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Developed a number of MSP430 based wireless RF modules (using the Texas Instruments Dolphin RF chip set). These modules provided wireless monitoring of cows on a dairy farm.

Developed a Visual Studio.NET PC application to display collected data (such as cow temperature). The PC application would also parse history files for each of the cows and then send signals to turn on an LED for each cow that may need something (such as medical attention).

Created a PCB Layout for control board on an Electrical vehicle. Using Altium 16 to layout a TI TMS320F2833552J2Q (176pin BGA) control board boards for a battery power vehicle. The six layer board is a mixed single design with parts on both sides and dense.

Car Wash Project

Developed iLevel Project firmware for a Microchip Pic 32 based module to monitor liquid levels (via ultrasound) of car wash chemicals (up to 12 containers). The system incorporated an embedded TCP/IP stack (by Microchip) to send system data to a remote server and an embedded web server to display liquid levels and provide system configuration. An embedded file system was used for data logging of configured events and alarms. The system could be configured to send emails when various alarm conditions were detected. A bootloader was also developed to update firmware via an internet connection.

Hardware design, part selection, bill of material and PCB layout for custom ultrasonic level measuring system. This board is designed to interface to Raspberry P3 for its core computing. Worked closely with customer on project requirements, which include mechanical size and mounting, 10 dry contact inputs (W LED indicators, 16 ultrasonic inputs sensors, one UART, one open collector output and 5 volt external Customer requirement of board has 10 dry contract inputs, 16 multiplexed ultrasonic sensors, UART and one open collect output.

(Chem Pod Controller, Dum Mixer, Meizer Alternator, Meizer Dual Panel, Tote Mixer Projects)

Developed iMixer Project firmware for a Microchip Pic 32 based module with an incorporated TCP/IP stack and embedded web pages used to monitor and control inputs and outputs from a remote location. This unit was used as a programmable controller inside automated car washes.

Developed firmware for 5 different control modules all running on the same Microchip PIC12F617 hardware. Each program used a different control algorithm (based on reading inputs and driving relays) to perform various tasks inside automated car washes. Hardware design, part selection, bill of material, PCB layout and software design for simple 8bit microchip PIC12F617 control assembly. Worked with customer personally to fulfill design requirements and cost targets. Hardware and Layout done in Altium and software completed in MPLAB X. Four different products are using same hardware and are programmable at the end of the production line.

Trade Show and store display for SC Johnson. Designed a custom board to interface with an iPod and control fragrance dispensing and RGB light show.

Miller Electric - Alfa Display Project

Developed firmware for a TI LMS Cortex-M3 based display unit. This was a general display unit with a multiple digit alfa-numeric seven segment display and multicolor LED's. The display could be configured via a serial port to display any text message (with built in scrolling) and/or any RGB color on the LED's.

Cutlery Dispenser Project

Developed firmware for a Microchip PIC 16 based cutlery dispenser (plastic spoons, forks, and knives).

Dispenser Motor Control Project

Developed firmware for a Microchip PIC 16 based motor controller used in a paper towel dispenser.

Paper Towel Dispenser

Redesigned customer requested firmware on the emotion towel dispenser.

Soap Dispenser

Did a major firmware redesign for a soap dispenser. This project involved reading an infrared sensor to detect the presence of someone's hand and dispensing soap via a motorized pump. The redesign was needed to fix issues in the hand sensing algorithms to handle error cases (such and when the infrared sensor lens got covered with soap or there was a leak in the bag of liquid soap) which caused the original system to dispense even when no hand was present.

Developed firmware for Huot Instruments a Microchip Pic 16 based module that used capacitive sensing inputs to control medical lighting to create a light contrast colored lens to focus on blood.

Joerns Healthcare - Service Motor Project

Developed firmware for a Pic 32 based monitor and control unit for hospital beds. The system incorporated an embedded web server to allow rising and lowering different parts of the bed as well as monitoring and nurse call from a remote location.

Joerns Healthcare - Smart Bed

Developed firmware for an Arduino based controller (using sketches) to interface with, control, and monitor a third party hospital bed controller. Control was done via serial port commands and responses.

Developed code air freshener projects. Projects all involved control of fragrance dispensing. Some methods were based on light and motion sensing. Other worked on elapsed time. One of the projects involved controlling and LED to make it flicker like a candle. Designed and build automated test fixtures, protocols and data collection for large scale production.

Battery Powered Projects

Design of Insect Repellent

Design of Tri-color Mode Setting Scent Controller

Design of Digital Controlled Piezo Pump

Designed Motor Drive and Control Board

Researched, Designed, and Prototyped a battery powered cost effective motion detect circuit for fragrance dispensing.

Designed new method of heating that would reduce material cost and operate over AC large voltage swings for The India.

Consent Power/Heater for dispensing gel style fragrance. This was a research project to address the +/-20 percent AC line voltage in India. Additional design goal was to cost reduce the current design from 7 cents to 5 cents.

Konica Mintolta/GBC - High Speed Paper Punch

Intergraded Konica Minolta’s communication standard into a GBC inline paper punch press. The project was based on the PIC16F family of processors.

Miller Electric - Laser Welding Project

Developed a Microchip PIC 16 series control unit for a welding gun. The controller used firmware developed on the Alfa Display Project for the user interface.

James was the Electrical/Software Engineer in newly formed laser welding business unit. This was a shuck works program where he was an integral part of getting the new process developed, validated, and commercialized.

Control software for the new process on existing invertor welding power supply. The DSP was a TI TMS32 with software writing in C and complied in CSS studio.

Laser Welding Project Management Tasks Included:

1. Control software for the new process on existing invertor welding power supply. The DSP was a TI TMS32 with software writing in C and complied in CSS studio.
2. Process control, variable control and user interface Lab-view program for communication to process control board in welding.
3. Assisted in research of new laser cladding, cutting and welding process with different laser systems.
4. Help design and complete customer specific laser welding cells and solutions. Travel to train customers in operations and maintenance.
5. Patents are pending.

Software changes to firmware for a Microchip Pic 16 based module for Kohler tank-less toilet to reduce water consumption.

Designed a custom ozone water cleaning system and made hardware changes for multiple well water cleaning systems.

Took over hardware control for existing project based on Atmel32 processor. Added Blue Tooth module and redesigned an analog section of the design to accommodate different piezo sensors.