Real-World Engineering

Overview Transforming battery life through detailed power optimisation and firmware redesign. Technologies Low-power design | Firmware | Embedded systems | Power management Define the Problem A battery-powered device was failing to achieve its target operational life, limiting practical deployment. Diagnose the Root Cause Power profiling identified that several peripherals remained active during low-power states, causing significantly higher energy consumption than expected.

Overview Improving long-term system stability by identifying and eliminating rare firmware failure conditions. Technologies Embedded software | Firmware | Validation | System reliability Define the Problem A deployed embedded system occasionally locked up after extended periods of operation, despite passing normal functional testing. Diagnose the Root Cause Long-duration testing and system logging identified a rare timing condition linked to silicon-level behaviour that only

Overview Resolving intermittent communication failures caused by signal integrity problems at high data rates. Technologies Signal integrity | PCB design | High-speed interfaces | Electronics Define the Problem A system using high-speed digital interfaces exhibited communication failures that became increasingly frequent as performance requirements increased. Diagnose the Root Cause Detailed analysis identified impedance discontinuities and inadequate termination causing refl

Overview Increasing measurement consistency across production devices through calibration and compensation. Technologies Sensors | Firmware | Calibration systems | Embedded electronics Define the Problem A measurement system exhibited noticeable variation between manufactured units, reducing confidence in reported data. Diagnose the Root Cause Component tolerances and analogue variation introduced differences in sensor response across production devices. Key engineering chall

Overview Improving field reliability of USB-powered hardware operating across diverse real-world conditions. Technologies USB-C | Power architecture | Embedded systems | Reliability engineering Define the Problem A rugged USB-powered device exhibited intermittent resets during field deployment despite functioning correctly in controlled environments. Diagnose the Root Cause Variations in USB host implementations and cable behaviour introduced voltage instability under certain

Overview Recovering a late-stage compliance failure without restarting development or redesigning the core electronics. Technologies EMC | Compliance engineering | High-speed electronics | System integration Define the Problem A product failed radiated emissions testing late in development, placing project schedules and launch timelines at risk. A complete redesign would have introduced significant cost and delay. Diagnose the Root Cause Detailed investigation identified grou

Overview Enabling global satellite communication capability for standard smartphones through a compact, field-ready accessory. Technologies Satellite communications (Iridium) | GNSS | Embedded systems | Mobile integration | Power management Define the Problem Users operating in remote environments required reliable communication beyond the reach of traditional cellular networks. Conventional smartphones lacked the satellite communication capability needed to support messaging

Overview Diagnosing and validating a subtle silicon-level timing issue that impacted wireless communication stability. Technologies LoRa | Embedded systems | RF communications | Debug and validation Define the Problem During development of a LoRa communication system, intermittent timing instability was observed when operating at lower spreading factors intended to increase communication throughput. The issue appeared sporadic and difficult to reproduce consistently. Diagnose

Overview Improving RF performance in a constrained enclosure through antenna redesign and optimisation. Technologies RF design | Antenna systems | Wireless communications | System integration Define the Problem A product incorporating an eight-element antenna array exhibited poor RF performance, particularly in low signal environments where communication reliability was critical. Diagnose the Root Cause Investigation showed that antenna positioning and proximity to surroundin

Overview Improving production consistency by redesigning tolerance-sensitive circuitry. Technologies RF | Manufacturing | Electronics | Validation Define the Problem Manufactured units exhibited inconsistent behaviour, affecting production yield and increasing cost. Diagnose the Root Cause Analysis revealed sensitivity within the RF network to normal component tolerances. Key engineering challenges included: Unit-to-unit variation Production consistency Existing design limita

Overview Improving positioning performance in environments with weak or obstructed satellite visibility. Technologies GNSS | RF design | Antennas | Embedded systems Define the Problem A GPS-enabled system struggled to maintain reliable positioning performance in enclosed or signal-challenged environments. Diagnose the Root Cause Investigation showed antenna placement and surrounding structures significantly reduced signal sensitivity. Key engineering challenges included: Weak

Overview Resolving EMC failure caused by high-speed signal coupling and unintended radiation. Technologies EMC | Signal integrity | High-speed electronics | Compliance engineering Define the Problem A product failed formal EMC testing due to radiated emissions associated with a high-speed display interface operating at 148.5 MHz. Diagnose the Root Cause Investigation identified signal coupling into cable structures and enclosure features, creating unintended radiating element

Overview Reducing certification risk through structured pre-compliance engineering. Technologies EMC | Safety | RF | Compliance engineering Define the Problem A client required confidence that a product would pass formal certification testing on the first submission. Diagnose the Root Cause Multiple areas across EMC, safety and RF performance presented potential risks that could cause delays if discovered during formal testing. Key engineering challenges included: Multiple re

Overview Improving communication reliability in systems using high-speed USB interfaces. Technologies USB | Signal integrity | PCB design | High-speed electronics Define the Problem A system experienced intermittent USB communication failures under specific operating conditions. Diagnose the Root Cause Signal integrity analysis identified impedance discontinuities and routing issues affecting communication stability. Key engineering challenges included: Intermittent failures

Overview Optimising coexistence between multiple wireless technologies within a constrained enclosure. Technologies RF design | Antenna systems | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth | Cellular Define the Problem A compact product required simultaneous operation of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular radios within a restricted mechanical envelope. Diagnose the Root Cause Investigation identified antenna coupling and insufficient isolation between radio systems, degrading communication performance. Ke

Overview Developing a practical method of estimating remaining capacity in a battery chemistry where conventional state-of-charge techniques are ineffective. Technologies Battery management | Embedded systems | Low-power electronics | Sensor algorithms Define the Problem A battery-powered device using Lithium Thionyl Chloride primary cells required accurate state-of-charge monitoring for remote diagnostics and maintenance planning. However, this chemistry exhibits an extremel

Overview Hardening electronics for reliable operation in electrically hostile environments. Technologies Power electronics | Automotive electronics | Protection design | EMC Define the Problem Electronics deployed in vehicle environments experienced intermittent failures and damage due to electrical transients and supply disturbances. Diagnose the Root Cause Analysis showed the existing power input stage lacked sufficient protection against surge events, reverse polarity cond

Overview Developing a robust remote update mechanism for connected devices operating over constrained networks. Technologies Firmware | Bootloaders | IoT | Embedded systems Define the Problem Remote devices required firmware updates over very low data-rate communication links, where interruptions could occur at any time. Diagnose the Root Cause Traditional update approaches risked incomplete installations and device failure if communication was interrupted. Key engineering ch

Overview Improving communication range while remaining within regulatory transmission limits. Technologies RF design | Antennas | Wireless communications | Embedded systems Define the Problem A wireless system required greater communication range but could not increase transmission power due to regulatory constraints. Diagnose the Root Cause Investigation showed inefficiencies in antenna performance and receiver sensitivity limiting effective range. Key engineering challenges

Overview Eliminating intermittent field failures caused by electrostatic discharge events. Technologies ESD | EMC | Embedded systems | PCB design Define the Problem A deployed system experienced sporadic resets during operation, particularly in dry environments where electrostatic discharge events were more common. Diagnose the Root Cause Investigation revealed transient ESD currents coupling into a high-impedance reset path, causing unintended microcontroller resets. Key eng