivers for Success in the IoT Space 47:14 The Future of IoT: Regulation, Trust & E-Waste 50:32 Final Reflections on Long-Term Ownership & Customer Impact Watch this episode on YouTube Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #013: Prepping Your AI Model for the Wild: Building Edge AI Models That Work in the Real World | 23 juil. 2025 | 00:57:40 | |
In today's Coredump Session, we dive into the fascinating world of building Edge AI models that truly work in real-world environments. Joined by David Tischler, Developer Program Manager, and Alessandro Grande, Head of Product at Edge Impulse (A Qualcomm Company), we unpack what it takes to deploy AI on tiny devices, explore practical applications from wearables to industrial use cases, and discuss why customization, hardware choices, and continuous monitoring are critical for success. Tune in to explore how Edge AI is transforming device development and enabling smarter solutions. Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Teasers: Edge AI's Real-World Promise01:57 Meet Our Guests: David Tischler & Alessandro Grande from Edge Impulse05:19 How Edge AI Took Off: From Hyped to Essential09:21 Beyond Voice Commands: Emerging AI Use Cases12:02 Defining the Edge: Wearables to Factories19:09 AI's Hidden Superpower: Customization and Fine-Tuning26:15 Why AI Belongs at the Edge: Latency, Privacy, and Power28:38 Building the Software Stack: Edge AI for Embedded Engineers34:17 Choosing Your Hardware: Constraints and AI Accelerators45:42 Observability and OTA Updates: Essential for Edge AI52:28 Audience Q&A: Fine-Tuning, TinyML, and the Future Watch this episode on YouTube Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #012: Plug-and-Play Cellular Connectivity: Nearly Here or Never Happening? | 08 juil. 2025 | 00:55:05 | |
In today's Coredump Session, we delve into the evolving landscape of cellular connectivity, particularly focusing on eSIM technology and its implications for IoT devices. The discussion features insights from industry experts on the challenges and opportunities presented by cellular connectivity, the cost considerations for device makers, and the technological advancements that are shaping the future of connectivity. Key themes include the vision behind Kigen, the role of SIM technology, emerging business models, and best practices for managing device connectivity and profiles. Key Takeaways
Chapters 00:00 Intro & Teasers 03:54 The Vision Behind Kigen 06:36 Challenges and Opportunities in Connectivity 09:09 Cost Considerations in Cellular Technology 12:01 Innovative Business Models for Device Makers 14:46 Understanding SIM Technology 17:22 The Future of iSIM and SoftSIM20:19 Global Considerations for Cellular Products 30:25 Navigating IoT Network Choices 33:41 Choosing the Right Cellular Technology 36:56 Understanding eSIM and Network Management 42:05 Optimizing Device Connectivity and Provisioning 47:43 Key Considerations for New Device Makers 54:42 Outro Watch this episode on YouTube Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #011: Memfault Joins Nordic Semiconductor: What This Means for the Future of Connected Product Development | 01 juil. 2025 | 00:55:46 | |
In today's Coredump Session, François and Chris share a major milestone in Memfault’s journey: Memfault is joining forces with Nordic Semiconductor. They’re joined by Kjetil Holstad from Nordic to explore Nordic’s history, how the acquisition came to be, and the exciting future they envision together. Along the way, they dive into the evolution of Bluetooth, the challenges of building complex embedded systems, and why developer experience is at the heart of it all. Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro 02:59 The Origin Story of Nordic Semiconductor 06:11 The Evolution of Bluetooth Technology at Nordic 09:40 Bold Decisions and Learning from the Market 14:24 Nordic's Commitment to Developers and Software 17:32 The Shift Towards Software in IoT 20:04 Embracing Complexity: The Future of Nordic's SDKs 20:55 Understanding Trust Zone and Embedded Systems 21:46 The Importance of Strategic Partnerships 22:30 Building Relationships in the Tech Industry 25:09 The Value of Collaboration and Integration 27:38 Enhancing Developer Experience through Integration 32:24 Announcing the Partnership and Future Vision 33:07 Creating a Chip to Cloud Platform 36:05 Supporting Non-Nordic Devices and Ecosystem Expansion 39:10 Reactions to the Acquisition Announcement 44:58 Q&A Watch this episode on YouTube Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #010: From Pebble to Intel: can hardware startups beat the big players? | 11 juin 2025 | 00:59:16 | |
In today's Coredump Session, we explore the wild early days of Pebble and what it takes to scale a hardware startup against industry giants. From scrappy hackathons to 100+ person engineering teams, Kean Wong, former VP of Software at Pebble and now CTO at Igor, joins Memfault’s François and Chris to unpack how startups can outpace Big Tech by staying nimble, hiring wisely, and embracing constant change. Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Today’s Topic 06:00 Lessons from Scaling Teams at Pebble 12:00 Chaos, Structure, and Growing as a Startup 18:00 Building Process Without Killing Agility 24:00 Hiring Smart in Fast-Growth Environments 30:00 From Product Complexity to Organizational Change 36:00 Staying Productive Through Engineering Transitions 42:00 Applying Startup Lessons in Larger Organizations 48:00 What Kean’s Building Now at Eagor 54:00 Live Q&A and Closing Thoughts Watch this episode on YouTube Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #009: Zephyr’s Meteoric Rise and What It Means for the Future of Embedded | 27 mai 2025 | 00:59:17 | |
In today’s Coredump Session, we dive into the origins and evolution of Zephyr RTOS with Kate Stewart, VP of Dependable Embedded Systems at the Linux Foundation. From Intel’s early ambitions to a thriving global community, Kate unpacks how Zephyr grew into a leading open-source RTOS and what makes it uniquely resilient and developer-friendly. This conversation also explores the technical shifts shaping embedded development and how governance, safety, and collaboration continue to steer Zephyr’s trajectory. Speakers:
Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 04:12 Building Zephyr: Intel’s Open RTOS Bet 06:39 Governance That Guards Against Capture 08:10 Borrowing From Linux, Avoiding Its Baggage 09:41 What Makes Zephyr Different 13:55 Zephyr in Production: LTS and Real-World Adoption 16:15 Scaling with Twister and QEMU 18:15 Taming Complexity Without Losing Performance 35:45 SBOMs and the Future of Compliance 38:20 A Head Start on Security Standards 43:02 Inside Zephyr's Safety Certification Journey 46:44 Real-World Use Cases and Industry Uptake 50:25 What's Next for Zephyr and the RTOS Landscape 53:12 Final Reflections and Closing Thoughts Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #008: Navigating the Changing IoT Security Landscape: A Survival Guide for Product Leaders | 13 mai 2025 | 00:58:04 | |
In today's Coredump Session, we dive into the evolving landscape of IoT security regulations with Giovanni Alberto Falcione, CTO at Exine. From the impact of the EU's CRA to the complexities of OTA updates, Giovanni, François, and Thomas unpack what these new requirements mean for product engineers and how to navigate the increasingly stringent security landscape. Speakers:
Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction02:30 The Unseen Costs of Cybersecurity Regulation04:40 OTA Updates: Security Savior or Hidden Risk07:21 CRA vs. Other Regulations: What Matters Most10:30 The Rise of Runtime Security Monitoring12:23 Why Manufacturers Are Freaking Out About CRA15:09 The Hidden Cost of Legacy Firmware17:30 Inside the Automotive Cybersecurity Playbook21:22 eBPF: The Next Frontier in IoT Security55:38 Coffee Machines, Coffee Attacks, and Unexpected Entry Points Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #007: AI, Open Source, and the Future of Embedded Development: How Much Code Will We Actually Write? | 29 avr. 2025 | 00:55:14 | |
In today's Coredump Session, we dive into a wide-ranging conversation about the intersection of AI, open source, and embedded systems with the teams from Memfault and Goliath. From the evolution of AI at the edge to the emerging role of large language models (LLMs) in firmware development, the panel explores where innovation is happening today — and where expectations still outpace reality. Listen in as they untangle the practical, the possible, and the hype shaping the future of IoT devices. Speakers:
Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Welcome 01:10 Meet the Panel: Memfault x Golioth 02:56 Why AI at the Edge Isn’t Actually New 05:33 The Real Use Cases for AI in Embedded Devices 08:07 How Much Chaos Are You Willing to Introduce? 11:19 Edge AI vs. Cloud AI: Where It’s Working Today 13:50 LLMs in Embedded: Promise vs. Reality 17:16 Why Hardware Can’t Keep Up with AI’s Pace 20:15 Building Unique Models When Public Datasets Fail 36:14 Open Source’s Big Moment (and What Comes Next) 42:49 Will AI Kill Open Source Contributions? 49:30 How AI Could Change Software Supply Chains 52:24 How to Stay Relevant as an Engineer in the AI Era Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #006: Pebble’s Code is Free: Three Former Pebble Engineers Discuss Why It's Important (PART 2/2) | 15 avr. 2025 | 01:13:19 | |
In today’s Coredump Session, the team reunites to unpack the behind-the-scenes lessons from their time building firmware at Pebble. This episode dives into the risks, decisions, and sheer grit behind a near-disastrous OTA update—and the ingenious hack that saved a million smartwatches. It’s a candid look at the intersection of rapid development, firmware stability, and real-world consequences. Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Welcome 01:22 Why Pebble’s Firmware Was Open (and Unsigned) 05:01 The Security Tradeoffs That Enabled Speed 11:00 The OTA Bug That Could Have Bricked Everything 15:26 Hacking Our Way Out with BLE Stack Overflow 17:47 Lessons Learned: Test Automation & Static Analysis 26:30 How Pebble Built a Developer Ecosystem 29:56 CloudPebble, Watchface Generator & Developer Tools 42:55 Backporting Pebble 3.0 to Legacy Hardware 49:02 The Bootloader Rewrite & Other Wild Optimizations 53:31 Simulators, Robot Arms & Debugging in CI56:40 Firmware Signing, Anti-Rollback & Secure Update 1:06:10 Coding in Rust? What We’d Do Differently Today 1:08:28 Where to Start with Open Source Pebble Development Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #005: The Current Realities of Cellular IoT | 19 mars 2025 | 00:59:35 | |
In today’s Coredump Session, we zoom in on the rapidly evolving world of cellular IoT—what’s working, what’s changing, and what developers should know. With expert insight from Fabien Korheim of ONES, the conversation breaks down MVNOs vs MNOs, dives into certification hurdles, explores connectivity trade-offs like NB-IoT vs LTE-M, and unpacks why cellular is quietly powering more devices than you think. Whether you're building metering devices or baby monitors, this one hits the full stack—from tech to business models. Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro02:34 MVNO vs MNO: What’s the Difference?06:28 Certifications, SIMs & Simplifying Deployment12:31 NB-IoT, LTE-M, LoRaWAN & Satellite—Explained23:43 5G for IoT: Hype or Here?27:14 Top Use Cases: Meters, Trackers & Wildlife33:28 The Big Opportunity: Cellular in Consumer Devices36:33 Business Models: Who Pays for Cellular?37:49 Getting Started: Kits, SIMs & Copy-Paste Firmware41:59 Common Mistakes & What to Watch in the Field47:15 What to Measure: Observability That Scales49:13 Q&A: Prioritization, Firmware Updates, RedCap & More Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #004: The Future of Edge AI and What it Means for Device Makers | 25 févr. 2025 | 00:58:06 | |
In today’s Coredump Session, we dive into the fast-evolving world of Edge AI and its real implications for device makers. From robots that detect humans to welding machines that hear errors, we explore the rise of intelligent features at the hardware level. The conversation spans practical tools, common developer traps, and why on-device AI might be the most underrated revolution in embedded systems today. Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro02:57 What Is Edge AI Anyway?06:42 Tiny Models, Tiny Devices, Big Impact10:15 The Hardware Leap: From M4 to M55 + U5515:21 Real-World Use Cases: From ECGs to Welding Bots17:47 Spec’ing Your Hardware for AI24:15 Firmware + Inference Frameworks: How It Actually Works26:07 Why Data Is the Hard Part34:21 Where Edge AI Will—and Won’t—Take Off First37:40 Hybrid Edge + Cloud Models40:38 Business Model Shifts: AI as a Service44:20 Live Q&A: Compatibility, Labeling, On-Device Training56:48 Final Advice: Think of AI as Part of the Product Watch this episode on YouTube Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #003: Pebble's Code is Free: Three Former Pebble Engineers Discuss Why It's Important (PART 1/2) | 11 févr. 2025 | 00:49:16 | |
REGISTER FOR PART 2 OF THE PEBBLE CONVERSATION ON APRIL 15TH In this episode of Coredump, three former Pebble engineers reunite to dive deep into the technical quirks, philosophies, and brilliant hacks behind Pebble OS. From crashing on purpose to building a single codebase that powered every watch, they share war stories, bugs, and what made Pebble’s firmware both rare and remarkable. If you love embedded systems, software-forward thinking, or startup grit— this one’s for you. Key topics:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro01:10 Meet the Team: Pebble Engineers Reunite01:13 Meet the Hosts + Why Pebble Still Matters03:47 Why Open-Sourcing Pebble OS Is a Big Deal06:20 The Startup Firmware Mentality08:44 One OS, All Devices: Pebble’s Platform Bet12:30 App Compatibility and the KEMU Emulator14:51 Sandboxing, Syscalls, and Crashing with Grace20:25 Pebble File System: Built from Scratch (and Why)23:32 From Dumb to Smart: The Iterative Codebase Ethos26:09 Core Dumps: Crashing Is a Feature30:45 How Firmware Shaped Hardware Decisions33:56 Rust, Easter Eggs, and Favorite Bugs36:09 Wear-Level Failures, Security Exploits & Font Hacks39:42 Why We Chose WAF (and Regret Nothing?)42:41 What We’d Do Differently Next Time47:00 Final Q&A: Open Hardware, Protocols, and Part Two? Watch this episode on YouTube Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #002: The secrets to building secure & scalable OTA infrastructure with Nick Sinas | 18 déc. 2024 | 00:57:24 | |
In today’s Coredump Session, the team dives deep into the world of over-the-air (OTA) updates—why they matter, how they break, and what it takes to get them right. From horror stories involving IR updates in a snowstorm to best practices for deploying secure firmware across medical devices, this conversation covers the full stack of OTA: device, cloud, process, and people. It's equal parts cautionary tale and technical masterclass. Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro 03:29 Meet the Guests + OTA Gut Reactions 05:33 Why OTA Is Non-Negotiable 03:29 The OTA Wake-Up Call: Why You Need It 09:31 Building OTA into Hardware from Day One 16:49 Cloud-Side OTA: Cohorts, Load, and Timing 21:53 OTA in Regulated Industries 30:10 When OTA Breaks Itself 34:44 Minimizing OTA Risk: The Defensive Playbook 41:18 OTA and the Matter Standard 47:17 Networking Stacks, Constraints, and Reliability 51:11 Security, Scale, and the OTA Future Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #001: The future of Bluetooth connectivity with Blecon Founder, Simon Ford | 27 nov. 2024 | 01:08:30 | |
In today’s Coredump Session, we unpack the full story of Bluetooth—from its PDA-era beginnings to its rising role in cloud-connected devices. With insights from Memfault’s Chris Coleman and François Baldassari, along with Blecon’s Simon Ford, this wide-ranging conversation explores how Bluetooth Low Energy has evolved, where it thrives (and doesn’t), and why it’s often the right tool, even if it’s not a perfect one. Expect history, hot takes, and practical guidance for building better Bluetooth-powered products. Key Takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro 01:10 Meet the Guests: Bluetooth Roots at Pebble, Fitbit, and Blecon 06:51 BLE’s Breakthrough: The iPhone 4S Moment 10:22 BLE vs Classic: Why It Took Off 14:39 Specs That Shifted Everything: Packet Length, Coded PHY & LE Audio 21:41 Is BLE Still Interoperable? And Does It Matter? 28:22 The BLE Cloud Puzzle: Gateways, Phones & Golden Gate 38:40 BLE’s Sweet Spot: Power, Latency & When It Just Works 47:12 Operating BLE Devices in the Wild: What to Track & Why 57:40 Mesh Ambitions vs Reality Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||
| #000: How New IoT Security Regulations Will Shape the Industry's Future | 17 sept. 2024 | 01:03:31 | |
In today's Coredump Session, Memfault’s François Baldassari and Chris Coleman unpack the sweeping impact of new IoT security regulations like the CRA and the Cyber Trust Mark. From shocking real-world exploits to smart compliance strategies, they explore what these changes mean for hardware teams and the future of connected devices. If you ship firmware or build IoT products, this one’s essential listening. Key takeaways:
Chapters: 00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro 01:03 Meet the Hosts: François and Chris from Memfault 03:40 Why IoT Security Is Still So Behind 07:15 Vulnerabilities, Legacy Chips, and Who’s to Blame 10:12 Wireless Protocols: Still a Huge Attack Surface 13:28 If You Ship Without OTA, You're Asking for Trouble 20:50 Introducing the CRA and Cyber Trust Mark 23:38 What the CRA Actually Requires 31:45 Reconciling Security Monitoring with GDPR 34:07 Cyber Trust Mark vs CRA: US vs EU Approaches 41:05 What You Can Do Today to Prepare 46:33 How Long Do You Have to Support a Device? 52:19 Attack Surfaces: Even a Projector Isn't Safe 56:06 Lifecycle Support and Product Lifespan Realities 58:51 Observability in Low-Resource Devices 1:00:34 Connected Architectures & Multichip Compliance 1:01:43 IoT Devices with Limited Bandwidth & OTA Constraints Watch this episode on YouTube Follow Memfault Other ways to listen: | |||