Main professional projects

  • Create a Generic Framework for the creation of "Data Input and Exploitation Tools" and implement an application for the input of Businesses data in a proprietary database
  • Analyse requirements and design an extension to a Business Intelligence database. 
  • Fileshare: create, test and deploy a distributed platform for the quick exchange of files at different locations (offices on VPN) around the planet (Aberdeen, UK - Oslo, Norway - Houston, Texas - Singapore) using the existing hardware available. The aim was to synchronise files ahead of them being needed to avoid slow download times in remote locations. Development used collaborating servers and PHP, HTML, Java, JSP, Basic, Samba and Rsync.
  • Data Management interface: re-implement in Java an existing Access application to consult, input, search (canned queries) and perform automatic and manual checks on complex time-dependent inter-related data on Offshore Business Intelligence
  • Underwater Laser 3D scanner: Embedded processing and storage of linear laser scans ( offline image processing) and 3D reconstruction and manipulation software to analyse the data aquired.
  • Smart Pig in-pipe 3D inspection system: Embedded processing and storage of in-pipe laser scans (real-time image processing) on a PC104. PC-based 3D reconstruction and manipulation software to analyse the data aquired. 
  • Underwater Laser Leak Detection: Maintenance, improvement and test of a subsea leak detection system for the detection of leak from pipelines, risers and subsea completion systems.
  • Voice-controlled Juke-box: prototype of a VoiceXML/JSP/java controlled juke-box based on MPD

Management projects

(where I did only management, implementation was delegated)
  • Portfolio management of student placements
    • Autonomous robot playing field game
    • Bayesian Analysis of real world data
  • Student placement supervision assistance, project management and mentor: worldwide distributed file sharing and collaboration tool
    • Align scopes with business objective
    • Establish a Work Breakdown Structure, estimates and a reporting plan
  • Codebase integration, and repository review meeting organisation for a team of 8.

University projects

  • 2007: Carer scheduling (MSc Project): Java Experimentation bench to check on the hypothesis that Genetic Algorithms can improve the scheduling of Carer visits to Patients
  • 2006: Automatic Language Identification Module (BSc Honors Project): Java toolset to build a stopword-based Learning classifier to identify the language of a text based on the stopwords. Base stats: 99.95% correct identifications within 17 languages over a parallel Corpus (United Nation texts). Final module able to classify a text using its 23 first words in 100ms
  • 2005: 3DSMax modelling and basic lighting/animation of various scenes
  • 2004: Drawing program in Java (image import/export, filters, shapes, selections, buffering)
  • 2003: Piloting system of an observation drone (DUT Project), using PWM signal acquisition, processing and re-generation on a Intel 8051 microcontroller. (http://concours-drones.onera.fr/)

Personal projects

DIY Surface Computing multi-touch coffee table (2008-...)

Status: Currently awaiting funds for a videoprojector as the DIY overhead + LCD projector didn't work as well as planned.
Prototype based on various sources (Instructable might be the best :-) ):

Car electronic improvements/add-ons (2005-...)

Status: Ongoing
Completed: Front and back signal bus, Multiple extra horns (music!) , fog lights, reverse distance sensors, reverse camera, ambient lighting, headlight additional bus, Camping add-ons, improved sound system, head light flashers, Garage mode main switch (cuts all add ons)
Todo: motorised concealed GPS, custom dashboard console, (motorised?) additional headlights, positioning cameras, Update onboard computer OS, ODB II plug and configuration, off road systems censoring (cuts off-road-only systems when car is moving/on)

Previous vehicle: DIY central opening, custom alarm system, touch screen interface, audio improvements

Home automation software applications (2006-...)

Status: awaiting home ownership for a more integrated system :)

Current system includes: Touch screen enabled kitchen access point, Media client on videoprojector (TV alternative), Linux server (VNC, SAMBA, MPD, SSH, etc...) , 2TB NAS, 500GB Backup and transfer NAS , Desktop with compatible client, laptop with compatible client

Previous attempts included experiments with: Mythbuntu, Custom Linux installation with MythTV, Linux MCE, Geexbox

Car OBDII data logging (...-...)

Status: awaiting hardware completion

Resources:

In car dashboard PC system with touch screen interface (2006-2010)

Status: Completed

After a few trials with linux-based OS and a lack of drivers and a difficult integration within some of the functionalities, I deployed the system as Windows-based. It boots in about 30-45 seconds from an Hibernated state.

Hardware:
  • 7 inch touch screen foldable in a 1 DIN radio space.
  • integrated sound amplifier (4*50W) + additional external amplifier (2*80W) with separate activation control
  • VIA EPIA MiniITX based PC with automotive chassis from LinITX (VIA C7 1.0GHz, 1GB RAM) 
  • Some better systems exist now (http://www.xenarc.com/product/index-pc.html), mine is from 2006 :)
Interface / System:
A custom Linux installation was taking too much time and I work in the cold of Scotland without a garage. I tried Linux ICE but it didn't seem to install smoothly on my system (touch screen, Video and sound support were unstable). Tried a few on top of Windows. Centrafuse is a nice one but too pricey, tried a few others but they were not really good-looking or practical. http://www.mp3car.com/ provides with plenty of discussion and resources. I am currently using Ride Runner as a front-end interface.

Automatic Web Publishing and web site generation (2004-2005)

Status: Complete and Discontinued

The system is a home-made CMS in PHP4 (at the time!) and using a MySQL database to store the contents. The interface was providing an editing environment based on a tree structure and the display was based on a hand-coded HTML template that was parsed using PHP to fill the content. now that all my websites have been migrated to a more convenient and free website edition system, I discontinued the project. The countless hours spent on designing a smoothly running system remain a good moment. :-)

Parallel port light controlling system (2004)

Status: Complete

The system provided an interface to control a 8 channel relay box designed by my brother for a high-school project. I tackled the software part by providing a java-based GUI to control the parallel port outputs. This environment provided a complete control over the channels and allowed dynamic grouping and global operations (across all channels). A second mode also provided a custom-made easy scripting environment for non-specialists in order to control more complex shows with the relay box (timings, animations, grouping, ...)

Show techniques global system (preliminary studies and architecture) (2003)

Status: plans, discontinued (complexity and development time over 20-25 full time man-year for a base system)

Plans  included:
  • Single-station, centralised and distributed show management automated configurations
  • 3D modelling and simulation abilities with acoustic and architectural simulation
  • Video live and recorded stream effects
  • Digital Light management (DMX, ethernet-DMX)
  • Digital audio management
  • Global event synchronisation
Currently marketed technologies approaching the functionalities: