<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-7932" src="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/721-JuliaDesmazes.png" alt="" width="600" height="600" srcset="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/721-JuliaDesmazes.png 1024w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/721-JuliaDesmazes-300x300.png 300w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/721-JuliaDesmazes-150x150.png 150w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/721-JuliaDesmazes-768x768.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
Welcome <a href="https://talesonthewire.com">Julia Desmazes of Tales on The Wire</a>
<ul>
<li>Follow along with the blog post we discuss <a href="https://talesonthewire.com/projects/two_weeks_until_tapeout/">Two Weeks Until Tapeout</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://tinytapeout.com/">Matt Venn &#8211; TinyTapeout</a> &#8211; Episode <a href="https://theamphour.com/616-open-source-tapeout-with-matthew-venn/">616</a> and <a href="https://theamphour.com/672-silicon-revolution-with-matt-venn/">672</a></li>
<li><a href="https://theamphour.com/650-accessible-asics-with-andreas-olofsson/">Andreas Olofsson &#8211; openroad/openlane</a> &#8211; Episode <a href="https://theamphour.com/254-an-interview-with-andreas-olofsson-adaptevas-ampliative-abacus/">254</a> and <a href="https://theamphour.com/650-accessible-asics-with-andreas-olofsson/">650</a></li>
<li><a href="https://wafer.space">Tim Ansell &#8211; Wafer.space</a> &#8211; Episode <a href="https://theamphour.com/375-an-interview-with-tim-mithro-ansell/">375</a>, <a href="https://theamphour.com/501-discussing-the-open-source-pdk-with-tim-ansell/">501</a>, and <a href="https://theamphour.com/703-building-wafer-space-with-tim-ansell/">703</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JTAG">JTAG</a></li>
<li>How do you know that tooling is or isn&#8217;t working?</li>
<li><a href="https://talesonthewire.com/projects/blake2s_hashing_accelerator_a_solo_tapeout_journey/">Accelerator</a></li>
<li>Rabbithole with floating point (<a href="https://talesonthewire.com/projects/floating_dragon/">post updated after recording</a>)</li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/Essenceia/BFloat16">BFloat16</a></li>
<li>Follow Julia on GitHub<a href="https://github.com/Essenceia/BFloat16"><code class="inline-code" spellcheck="false">https://github.com/Essenceia</code></a><code class="inline-code" spellcheck="false"></code></li>
<li><a href="https://www.kapla.com/en/architecture-in-versailles_i39.html">Kapla (official website</a>, not the much cheaper alibaba version):</li>
<li><a href="https://dmitry.gr/?r=05.Projects">Dimity Grinberg</a> personal blog</li>
</ul>

<description>Julia Desmazes joins Chris to discuss designing chips for fun and getting an entire design done in 2 weeks to make a tapeout deadline. Julia built accerlators and has continued to dive deeper into on and off chip tooling for greater visibility into the silicon she gets back from the fab.</description>

Julia Desmazes joins Chris to discuss designing chips for fun and getting an entire design done in 2 weeks to make a tapeout deadline. Julia built accerlators and has continued to dive deeper into on and off chip tooling for greater visibility into the...

Julia Desmazes joins Chris to discuss designing chips for fun and getting an entire design done in 2 weeks to make a tapeout deadline. Julia built accerlators and has continued to dive deeper into on and off chip tooling for greater visibility into the silicon she gets back from the fab.

#721 – Chip Design for Fun (and Waffles) with Julia Desmazes

<img decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-7927" src="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/720.png" alt="" width="600" height="600" srcset="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/720.png 1024w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/720-300x300.png 300w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/720-150x150.png 150w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/720-768x768.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7434631348432039936">Canonical (the makers of Ubuntu) acquired Golioth</a>, meaning Chris is moving from a 12-person startup to an organization of over 1,200 people</li>
<li>Dave found <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonical_(company)#/media/File:Canonical_-_Ecosystem_-_Mind_Map_-_v20231018.png">this chart of Canonical products on wikipedia to be useful</a></li>
<li>An increase in professional travel from zero weeks to six weeks per year following the acquisition, including &#8220;sprints&#8221; in cities like London</li>
<li>The naming convention for Ubuntu releases (Year.Month) and the importance of Long Term Support (LTS) versions for backporting security vulnerabilities</li>
<li>Ubuntu Core’s role in embedded Linux devices, utilizing an immutable kernel and &#8220;snaps&#8221; for field update</li>
<li>Dave believes he influenced the Emergency Situation Surcharge at DHL after asking why it is still happening</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmhu0Yvba2Y">Dave’s transition to a &#8220;Hipster Dave&#8221; persona,</a> complete with a secondhand Mac and a goatee</li>
<li>The implementation of <a href="https://openclaw.ai/">OpenClaw</a>, a scripting service that interfaces with LLMs to act as an &#8220;automated intern&#8221; for repetitive administrative tasks</li>
<li>Chris really likes<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzWI3Dil9Ig"> this video showing how to use OpenClaw</a></li>
<li>Using OpenClaw to automate forum registration approvals to combat high volumes of bot activity</li>
<li>The security implications of AI agents, emphasizing that they should be treated like interns with limited access to sensitive data and separate accounts</li>
<li><a href="https://newsroom.arm.com/news/arm-agi-cpu-launch">ARM released its first physical server chip</a>, measuring approximately 70mm, marking a shift from a pure IP company to a hardware competitor.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/24/arm-stock-pops-haas-chip-cpu.html">The Super Micro CEO smuggling scandal</a>, where the founder was accused of smuggling $2.5 billion worth of Nvidia chips.</li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyber_Resilience_Act">The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)</a> and its requirement for nearly all CE-marked electronic products to be updatable by December 2027.</li>
<li>Potential impacts of the CRA on one-time programmable (OTP) devices and the necessity of maintaining firmware support for five years post-product life.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/analyzing-elon-musks-terafab-a-step-towards-tesla-and-spacexs-partial-vertical-integration-or-an-unattainable-dream">SpaceX’s plans for a &#8220;Terafab&#8221;</a> a manufacturing facility ten times larger than a Gigafactory designed to verticalize the entire supply chain from silicon wafers to final packaging.
<ul>
<li>Editor&#8217;s note: despite cool tech stuff happening, Elon is&#8230;so lame.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/24/nasa-to-spend-20-billion-on-moon-base-cancel-orbiting-lunar-station.html">NASA’s cancellation of the Lunar Gateway project</a> in favor of a direct path to establishing a moon base within the next five to seven years.</li>
<li>Pop culture recommendations including the series<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_All_Mankind_(TV_series)"> For All Mankind</a> and The Expanse, along with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Delta-v-Daniel-Suarez/dp/1524742414">the book Delta V.</a></li>
</ul>

<description>Dave and Chris discuss Golioth getting acquired by Canonical (makers of Ubuntu), trying out OpenClaw in the lab, changes to space plans, big new factories, Arm making chips, and more!</description>

Dave and Chris discuss Golioth getting acquired by Canonical (makers of Ubuntu), trying out OpenClaw in the lab, changes to space plans, big new factories, Arm making chips, and more!

#720 – Hyper Growth and OpenClaw Interns

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-7922" src="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AlexLidow-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AlexLidow-300x300.png 300w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AlexLidow-150x150.png 150w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AlexLidow-768x768.png 768w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AlexLidow.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Alex is founder and CEO of Efficient Power Conversion, a leading manufacturer of GaN MOSFET&#8217;s.
Alex is also the inventor of the original Power MOSFET and HEXFET at International Rectifier. 
Also, former CEO of International Rectifier (founded by his father!), 
https://epc-co.com 
We cover everything from inventing the power MOSFET on his first day on the job to silicon physics, AI data centres and humanoid robots. Enjoy.

<description>Alex is founder and CEO of Efficient Power Conversion, a leading manufacturer of GaN MOSFET's.

Alex is also the inventor of the original Power MOSFET and HEXFET at International Rectifier.
Also, former CEO of International Rectifier (founded by his father!),
https://epc-co.com
We cover everything from inventing the power MOSFET on his first day on the job to silicon physics, AI data centres and humanoid robots. Enjoy.</description>

Alex is founder and CEO of Efficient Power Conversion, a leading manufacturer of GaN MOSFET's. - Alex is also the inventor of the original Power MOSFET and HEXFET at International Rectifier. Also, former CEO of International Rectifier (founded by his...

Alex is founder and CEO of Efficient Power Conversion, a leading manufacturer of GaN MOSFET's. 
 
Alex is also the inventor of the original Power MOSFET and HEXFET at International Rectifier. 
Also, former CEO of International Rectifier (founded by his father!), 
https://epc-co.com 
We cover everything from inventing the power MOSFET on his first day on the job to silicon physics, AI data centres and humanoid robots. Enjoy.

#719 – Inventing the Power MOSFET with Alex Lidow

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-7915" src="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/718-ZachariahPeterson.png" alt="" width="600" height="600" srcset="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/718-ZachariahPeterson.png 1024w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/718-ZachariahPeterson-300x300.png 300w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/718-ZachariahPeterson-150x150.png 150w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/718-ZachariahPeterson-768x768.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
Welcome<a href="https://www.zachariahpeterson.com/"> Zachariah Peterson</a> of <a href="https://www.nwengineeringllc.com/">Northwest Engineering Solutions</a>!
<ul>
<li>Zach listed the various places people can find his work, including
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AltiumAcademy/shorts">The Altium YouTube channel</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Zachariah-Peterson">Zach&#8217;s YouTube channel</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.zachariahpeterson.com/">His personal technical blog</a></li>
<li><a href="https://resources.altium.com/experts/zachariah-peterson">The Altium Blog</a></li>
<li>various industry conferences like PCB West 01:10</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Zach mentions that he has been creating video content and seminars for several years, traveling to places like Denmark to teach high-speed design. 01:10</li>
<li>They discuss the recent acquisition of Altium by Renesas and how the company is trying to balance enterprise features with the needs of individual users. 03:15</li>
<li>He notes that the pricing for professional design software has recently become more accessible for freelancers and consultants. 11:15</li>
<li>He suggests that learning the fundamentals of EMC is one of the best ways for an engineer to become more valuable in the industry. 14:00</li>
<li>He warns against relying solely on semiconductor data sheets for EMC guidance because they often contain outdated or incorrect information. 18:45</li>
<li>They talk about the massive costs and delays that happen when a product fails its initial testing runs in a lab. 21:00</li>
<li>Zach shares how his background in applied physics and lasers made it easier for him to transition into high-speed RF and digital design. 25:15</li>
<li>He explains that he relies on mental models and specialized software tools more than solving complex equations by hand on a daily basis. 27:00</li>
<li>He stresses the importance of understanding the physical manufacturing process, such as how circuit boards are pressed and laminated. 30:00</li>
<li>They discuss the common problem of engineers over-specifying expensive materials when a cheaper option would work perfectly fine. 32:45</li>
<li>Zach predicts that the most useful AI tools will eventually be built directly into existing PCB design software rather than living in separate browser tabs. 35:30</li>
<li>He shares how he uses AI to quickly find generic part numbers, which saves him a lot of tedious manual searching. 42:00</li>
<li>He compares different AI design tools, noting that some generate schematics from data sheets while others use proven building blocks. 46:30</li>
<li>He describes an internal tool he is building to help him search through and reuse circuitry from his own past projects. 49:30</li>
<li>He admits he isn&#8217;t a fan of code-based schematics because he prefers graphical tools and doesn&#8217;t consider himself a professional coder. 51:00</li>
<li>He tells the story of how his popular one-minute design reviews started as a spontaneous way to manage the many requests he receives on LinkedIn. 54:00</li>
<li>He points out that many designers fail to use their software&#8217;s built-in design rule checks, leading to thousands of avoidable errors. 58:45</li>
<li>They talk about the decline of mentorship in the industry and the risk of companies losing important tribal knowledge as senior engineers retire. 61:15</li>
<li>Zach shares his goals for the coming year, including a deeper focus on manufacturing nuances and advanced EMC testing standards. 66:00</li>
<li>He encourages engineers of all levels to attend industry conferences like PCB West and DesignCon to learn directly from experts. 70:00</li>
<li>They conclude the episode by sharing where listeners can find more of his technical articles and videos online. 1:02:30</li>
</ul>

<description>Zachariah Peterson joins Chris to discuss doing PCB layout and creating content for engineers looking to learn more about how to build their own PCBs</description>

Zachariah Peterson joins Chris to discuss doing PCB layout and creating content for engineers looking to learn more about how to build their own PCBs

#718 – Layout Review with Zachariah Peterson

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-7910" src="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/717.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="600" srcset="https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/717.jpg 1024w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/717-300x300.jpg 300w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/717-150x150.jpg 150w, https://theamphour.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/717-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<ul>
<li>Chris will be having <a href="https://theamphour.com/london2026">a meetup in London March 8th, 2026 click here for more info</a>. He will also be at Embedded World the following week at various events.</li>
<li>Dave is also headed to a meetup in Sydney that he has presented at in the past.</li>
<li>The &#8220;lazy man move&#8221; for meetup organizers: scheduling events within walking distance of home to simplify travel logistics.</li>
<li>Chris provides details on his latest high-density hardware project, a 22mm circular board packed with 0201 components, Bluetooth, and a suite of sensors, noting a move from BGA to QFN for better assembly reliability.</li>
<li>There is significant skepticism regarding &#8220;solid-state transformers&#8221; and tech articles claiming they will replace the traditional power grid, with the hosts citing efficiency losses that become massive at megawatt scales.</li>
<li>A fascinating look into global supply chains reveals how a single AI prompt can be traced back through layers of manufacturing to sugarcane fermentation and high-purity quartz mines in Spruce Pine, North Carolina.</li>
<li>The creeping normalization of biometric face scanning in public spaces, from water park lockers to international airport terminals.</li>
<li>The marketing tactics behind Donut Lab’s solid-state battery claims, explaining how &#8220;independent third-party testing&#8221; can be carefully hand-picked to avoid industry standards. They want us  to talk about it like this</li>
<li>The nuances of UL certification explains how companies sometimes use specific lab reports to imply broader official endorsements that do not actually exist.</li>
<li>Dave shares his experience watching the show Silicon Valley with his son and discusses the &#8220;hideous accuracy&#8221; of the Australian public service comedy Utopia.</li>
<li>The pros and cons of modular hardware are debated, covering the Framework laptop’s &#8220;Ship of Theseus&#8221; repairability model versus high-end gaming tablets like the Asus ROG Flow Z13.</li>
<li>Dave’s viral social media quest for the best Linux distribution leads to a consensus on Linux Mint as the top choice for beginners, fueling the ongoing joke about the &#8220;Year of the Linux Desktop&#8221;.</li>
<li>Recent industry news highlights the release candidate for KiCad 10 and the discovery of a three-cent Paduk microcontroller performing auxiliary functions inside Rode wireless microphones.</li>
<li>Pimoroni did extreme an cooling project back in 2024 that successfully overclocked the RP2350 microcontroller to 800 MHz. We just found out about it from a post from Jeff Geerling.</li>
</ul>

<description>This week we talked about upcoming travel, solid state transformers, battery testing, new small circuit boards, and a bunch more.</description>

This week we talked about upcoming travel, solid state transformers, battery testing, new small circuit boards, and a bunch more.

#717 – Back on the road in ’26

A weekly podcast about the electronics industry. Occasional guests. Lots of laughs.

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