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 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 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 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 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 Protecting critical information during unexpected power interruptions. Technologies Embedded systems | Firmware | Flash storage | Data integrity Define the Problem Critical data stored in flash memory occasionally became corrupted during unexpected power loss. Diagnose the Root Cause Non-atomic write behaviour left memory vulnerable during interrupted storage operations. Key engineering challenges included: Power interruption scenarios Data integrity requirements Sto

Overview Improving system resilience during unstable supply conditions. Technologies Power systems | Embedded systems | Firmware | Reliability engineering Define the Problem Products operating from unstable power sources exhibited unpredictable behaviour during supply voltage drops. Diagnose the Root Cause The system lacked controlled brownout handling, allowing undefined states during transitions. Key engineering challenges included: Unstable input sources Multiple operating

Objective Monitor the life and condition of panel air filters in industrial air handling systems, transitioning from time-based to service-based replacements with fault monitoring. Solution Innovisory developed a back-end dashboard system to monitor each system and panel filter condition. We began with a prototype system, capturing Filtrex’s requirements and creating a basic, low-cost platform for trialling. Feedback from the successful trial allowed us to refine the requirem

Overview: Designing and deploying a scalable, low-power monitoring platform that transformed industrial air filtration from time-based maintenance to condition-based servicing. Technologies LoRa | Low-power embedded systems | Cloud platform | Industrial sensing The Problem Industrial air handling systems traditionally rely on fixed maintenance schedules to replace panel filters, regardless of their actual condition. This often results in unnecessary servicing, increased opera

Overview Maintaining accurate timing across distributed connected systems. Technologies Embedded systems | Timing systems | Wireless communications | Firmware Define the Problem A distributed system required accurate timing alignment across multiple communicating devices. Diagnose the Root Cause Clock drift and communication latency reduced synchronisation accuracy over time. Key engineering challenges included: Distributed architecture Variable communication delays Long-term