I'm an engineer. It's not what I do, it's who I am
I didn't choose my career, it chose me. I've been an engineer since I was old enough to pick up a tool
Along the way, I've worked in many different engineering disciplines, but they all share the same characteristics
All of engineering is the same. Start with a problem to be solved, then select from the tools available to solve it. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of each tool. The more tools you have, the better. Then construct a path from where you are to where you need to be, using the available tools and knowledge, like solving a puzzle. The tools can include skills, knowledge, team members, vendors, money and whatever else is available
Some employers, particularly in the defense industry, believe in specialization..extreme specialization
I disagree. I'm a generalist...and proud of it!
I've built successful projects in all of the construction trades including carpentry, cabinet making, plumbing, electrical, painting, drywalling, roofing, cement finishing..etc. I'm also a skilled machinist, both manual and CNC, working on gaining proficiency at welding and glasswork
But most of my work has been done in software and electronic design
I think the term "Jack of all trades, master of none" misses the point
I prefer to say... "I'm a master of one trade..engineering"
Currently inventing and manufacturing innovative new tools and machines for glassworking in collaboration with top glassworkers
Designed next generation, configurable software architecture based on ARM processor
Designed circuit and PCB and wrote all software for an amplifier simulator. This allowed testing of the control software function without an amplifier and its associated test instruments
Designed digital circuits and PC boards for several microprocessor based control systems for high power solid state microwave amplifiers
Wrote all software for the microcontrollers and Windows based GUIs
Designed circuits and PC Boards and wrote all software for a smart, fast battery charger for large industrial batteries. System includes battery monitor device to measure and log battery parameters during charge and discharge. The battery monitor uses both wired and wireless communication
Designed circuits and PC Boards and wrote all software for an ATM anti-fraud system. This system detects the presence of a "skimmer", a device sometimes attached to the ATM by identity thieves
Reverse-engineered an undocumented point of sale system to add a high security PIN entry device. Designed Circuit and PCB and wrote all software
Designed and wrote all software for an audio/visual display system for the USPTO museum. This system consisted of 100 networked computers playing audio, full motion video (including hi-def), lighting, animation and effects
Designed and wrote all software for a system to increase pilot safety during military helicopter landings in "dust-out" conditions
The multi-threaded realtime software acquired images and navigation data from a high resolution camera, laser rangefinder, GPS and 1553 data bus, then projected the images into a CGI 3D coordinate system. A graphic element representing the landing zone was overlaid onto the image. The crew could then visualize the realtime aircraft position relative to the projected photo and graphic overlay
Successfully demonstrated the system for the AFRL on a special forces helicopter
Designed and programmed the control system for a lane departure warning system for a major automobile manufacturer
Designed and programmed an automotive blind-spot warning system
These projects used the QNX operating system for high reliability
Designed and programmed a moving map system for automotive navigation. Unlike existing systems, this system was able to smoothly zoom and scroll the map
Designed and programmed a 16 camera panoramic camera system. This multi-threaded system combined the uncompressed images from 16 cameras into a scrollable, zoomable panoramic image. Motion tracking and realtime recording, timeshift and replay were also provided
Designed mechanical system, PC boards and wrote software for a haptic user interface. This interface featured programmable knobs that could switch their feel from detents to viscous drag to a flywheel-like inertia
Designed and programmed a data acquisition and display system for digitizing Radar data at 30MHz. Wrote high performance kernel mode device drivers using DMA
Designed and programmed control and display systems for the MaxiMog demonstration vehicle
Designed and programmed the automation systems for the SmartTruck, an auto-show vehicle project for the Army
Programmed a wide variety of interfaces for various hardware required by other projects
Designed, coded, tested, documented and installed the Access Metreon stored value card system. The system included point of sale stations and self-service kiosks to sell the cards, and three types of point of use terminals to redeem them
Designed all databases, queries and reports. Wrote an object wrapper for general database access
Designed USB interface for a video game, including digital circuit design, PCB layout, embedded firmware and Windows WDM driver
Designed, coded and tested networking and database routines for several multi-player games. Functions included player tracking, scoring, payment and inter-game realtime synchronization
Designed, coded and tested a realtime audio playback system for video games
Designed motion control system and wrote all control software for a two axis motion base, including servo control and coordinate transforms
Designed the control system for a telepresence robot. Wrote servo control software and 3D coordinate transforms, including six axis head tracking. The robot won an award at the Sony tech fair in Tokyo, and as "B.B. Wonderbot", was a popular tourist attraction at the Sony building in New York
Installed and maintained Windows NT, Netware, OS/2 and UNIX servers, Ethernet LANs, and remote dialup links using ISDN and POTS
Configured routers using TCP/IP, IPX and Appletalk with T1 links. Installed and maintained Lucent Definity PBX telephone system using ISDN-PRI
Supported and trained users in several locations
Designed systems based on SQL databases including a purchasing/receiving system
Designed machines for automated loudspeaker testing and wrote all software
Lead the advanced control systems group
Designed modular, distributed control system for theme park use. Designed and wrote all operating system and communication software
Designed and wrote theatrical lighting control software
Designed and wrote animated figure servo control software
Designed microprocessor based controller and I/O boards including mechanical packaging and surface mount PC board layout. Set up prototype surface mount assembly line and trained operators
Supervised installation in several attractions
Evangelized, promoted and sold the project to management
Designed microprocessor based controller board and wrote all software for the air launched pyrotechnic project. This patented technology launches fireworks using compressed air and times the burst using a miniature, low-cost electronic timer. Co-designed the custom IC and designed the chip-on-board packaging for the timer
Designed the hydraulic servo system for an automated rod bending machine. Designed and wrote servo control, user interface and CAD interface software for the machine
Designed and wrote optical tracker, tempo extraction and MIDI control software for the "Guest Controlled Orchestra". This system allowed a park guest to vary the tempo and volume of a MIDI sequence by waving their arms in front of a video camera
Designed mechanical components for "Audio Animatronics" animated figures
Worked as a troubleshooter and technical consultant on a wide variety of theme park related design, operations and maintenance problems
Designed microprocessor controlled servo systems for precisely controlling inter-ocular pressure and surgical suction during vitreo-retinal eye surgery
Designed a precision, computer controlled valve to pressurize an eyeball, where all parts that contacted the infusion fluid were required to be disposable
Designed a precision, computer controlled suction valve, air-to-liquid interface and waste container for removing surgical debris from the eye
Designed and wrote all servo, operating system and user interface software
Worked closely with leading eye surgeons to develop user interface
Helped design the case, electronic packaging, disposable drape, wiring, plumbing, refrigeration and fail-safe safety systems
Assisted in the design of microprocessor based controller boards
Designed and wrote software for sub-micron automated wafer inspection and measurement systems including image processing, thermal correction, NBS traceable calibration, coordinate transform, robot control, servo and stepper motor control, automatic focus, multiprocessor communication and user interface functions
Installed and maintained Netware servers. Wrote multi-user utilities for the network
Designed electronic chassis and PC boards
Designed MIDI interfaces, and programmable foot controller
Designed front panel layout and company logo
Set up manufacturing line
Designed purchasing and inventory databases
Wrote manuals, including graphic design, layout and illustrations
Did concept design for automated machines used in manufacturing
Designed and built the Rhodes Mark IV electric piano prototype
Contributed to the design of the Mark V electric piano. Optimized the classic Rhodes hammer design to produce better and more consistent performance. Harold Rhodes called it the best Rhodes ever Rhodes Piano
Designed, built prototype and put into production, the collapsible stand for the Mark V
Designed parts to be fabricated by plastic injection molding, aluminum extrusion, steel stamping, plastic vacuum molding, automatic screw machining, riveting and brazing. Designed and built special tools and fixtures and trained production personnel
Built piano prototypes including the first MIDI Rhodes (used by Chick Corea on the Elektric Band album)
Worked on microprocessor controlled music synthesizers and MIDI interfaces
Managed environmental testing department
Wrote hydraulic control software for an automated stress testing machine
Set up and conducted a wide variety of system and component tests to MIL specs under DCAS supervision
Designed and built custom furniture, electronic consoles, sound systems, musical equipment, photographic darkrooms, recording studios and many other custom products
Invented tooling and production techniques to build projects that most other shops would not attempt