Flymo Robotic Lawnmower

Embedded electronic & software. Design of the motor control, sensor and grass cutting algorithms for Flymo's early prototype robotic lawnmower. Shown here is the latest model, not the protoype.

CELINT - Videotext Terminal

Embedded software. CELINT designed and marketed an innovative Videotext terminal that used a flat screen LCD, in contrast to the main competition from the Minitel which used a CRT, as did other comparable products. The terminal was modified to support Prestel, Teletel & Bildshirmtext. A range of niche applications were also developed, including a popular telephone device for the deaf. One notable design was the first home banking terminal developed for Banco Santander, which predated the Internet.

Operation Blue Pool 1994

Part of the operation to police the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool was a large screen display to be used for emergency announcements. These were issued via a computer programme that accepted text input from the Police, and relayed it using Paging to the large screen display. A related project at that time was carried out for racing tipster Bob Rothman, for whom was developed a PC controlled system that simultaneously broadcast tips to 100's of punters using Hutchinson Paging. Similar group paging systems were developed for other niche markets.

Stoves - Gas Cooker Controller

Software development. Shown here is a recent product, not the original one that the controller was developed for on the 1990s. During this period GSI worked on a number of domestic applicance control panels, for Polkinghorne & Ernst, who supplied them to Stoves, New World, Creda & Dimplex, and other white goods manufacturers. All were based on 8-bit PIC processor. Another product was a B&Q branded domestic mixer shower.

Caradon Mira Advance Shower

Development of embedded control code. Hosted on a Motorola 68HC11, the real time controller employed feed-forward control, based on a mathematical model of the operation of the mechanics and electrical system. Parameters include pipe geometry, heater characteristics, and the user set flow and temperature demand. The model is used to determine the set point for a feedback control system that manages water flow, achieved by PWM operation of a solenoid valve. Long term drift handled by a self-tuning/machine learning algorithm that adjusts the model based on long-term analysis of the achieved output temperature.

The T150 Scitel Videotext terminal

Project Management and software development. The T150 videotext terminal supported PRESTEL & TELETEL, with the code hosted on an 8051. Whilst it was technically a success, it failed to take off commercially, apart from some niche markets, such as telephone devices for the deaf. The code however migrated to a PC based platform for John Clarke Computing, and was extended to support Bildshirmtext. It also helped to secure later work with CELINT