SFD: Solutions by Design: some examples of past projects
Design examples:
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Design of a TCP/IP-enabled rack controller, based on a Rabbit module, for data acquisition applications
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Design of a multi-channel motor controller, based on the H8, for various robotic/mechatronics applications
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Design of a family of camera controller panels, for use in TV broadcasting
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Design of an H8-based EPOS (electronic point-of-sale) terminal, including
all hardware and core firmware
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Re-design of an audio talkback system used in TV broadcasting,
involving multiple distributed processors (embedded software entirely
re-written; new H8-based CPU card designed; PC programming software
designed)
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Design and on-going maintenance of a specialised graphical vessel
navigation application (for IBM-PC) for use in the petroleum
industry, using the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system
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Re-design of a legacy bare-board PCB tester, involving both
hardware and software design, to port the application over to the
IBM-PC (from the BBC micro), and provide many enhanced features
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Design and on-going maintenance of a comprehensive real-time fire
alarm and surveillance software package (for IBM-PC) for a paging
systems manufacturer
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Design of a multi-role protocol converter, based on a 64180 SBC,
for a paging systems manufacturer
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Design of a rugged shoe-box sized industrial PC (for SFD)
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Design of a voice-announcement "black box" (essentially
a high-quality .wav file player for use on e.g. public transport
vehicles) for a public information systems manufacturer
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Design (based on the Hitachi H8) of a prototype vehicle location
system for a public information systems manufacturer, using the GPS
system (winner of design competition held by Electronics
Engineering magazine, and featured in the April 1993 edition)
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Design, simulation and verification of a complex digital ASIC
(custom chip) for a process control equipment manufacturer
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Design and on-going maintenance of a specialised text/graphics
database editing package (for IBM-PC) for a public display systems
manufacturer
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Design of several additions to a range of industrial process controllers,
including comms support (linear, digital, microprocessor hardware &
software)
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Design of plotter interfacing and HPGL translation package for a CAD/CAM
equipment manufacturer (see also our HPGLEXP package)
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Development of the technical specification of a microprocessor-based
product for a public address systems manufacturer
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Software & hardware support tasks for a dealing room system
specialist; esp. peripheral (graphics, printer & comms) control
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Design of a comms protocol converter, for use in a SCADA application,
for a national research body
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Design of comms support software utilities
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Design of peripheral interfaces
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Design of computer-aided linear circuit analysis software
Internet/Intranet support examples:
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Design of the fivetrees shopping centre (PHP/MySQL)
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On-going system administration of
OpenBSD-based internet services provider
(fivetrees.com)
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Research and implementation of secure (SSL) e-commerce solutions
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Research and implementation of e-commerce "shopfront" solutions
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Website design and support for a growing list of clients (esp.
musicians; see Music links)
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Research into current HTML recommendations (e.g. HTML 4.01, CSS) and
conversion of legacy sites
Technical writing & documentation examples:
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Provision of a technical reference manual for an SFD-designed ASIC
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Provision of a set of three user manuals for an automatic test
equipment manufacturer
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Provision of a technical reference manual for a range of industrial
process controllers
General consultancy examples/activities:
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Research into UK markets for a French SCADA software package
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Investigation into video compression methods for a surveillance application
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Investigation into audio compression methods for a musician's Internet
collective
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Design feasibility studies; costing, planning, presentation
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Investigations, reports, market research
PC support activities:
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On-going application and support of OpenBSD
Unix as an alternative PC OS (primarily as server)
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Provision of high-end IBM-PC systems, peripherals & software
(esp. CAD/CAM, graphics, digital audio & MIDI, networks, workgroups)
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On-going general application support for a growing list of local companies
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Multimedia application and development (including audio media recording)
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Provision of advice, guidance, and sympathy
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