Embedded Development

We are able to offer a complete design and development service for all your embedded projects. Our capabilities include hardware and software, as well as schematic capture and printed circuit board layout.

Our preference is for developing products using the MSP430 range of microcontrollers from Texas Instruments, or the PICmicro range from Microchip Technology Inc. For the high end we recommend ARM based devices. We have considerable experience with the ATMEL AT91 range of ARM devices. These offer a very competitive price performance ratio.
We have experience with many other architectures, including 8051 and 6805 variants, so if the above mentioned devices do not fit you requirements, we would be happy to work with whatever best matches your needs.

Please scroll down for a brief description of some of the embedded projects that we have developed.

Video Gaming Terminal
Pocketop Palm keyboard with IrDA interface
Refrigeration controller
Data logger with flash MMC
Temperature display with graphic LCD

Video Gaming Terminal

Video Gaming unit, based on an Atmel AT91 ARM7TDMI CPU, supplemented by an MSP430F148 slave processor. The display is driven by a Epson S1D13806 video graphics controller. The system includes high quality stereo sound, a touch screen, a ticket printer, bill acceptor interface, as well as RS-485 and fibre optic networking.

Pocketop Palm keyboard with IrDA interface

We were responsible for developing the pre-production prototype of the Pocketop Portable Keyboard, for Pocketop Computer Corporation. This keyboard when folded, has a similar form factor to a Palm PDA. Communications with the Palm is via Infra Red wireless technology.

Refrigeration controller

This is a state of the art refrigeration controller, designed for Traulsen, a major commercial refrigeration manufacturer. Based on a PIC17C756A micro-controller, it offers versatility, and a number of features that were previously unavailable in a single, compact unit.

Hardware features:

• Four temperature sensors (thermistors).
• Relative humidity sensor.
• 64 Kb non-volatile memory (I2C eeprom).
• RS485 serial interface.
• IrDA infra red interface.

Software features:

• Precise temperature control and monitoring.
• Energy management - automatic control of anti-condensate door heaters.
• Continual environment recording, maintenance of a 72 hour log to meet HACCP requirements.
• Intelligent defrost control.
• Built in alarms - under and over temperature, power loss, sensor failure, clogged condenser, door open.
• Service diagnostics.
• Versatile - can be configured for a variety of freezers and refrigerators.

This controller is completely parameter driven, allowing it to be configured for a wide range of freezers and refrigerators. Parameters are stored in non-volatile memory, so once it has been configured, settings will be permanently maintained. Parameters can be configured from the front panel pushbuttons, from a PC via the serial port, or from a handheld Palm OS based computer, using a serial or IrDA interface.

The non-volatile memory, is also used to store a log of the last 72 hours of operation. The log may be transferred to a PC or handheld computer via the aforementioned serial or IrDA interfaces.

Up to 32 controllers may be connected to the serial port of a PC, using an RS485 adapter. We have also developed a Palm based application, that allows service personnel to download the data log, obtain diagnostic information, and set operational parameters.

Data logger with flash memory card

This data logger is based on a PIC17C756, it was designed for logging temperature and a number of digital inputs. The data logger includes a modem, a flash memory MultiMedia Memory Card (MMC), as well as a battery backed up real time clock for times tamping the records.
Data is saved to the MultiMedia Memory Card, which can then be moved to a PC in order to transfer the logged data.
For remote locations, the data can be download via the modem, for which we supplied a custom Windows application.