How AI Will Revolutionize PCB Design Faster Than You Think
AI Isn’t Coming For Electronics Design. It’s Already Here. Matt (founder of Atopile) and Seve (founder of TSCircuit) return with a deep dive into the rapidly shifting world of electronics and mechanical design. In this episode, they discuss how AI is reshaping every part of the hardware stack: from PCB layouts to robotic assembly. What you'll learn today: * Why "arms in a box" robotics startups are booming * How Meta’s world models might replace control loops * The explosive growth of synthetic data for training AIs * Why OpenCascade and legacy CAD tools are holding engineers back * The rise of custom, code-native CAD kernels like Zoo * The power of constraint-based design thinking * Could text-to-CAD finally be useful in real workflows? * Why betting on “X as code” years ago is paying off now Whether you’re a hardware engineer, an AI researcher, or a curious builder, this conversation reveals the core changes happening right now in how electronics are designed. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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The Future of Circuit Boards: Code, Constraints, and LLMs
In this episode of electronics.dev, Seve (founder of tscircuit) and Matt (founder of atopile) break down a quiet revolution in electronics: designing circuit boards with code and compiler-like workflows, not traditional schematics. They dive into: * Why traditional EDA tools limit innovation* How constraints, templates, and AI are unlocking more expressive, testable circuit design* The surprising overlap between web layout (CSS) and PCB layout* How tools like atopile let you think in relationships, not in traces* What “spatial reasoning” really means for engineers, and why half of us may be bad at it* Why autonomous layout and reference design matching will change everything Along the way, the duo shares reflections on: * The enduring power of sketching in engineering* Using AI as a design partner (and critique engine)* How mechanical and electronics design differ, and what each can learn from the other* Why circuit fabrication is standardized, but placement logic is still tribal knowledge If you’ve ever written hardware configuration code, fought with schematic tools, or dreamt of a world where hardware is as programmable and composable as software, this episode is for you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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Inside a North Korean Missile: What Chips Are Inside?
Seve (founder at tscircuit) and Matt (founder at atopile) tear into the wild intersection of geopolitics and hardware as they explore a North Korean KN-23 ballistic missile teardown. This episode reveals how Western components still end up in restricted military tech, and how second-hand supply chains blur the line between hobby electronics and weapons of war. But the conversation doesn’t stop there. From chip smuggling to the future of prototyping, this episode explores how electronics shape everything from missiles to laundry robots. What You’ll Learn Today: * How NXP, Analog Devices, and Fairchild chips wound up in a North Korean missile * The surprising link between PlayStation 2 and military supercomputers * Why chip reverse engineering is rarely worth it, unless you're a rogue state* How China is trying (and struggling) to close the chip tech gap* Why ASML is a single point of failure for the global chip industry* The future of humanoid robots and open-source robotics startups* A new “jumperless breadboard” that redefines prototyping* A wild idea for a fully automated PCB assembly shop Whether you're into defence tech, microcontroller ecosystems, or the nerdy tools reshaping prototyping and manufacturing, this episode will blow your mind! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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The Desktop PCB Revolution Is Here!
Are we finally close to fabbing real PCBs at home?In this episode, Seve (tscircuit) and Matt (atopile) go deep into the state of DIY PCB fabrication: why it feels like the early days of 3D printing, what's still holding it back, and what could push it over the edge.We talk lasers, vias, copper, tariffs, and some surprising hacks people use to prototype faster without sending things to China.What You’ll Learn Today:* How fiber lasers are being used to blast copper off PCBs* Why vias are still the bottleneck for DIY PCB prototyping* What a $200K laser ablation machine actually does* How one engineer claims to make PCBs with no chemicals at all* Whether DIY sintered copper vias might actually work* How U.S. tariffs sparked a wave of fake “local” PCB fabs* Why 3D printing and PCB fab might follow the same path* What still needs to happen before in-house PCB manufacturing is truly usableWhether you're building hardware, designing boards, or just wondering what’s next for fast prototyping, this is one of our most technical and fun episodes yet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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Building PCBs with Code is The Future of Hardware Design
Join Seve (founder at tscircuit) and Matt (founder at atopile) for a no-fluff conversation about the future of electronics design. In this episode, the founders dive deep into:* Why designing PCBs with code is better than legacy schematic tools* How Chinese factories like JLCPCB dominate with software automation* The hidden costs of tariffs — and why they don’t actually help US manufacturing* Why open-source hardware and standards like ODB++ and IPC are a mess* Real talk on US vs. Chinese PCB fabs, and what needs to changeWhether you're a hardware engineer, startup founder, or just curious about how electronics are made, this episode is packed with firsthand insights, rants, and laughs.Bonus topics:* Automating your business taxes with AI* What “open source” really means in 2025* The surprisingly painful experience of launching a landing page This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit electronics.dev
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