Examples of tasks - developers vs engineers

Below, you'll find two lists of tasks. The first highlights why software developers are still essential for completing projects. The second list showcases tasks that engineers may aspire to achieve but encounter significant barriers with languages like C/C++ on embedded systems.

For developers:

1. Interrupt Service Routines (ISRs)

Handling interrupts for real-time responses to hardware events. 

2. Signal Processing

Implementing algorithms for signal processing tasks like filtering, FFT, debouncing, etc. 

3. Hardware Abstraction Layers (HAL)

Developing and interacting with manufacturer HAL libraries to abstract hardware complexities. 

4. Power Management

Implementing sleep modes and power-saving techniques to optimize energy consumption. 

5. Real-Time Operating Systems

Developing or integrating with RTOS for multitasking and scheduling. 

6. Bootloader Development

Creating bootloaders for firmware updates and bootloader protocols. 

7. Communication Protocols

Writing drivers for protocols like UART, SPI, I2C, CAN bus, Ethernet, MQTT, etc.

8. Low-Level Debugging

Utilizing debugging techniques like JTAG, SWD, printf debugging, etc. 

For engineers:

1. PID Control

Implementing PID loops for motor control, temperature control, etc., in a more intuitive and high-level manner. 

2. Real-Time Data Processing

Processing real-time data streams from sensors or external sources.

3. Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation

Developing HIL simulation environments to validate embedded systems against virtual hardware representations before deployment in real-world scenarios. 

4. Safety-Critical Systems

Implementing safety-critical functionalities with higher-level constructs for easier verification and validation. 

5. IOT communications

Implementing communications with other local or cloud devices on a high level

6. Configuration Management

Managing configurations for various hardware setups or environmental conditions. 

7. Data Logging and Analysis

Collecting data from sensors and logging it for analysis without low-level programming. 

8. High-Level Debugging

Graphing variables and machine state in real time during execution.

Real Time Python bridges the gap between low-level development tasks typically handled by developers and high-level engineering tasks that benefit from a simpler interface for implementation.