The Story of an Arduino

References

1. What Raw Materials Are Used to Make Hardware in Computing Devices?, Andrew Wheeler, 09/20/18, https://www.engineering.com/story/what-raw-materials-are-used-to-make-hardware-in-computing-devices
2. The Making of Arduino, David Kushner, 10/26/11, https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-making-of-arduino
3. A Complete Guide to CPU Recycling, No Author, 10/4/22, https://www.cjdecycling.com/a-complete-guide-to-cpu-recycling/
4. What is a Logistics Engineer?, No Author, 2/1/24, https://www.tealhq.com/career-paths/logistics-engineer
5. How a Chip Shortage Snarled Everything From Phones to Cars, Ian King, Debby Wu and Demetrios Pogkas, 3/9/21, https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2021-semiconductors-chips-shortage/

I don’t remember much about being born, except from the whispers of the people who were around me. In the lab that I was in right then, someone was etching layers onto me. And that’s when I got brusquely packed into a box.

When I woke up, there was more murmuring. The first engineer to work on me talked about her dreams to create a new type of Arduino, one that ran machine-learning algorithms right on the chip itself! She said that she was glad the material engineer sourced the materials to be more cost-effective while still durable. She also remarked that the mining operations for silicon and metals were now sustainably sourced. The scientist etching layers on me from before was probably turning me into a wafer after I was turned into silicon from quartz. I could feel the copper, iron, aluminum, tin, and lead inside of me. The copper was used for my circuits because it's an awesome conductor. But the plastic that was being attached to me was definitely not the same. I could hear voices of species long past, perhaps because of the petroleum made of ancient plants and animals from millions of years ago.

From what I heard, I gathered that the person operating on me right then was a design engineer, making sure that even with my advanced form and functionality, I was still simple enough for first-time microcontroller users to learn. After she was done with me, I was sent off to an electrical engineer to get more circuits put in. I really liked this engineer because he paid attention to what the design engineer said and made sure to integrate everything perfectly! Then I got sent off in a box again! These people really needed to start giving me warnings for this sort of stuff. However, I did learn that if “logistics engineer” came up in a conversation, it meant I was leaving soon because logistics engineers are the people who determine where PCBs like me go.

I was stuck in a box for a very long time. I heard people come and go sometimes, but nobody stopped to pick me up. I heard about a virus called Covid-19 from the TV on the wall across from me. The workers always grumbled about how Covid meant that the supply chain was disrupted so prices had to go up…was this why nobody bought me yet? I knew that I was made of metals and other hard-to-source items, but I was so close to fulfilling the design engineer’s dream! There had to be a way to get everything quicker. Then one day, the electrical engineer took me out of my box and started crying while stripping off the extra circuitry he had added. I was turned into an ordinary Arduino because the materials needed to create such an advanced chip could not be procured quickly. I heard the words “logistics engineer” before I got packed up again. My fate was set, I went into a box again.

After a long journey traveling across by boat and train, I finally landed at a shop where my human found me. She chose me the moment she laid eyes on me and now I finally had a home. My fondest memories are of this time, whether I was turned into an object to track sleep or a funny fan to turn on when the noise level got too loud. The instructions in my box said to always try new things, and that’s exactly what she did with me. Together, we were unstoppable, and time didn’t exist. We had each other's backs.

Then, one day I woke up and couldn’t feel my limbs. My human frantically tried everything she knew, searching for any single solution to get me back, but we both knew my time was up. I had spent close to 5 years with her, and now was my time to say goodbye. We tearfully departed as I was handed over to a local e-waste collection. There, the parts of me that could still work were salvaged, and my microcontroller was given to the owner. Surprisingly, it was the same design engineer! My microcontroller chip was used directly for the Arduino of her dreams. My life’s destiny was finally fulfilled!

Looking back on my past life, I am indebted to all the engineers who worked together to create me and give me the chance to meet my human. These engineers impacted all phases of my journey, shaping me into the microcontroller that I am today. My old bits and pieces have since scattered off into various projects, but I am glad that I can continue to bring joy to new people, sustainably. I will finally be able to pioneer a new type of Arduino, exactly how my creator envisioned.