09-20, 09:45–10:25 (Europe/Berlin), Main Hall
Developing new electronic circuits often requires a complete redesign, which is resource-intensive and time-consuming. While there are open-source platforms sharing entire circuits, there is little focus on sharing smaller, reusable sections of circuits. This talk introduces the concept of Edgies—minimal functional basic blocks of circuits—that can be shared, reused, and tested more efficiently, revolutionizing circuit design in a way that mirrors modern software development practices.
Edgies are the minimal functional blocks of a circuit that can be independently developed, shared, and reused. Similar to how software developers reuse libraries or modules, Edgies allow hardware designers to create, test, and reuse generic parts of circuits. This minimizes redundant work and accelerates development timelines. Like software functions, Edgies are independent, modular, and can be plugged into different projects. By isolating individual circuit components, each Edgie can be tested separately, analogous to unit testing in software development. This approach improves the reliability of the overall circuit by ensuring each part works as intended.
Edgies use generic, standardized interfaces, which function as seams. A seam in software is a place where you can alter behavior without changing the surrounding code. Similarly, in hardware, Edgies are designed with standardized connectors, allowing them to fit seamlessly into different designs and systems.