Microcontroller Programming
Custom firmware development in C and C++ across all major microcontroller families. Our engineers write production-grade code optimized for performance, memory efficiency, and long-term maintainability. Whether you need a simple sensor interface on an 8-bit AVR or a complex multi-threaded application on an ARM Cortex-M7, we deliver clean, documented, and tested firmware.
PLATFORMS WE DEVELOP FOR:
- → ARM Cortex-M0/M0+/M3/M4/M7 (STM32, NXP, Nordic, TI)
- → Espressif ESP32 / ESP32-S3 / ESP32-C3 (WiFi + BLE)
- → Microchip AVR (ATmega, ATtiny, ATxmega)
- → Microchip PIC (PIC16, PIC18, PIC24, dsPIC, PIC32)
- → Raspberry Pi Pico / RP2040 (Dual Cortex-M0+)
- → Texas Instruments MSP430 (Ultra-low-power)
DEVELOPMENT APPROACH:
- → Bare-metal programming for maximum control and minimal overhead
- → Register-level peripheral configuration for exact timing requirements
- → Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) design for code portability
- → Interrupt-driven and DMA-based data transfer architectures
- → Comprehensive error handling and watchdog timer integration
Languages:
C, C++, Assembly (ARM Thumb/AVR)
IDEs:
STM32CubeIDE, PlatformIO, Keil, IAR
Debug:
JTAG/SWD, Logic Analyzer, Oscilloscope
Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) Integration
Many embedded applications demand deterministic timing guarantees and concurrent task execution that bare-metal super-loops cannot reliably provide. We specialize in configuring, optimizing, and integrating real-time operating systems — primarily FreeRTOS — for ARM Cortex-M and ESP32 platforms. Our RTOS implementations deliver microsecond-level interrupt latency and predictable task scheduling for safety-critical and time-sensitive applications.
RTOS SERVICES:
- → FreeRTOS kernel configuration and task priority architecture
- → Zephyr RTOS integration for connected embedded devices
- → Inter-task communication: queues, semaphores, mutexes, event groups
- → Software timer management and deferred interrupt processing
- → Memory pool allocation and stack overflow protection
- → Tickless idle mode implementation for battery-powered devices
- → Task runtime profiling and stack usage analysis
WHEN TO USE AN RTOS:
An RTOS becomes necessary when your application requires concurrent execution of multiple time-critical tasks, such as simultaneously reading sensor data, managing a communication protocol stack, updating a display, and responding to user inputs — all within bounded response times. Industrial control systems, medical instruments, and automotive subsystems are classic RTOS use cases.
RTOS:
FreeRTOS, Zephyr, TI-RTOS
Scheduling:
Preemptive, Cooperative, Time-Sliced
Latency:
<3μs Interrupt Latency (Cortex-M4)
Bootloader Development & OTA Updates
In-field firmware updates are a critical requirement for deployed embedded systems. We develop custom bootloaders that enable secure, reliable firmware updates via UART, USB, SD card, or over-the-air (OTA) channels. Our bootloader implementations include cryptographic signature verification, dual-bank flash architectures for fail-safe updates, and automatic rollback mechanisms to prevent bricked devices.
BOOTLOADER CAPABILITIES:
- → Custom bootloader development for STM32, ESP32, AVR, and PIC
- → Over-the-Air (OTA) firmware update via WiFi/BLE/LoRa
- → Secure boot with AES-256 encrypted firmware images
- → RSA/ECDSA cryptographic signature verification
- → Dual-bank flash memory management for fail-safe updates
- → Automatic rollback on update failure or integrity check failure
- → Delta/patch update mechanisms to minimize transfer size
- → Factory reset and recovery mode implementation
Update Methods:
OTA (WiFi/BLE), UART, USB, SD Card
Security:
AES-256-GCM, RSA-2048, ECDSA
Boot Time:
<100ms to application entry
Peripheral Interface Design
Modern microcontrollers integrate dozens of hardware peripherals — ADCs, DACs, timers, UARTs, SPI, I2C, CAN, USB, and more. Configuring these peripherals correctly for specific sensors, actuators, and communication needs requires deep understanding of both the microcontroller reference manual and the external device datasheets. We handle the full peripheral integration chain, from schematic review to driver development and validation.
PERIPHERAL EXPERTISE:
- → ADC/DAC configuration for precision analog sensing (12-16 bit)
- → SPI, I2C (TWI), UART/USART driver development
- → CAN bus (CAN 2.0B, CAN FD) for automotive and industrial
- → USB device/host stack (HID, CDC, MSC, DFU)
- → PWM generation for motor control, LED dimming, audio
- → Timer/counter programming for precise event timing
- → DMA (Direct Memory Access) configuration for high-throughput
- → RTC (Real-Time Clock) with battery backup
- → External memory interface (SPI Flash, SRAM, SDRAM)
Protocols:
SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, USB, I2S, SDIO
ADC Resolution:
Up to 16-bit (Oversampling)
DMA:
Single, Circular, Double-Buffer Modes
Low-Power Embedded Design
Battery-operated and energy-harvesting embedded systems require meticulous power optimization at every level — component selection, circuit design, firmware architecture, and communication strategy. We engineer embedded systems that achieve multi-year battery life on coin cells or Li-Po batteries through systematic application of sleep modes, dynamic voltage scaling, peripheral gating, and duty-cycled operation.
POWER OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUES:
- → Ultra-low-power MCU selection (STM32L series, MSP430, nRF52)
- → Stop, Standby, and Shutdown sleep mode utilization
- → Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS)
- → Peripheral clock gating to disable unused modules
- → Duty-cycled sensor sampling and radio transmission
- → Wake-on-interrupt and wake-on-radio architectures
- → Power consumption profiling with precision current measurement
- → Battery voltage monitoring and low-battery indication
Sleep Current:
<1μA (STM32L0 Stop Mode)
Active Current:
<100μA/MHz (Cortex-M0+)
Battery Life:
>3 Years (2x AA, duty-cycled)
Sensor Integration & Data Acquisition
Embedded systems frequently interface with a diverse range of sensors — temperature, humidity, pressure, gas, motion, light, magnetic, and more. We handle the complete sensor integration pipeline: I2C/SPI driver development, calibration, digital filtering, and data fusion algorithms. Our expertise spans environmental monitoring, inertial measurement (IMU), and industrial process sensing applications.
SENSOR ECOSYSTEM:
- → Environmental: DHT22, BME280, BMP280, SHT31, CCS811 (air quality)
- → Inertial (IMU): MPU6050, MPU9250, ICM-20948, BMI160
- → Distance/Proximity: HC-SR04 Ultrasonic, VL53L0X ToF, TF-Luna LiDAR
- → Current/Power: INA219, INA226, ACS712, SCT-013
- → Position: AS5600 Magnetic Encoder, Hall Effect Sensors
- → Biometric: MAX30102 Pulse Oximetry, MLX90614 IR Temperature
DATA PROCESSING:
- → Moving average, exponential smoothing, median filtering
- → Kalman filtering for IMU sensor fusion (orientation estimation)
- → Outlier detection and noise floor characterization
- → Factory calibration with temperature compensation