Hardware Programmers
With our world being so highly software driven, it can be easy to forget the uses that hardware programmers have in our world. With so many 'curtains' being raised between users and what goes on 'behind the scenes', people often do not have even the slightest clue what hardware programmers are or how essential these devices are in the development of many products used on a daily basis.
There are two main types of memory that can be used to run programs: volatile memory and non-volatile memory. Volatile memory requires a constant charge of electricity in order to hold its information, whereas non-volatile memory does not.
Thanks to the use of volatile memory, such as the RAM that is within our computers, our computers are able to be used in order to create and run new programs at will. But while this adaptability is extremely useful in the area of computers, it can be undesirable or unobtainable when it comes to other devices. When it comes to these cases, certain types of non-volatile memory can be used.
Hardware programmers work to configure the memory in certain types of non-volatile programmable circuits. But what does this matter application wise? Some of the applications it has been used for are in creating the BIOS for computers. The BIOS is the very core of the computer. Without it, your computer would never boot up! The BIOS is an example of a program that needs to be stored in a way that won't disappear when it loses power (non-volatile memory) and performs an extremely vital function. Other devices, such as calculators, are perfect examples as well.
Without hardware programmers, the world of computers and electronics as we know it would be unobtainable. While most hardware programmers are behind the scenes, used in the manufacturing of large numbers of products, the existence of these devices is integral to our every day lives.