We strive to continuously improve our software development process, searching for new design methods, tools and technologies to reduce product time-to-market.

We have extensive experience with graphic user interfaces, and all aspects of real time software systems. Using an application and driver model structure, and the 'C' programming language ensures maximum portability of any code written.

The CVI software design suite is used extensively to write and test programs for both the product hardware and the PC. This enables rapid creation of PC programs capable of configuring the hardware as required.

This can be expanded to include other abilities such as programming the hardware's Flash ROM and full testing of hardware components - vital during the manufacturing process. To this end, we have designed a 'bed of nails' test rig for many of our own products to reduce program and test times to less than a minute per unit.

A further capability is to simulate the products hardware either as a complete software simulation or a mixed solution, using high speed sampling cards capable of 4 channel ADC inputs (5 MSPS), and 2 channel DAC outputs (4 MSPS), plus extra digital control lines.

This approach has a number of benefits:
Removes the need to produce PCB / hardware before the concept can be proven
Entire product software can be written before actual product hardware exists, thus saving time and
expense if specifications require modification
Complete simulation creates a software version of the product that can be easily distributed as a
powerful marketing demonstration tool

Our software tools experience includes:

Select - Yourdon & OMT
Software design capture using the "Yourdon Structured Method" - the practices of structured analysis and structured design using structure chart, dataflow, state-transition and entity-relationship diagrams.

Mathsoft - MathCAD 2000-4
Authoritative mathematical problem-solving software tool for analysis and visualisation of data.

National Instruments - LabWindows / CVI
A rich and powerful software development system for C programming. It contains an interactive environment and features data acquisition libraries to aid in rapid creation of a multitude of applications. Programs generated are compatible with PC's running Windows 9x/ME/2000.

Microchip - ICEPIC & HT-PIC C Compiler
An emulation and design system for C and assembly programming. Capable of real-time emulation of any PIC microcontroller - allowing quick prototyping of hardware.

Motorola / MetroWerks - CodeWarrior
Design suite for use with Motorola DSP's.

Fujitsu - Softune Workbench
Design suite for use with all Fujitsu microcontrollers.

Texas Instruments - Code Composer
Design suite for use with all Texas Instruments DSP's.

We are specialists in embedded software development. Our experience includes, but is not limited to:

Fujitsu CISC Microcontrollers (16 bit)
MB90F497 - up to 6 MIPS (at 16 MHz), 32 KWord Flash, 2 KWord SRAM

Hitachi Microcontrollers (16 bits)
H8/3048 - up to 8 MIPS (at 16 MHz), 128 KWord Flash, 4 KWord SRAM

Microchip 'PIC' RISC Microcontrollers (8 bit)
PIC16F873 - up to 5 MIPS (at 20 MHz), 4 KBytes Flash, 192 Bytes SRAM, 128 Bytes EEPROM
PIC18F6680 - up to 10 MIPS (at 40 MHz), 64 KBytes ROM, 3.5 KBytes SRAM

Siemens/Infineon Microcontrollers (16 bits)
80c167 - up to 12 MIPS (at 33 MHz), 128 KWord Flash, 4 KWord SRAM

Motorola DSP's (16 bit)
DSP56F803 - up to 40 MIPS (at 80 MHz), 37.5 KWord Flash, 2.5 KWord SRAM

Texas Instrument DSP's (16 bit)
TMS320c2406 - up to 30 MIPS (at 30 MHz), 32 KWord Flash, 2.5 KWord SRAM
TMS320c5402 - up to 100 MIPS (at 100MHz), external Flash ROM required, 16 KWords SRAM
TMS320c5502 - up to 300 MIPS (at 300MHz), external Flash ROM required, 16 KWords SRAM