Many of our successful projects have been in the general category of Consumer Electronic Devices. Presenting an exhaustive survey of all those projects would be indeed a very lengthy, and probably quite boring read. Here are examples of a few of the most recent and/or interesting ones:
Modern Super 8 Camera
In the context of our engagement at PCH International, we have been privileged to contribute to the creation of a very interesting product from KODAK.
The KODAK Super 8 Camera for filmmakers looking to stand out. Putting the beauty of film into film making, the new Super 8 Camera lets the user embrace the analog aesthetic, while harnessing today technology.
This product, indeed, is an unexpected addition to the consumer electronic ecosystem of performant cameras.
The camera combines the new and the old – new technologies teaming with the old film support, combining the Kodak Analog Magic with modern convenience.
Our expertise in Linux and Yocto technologies were instrumental in solving LCD and HDMI issues in the early prototype of this new camera.
Optimal Make Up Device
This project was brought to PCH by one of their clients, P&G Ventures, a startup studio part of Proctor and Gamble company.
The challenge was a complete redesign of an earlier prototype of their Precision Skincare system. This new version has been now released under the commercial name Opté. https://opte.com It was known, then under its nice code name of DreamWorks.
Opté is comprised of a Precision Wand and Precision Serum that work together to provide immediate coverage and long term benefits. The Opté Precision Wand consists of four unique technologies:
- Blue LED Scan Light: Maximizes the contrasts in skin melanin thus allowing the camera to see up three times more pigmentation than the human eye is capable of perceiving. This in turn allows the detection of discolored spots that are not yet noticeable
- An Integrated Digital Camera: This digital camera captures 200 skin images per second thus providing approximately 24,000 pictures with each use.
- A Precise Color Algorithm driven by 70,000 lines of code to determine the size, shape, and intensity of each skin spot.
- A micro–Serum Jet Printer with 120 thermal inkjet nozzles, each thinner than a human hair to deposit Optimizing Serum picolitre droplets on each skin spot to achieve precise coverage with 99% less product than the alternatives.
Use
The Device provides precision skin care for a large range of skin tone and a very attractive alternative to makeup.
Opté Technology allows the user to treat only the smallest areas of skin that need correction without covering the skin that does not. This revolutionary approach results in a natural, flowless look that traditional makeup and professional treatments are unable to achieve.
How we help
We redesigned, from the ground up the entire hardware and firmware of the device and a cost reduction effort was made.
FirstLink Consulting contribution was in the area of real time processing using FreeRTOS and refactoring of the entire 70,000 lines of C++ code. We were also involved in the design, implementation and testing of the Digital camera and the Micro Serum Jet Printer.
Other Devices
- Ultimate Ears MegaBoom
- Broadcom Cell Phone Reference Platform
- National Semiconductor Bluetooth reference Platform
- Minolta Printer Engine
