In December 2011, we tried to get embedded system contracts but NSW Government preferred dealing with large primary contractors so small firms have to subcontract to the primary contractor if they are lucky.
In 2014, 2015 and 2021, I gained access to open salt water data from the NSW State Government to create an innovative agriculture mobile app like in Queensland. I also tried to use NSW Government open data for e-ticketing and location based services for public transport using publically available data at a small fee per mobile application download.
NT Government Open Data Mobile App
In 2022, I extended groundwater salinity app to include NT groundwater data. This covered a vast area and many river basins.
In Feb-June 2015, we did QUT MOOCs on Robotics and Robotic Vision which led to fall app idea using accelerometer which we explored at Hacking Health at HISA Health Informatics Conference (HIC) in August 2015.
Agricultural Drones
In 2014, when I visited Home Hill North Queensland for groundwater salinity app tests, I explored use of drones for sugarcane crops surveillance.
In September 2015-September 2019, on edx.org we did 5 MIT MOOCs and a proctored comprehensive final exam on supply chain management attaining a MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management which led to better quoting, transport and distribution for IT industry and ecommerce.
In October 2017, Dwight Walker became forklift operator.
We program and cross-compile real-time software in C, C++, C#, assembler, Ada and MATLAB and use Qt, Python DB API and Java JDBC to connect to embedded databases like InterBase, Informix Dynamic Server and MySQL on Linux, FreeBSD and Windows XP for Intel, AMD, Motorola, Z80, RISC, TI OMAP 3650 and ESP8266 microprocessors.
This includes programming:
current
Android using Xamarin and Visual Studio and C#
obsolete
Windows Phone using Xamarin and Visual Studio and C#
Nokia N950 MeeGo smartphone using Qt Creator and its MSYS/MingW C++ cross compiler
robotic control systems, flying navigation and image processing using MATLAB and Python
health apps using smartphone accelerometer
irrigation automation using ESP8266, Arduino and C
We use agile, incremental, waterfall and UML methodologies to design, implement, test and deploy the software.
application for government is software for microprocessors for railway signalling applications on the NSW lines, both federal and state using XML data.
application is railway simulators.
manufacturing
remote control and monitoring of supply chain suppliers and retailers
This does not include manufacturing control systems such as with ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) on the factory floor though there is a shortage of C programmers in this field.
MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management certificate, 2019
Supply Chain Comprehensive Final Exam, 2019
Supply Chain Technology and Systems, 2018
Supply Chain Dynamics, 2018
Supply Chain Analytics, 2018
Supply Chain Fundamentals, 2016
Supply Chain Design, 2015
forklift operator HRW licence, 2017
white card (construction)
first aid certificate
This mix of skills is a rare level of expertise.
Computer scientists who major in operating systems, microprocessors and parallel processing are in demand and hard to find according to Microsoft Research. We are one of those professionals, purely by accident as we did this to finish our BSc in computer science! After 20 years this weird combo has proven very fruitful for our business and career!
We are seeking ventures in this area to capitalise on this knowledge and expertise and advance our business.
According to ResMed in June 2008, there is a slump in software engineers coming out of universities in Australia: a 50% drop in the last 5 years, 2002-2007 or so. They are considering outsourcing their real-time programming for medical devices to Indian developers. Australian developers should also be given a go as they are ready and able! ParraConnect in June 2010 is looking to train software engineers at UWS in Parramatta, NSW, Australia not overseas.
We will build Australian software talent by keeping the software development in Australia and not outsource offshore to save money on training and building vital practical experience in the real world.
We believe from our many years of experience in the IT industry that Australian businesses need more education re hi-tech systems or they will often ignore very good hi-tech opportunities because they can't understand them.
In WWWalker Web Development Pty Ltd we have a vehicle where we can face challenges by taking on the risk ourselves, train ourselves and go through the learning curve to add value to our country by developing software here not offshore and reap the benefit. Taking risks by keeping software local is where we are headed unlike many businesses who will not hire new recruits because it takes 2 to 3 years to get them up to speed. If businesses will spend that 2 to 3 years training staff, the benefits will be high. This assumes staff will stay with the business and return the investment that the boss put into them.
We think ahead not just of tomorrow. In our own little business sometimes it takes 2 to 3 years to get all the
ducks in a row so that a project will go ahead but we venture out and don't just wait till someone overseas does it first and copy them. That would give the overseas company first-mover advantage and leave us in the dust yet again in Australia.
Research
I am looking at embedded processors, e.g. DSP, FPGA and PCB, for industrial, medical, robotics, computer vision and mobile telephony applications.
In 2012, I tried to tender to Transport and Main Roads for traffic flow on Riverside Expressway in Brisbane but was blocked due to not being a Civil Engineer. From the above it is easy to see how technology can replace many Civil Engineer ways. The law is still bogged down in only letting engineers do such work instead of software engineers. See Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).
Student Engineers
In December 2011, I have been approached by an electronics engineer interested in working for us to do embedded systems in FPGA for a transportation contract but there was no work as we are too small to win large contracts plus there is no money to invest in research and development to pay him to get us up to speed to compete with large companies in Sydney or Melbourne or overseas.
He is going to USA in 2012, so we will build up our own inhouse expertise till we can hire or train a computer vision/robotics engineer.
There are no jobs at present in this business for student engineers.
Contact
Contact us if you have a specific need for embedded programming expertise and we will give you a quote. We are agile so can modify or adapt to what you need from a given prototype and have our own project management system to keep track of progress and expenses.
We have computer science, information management, robotics and supply chain to provide cutting edge applications and development strategies.