Hardware in the loop (HIL) workflow writes ESP32 code and runs hardware tests autonomously

· Adafruit Industries Blog · Nov. 10, 2026, 8:46 p.m.
Summary
This blog post discusses a hardware in the loop (HIL) development setup by Andreas Spiess that utilizes AI to autonomously write and test firmware for ESP32 devices. The Embedded AI Harness integrates AI with hardware for efficient testing and revision of code based on real-time results. Key features include fault injection testing and automation using GitHub Actions. An example project is a smart meter sensor that operates over MQTT and supports over-the-air updates.