Embedded Hardware & Firmware — Lloydminster, SK/AB
I build electronics that go from sketch to working prototype.
Custom PCB design, embedded firmware, sensor integration, and rapid prototyping — grounded in analog electronics and mechanical intuition, and accelerated with AI-assisted development to move from idea to working device faster.
- FirmwareEmbedded C/C++, RP2350 & ESP32 platforms
- PCB DesignSchematic capture & layout in KiCad
- PrototypingResin & FDM printing, CNC-adjacent fixturing
- Rework & RepairSMD rework, microscope-level board diagnostics
- SensorsAnalog signal chains, load cells, radar, environmental
- AI-Assisted DevLLM-accelerated firmware & tooling, human-verified
Services
PCB Design
Schematic capture and board layout in KiCad, from concept through manufacturing-ready files.
Embedded Firmware Development
Custom firmware for microcontroller-based products, including sensor integration, power management, and real-time processing.
Rapid Prototyping
Resin and FDM 3D printing for enclosures, fixtures, and mechanical parts alongside board-level electronics.
Board Rework & Repair
Microscope-level SMD rework and diagnostics for boards other shops have written off.
Selected builds
Walk the Block — custom LED matrix PCB
Interactive LED cube built from scratch for a client, including custom PCB design, firmware, and diagnosing a subtle clock-fuse issue traced back through a boost-converter failure chain across two board revisions.
Tone engine — audio effects processor
A working pedal-format audio effects processor with a hardware and firmware stack designed for expandability, including a longer-term vision for cloud-based effect compilation.
OEM impeller reverse-engineering
Reverse-engineered a discontinued OEM impeller part that runs at 25,000 RPM, including resin selection and a custom balancing rig to match original manufacturing tolerances at that speed.
The bench
Tooling
KiCad, Fusion 360, Arduino IDE (earlephilhower core), oscilloscope, bench power supply, hot air rework station, microscope.
Approach
Deep domain knowledge in analog electronics, sensors, and mechanical design, with AI used as an acceleration layer — every non-obvious output gets cross-checked before it reaches a board, especially anything safety-critical.
Fabrication
In-house resin and FDM printing for enclosures, jigs, and mechanical prototypes alongside board-level electronics work.
Homelab
Proxmox-based infrastructure running Home Assistant, custom sensor networks, and camera/vision pipelines — a working testbed as much as a home setup.
Start a project
Building a prototype, need a board reworked, or have an idea that needs an embedded brain? Get in touch.
contact@pdavis.ca