logo

Product Design and Manufacturing

 
Consulting

Before starting any job it's important to hammer out a specification for what is expected.  Communication skills are an essential part of this process because many clients don't have the detailed technical understanding of what it takes to convert that napkin drawing into a real product. Flexability is another requirement! Without exception, every design I've started has had more than one mid-course correction, most often from the clients themselves.

A consultant must also keep up on the ever changing tecnologies of the day! But, there is so much to know, it's best to focus ones skills. I now intend to take my knowledge and experience of Microchip PIC® MCU controllers and expand into the rapidly growing Android market. The need for Android to external embedded controller functionality is very high, with many large corporations getting involved. As part of that effort I am prototyping an embedded controller with Bluetooth and jumping into Android programming. I've found some unique programming tools from Anywhere Software (Awesome software: Imagine being able to create an App for your smartphone with no prior knowledge of the Android OS, or JAVA for that matter within one day). Tools like these are critical to today's fast turn-around environment. Also, due to my interest in blind and vision impaired accessability I am also researching how blind accessability to the Android platform might be achieved with simple touch screen gestures and TTS voice response.

I looking forward to talking with my next prospective client, and I hope to add your project here soon!

 

MAJOR PROJECTS AND CLIENTS


QUICKPAD PRO:  A portable general purpose DOS based "laptop."  Developed for Quickpad Technology. (1999 - 2003)

QuickPad ProAn alternative to the expensive laptops of the day.  Looking at my other projects you can see where the Audible Assistant was derived from!  In addition to what is described above, there was an accessory board that could be changed according to clients needs.  Several versions of the QuickPad Pro were developed.  Included was a PIC® MCU based battery charger (12C671) and PIC® MCU based USB (PIC16C745).  Various device versions included wireless options (based on RFM TR1000).  Plug in options included modems, or a text to speech synthesizer with audio out and internal speakers.  Another client (Assistive Technology, Inc) received a version for the severely handicapped (much like the device Stephen Hawking uses).  Both the Quickpad IR and the PRO still have activity on various forums, and used models can still be purchased on Ebay..

Brooks Technology,  Killeen, TX, 76542
  website by CindyWheeler.com