Innovation in the Sun

October 26th, 2008

Wednesday I began a course in microcontroller embedded design run by The Product Development Centre (PDC) who support businesses, designers and engineers with their understanding in rapid product development at a seemingly misplaced venue called The Innovation Centre, a paradox in the cultural vacuum that is St. Leonards-on-Sea. The building itself is specifically designed to help firms with an innovative approach to business grow and thrive. In the building are offices, studios and workshops, all fully equipped including meeting rooms and a reception, although the receptionist on duty when I attended was a sour faced old cow who was obviously not getting any. The course continues for a further 4 weeks presenting microcontroller circuit design and simulation using a software package called Proteus VSM, this uses an innovative method of allowing you to design a circuit and write the processor code together and then run it in real time, simulating its function. The PDC also have a Rapid Prototying area, a subject I have touched on before, click here to read, I got to see a Rapid Prototype machine or 3D printer in action, at which point I proved what a Geek I am and videoed it on my phone, due to poor resolution and reflections from the door screen though, it’s very bad quality so I haven’t uploaded it. The course is funded by Brighton University and the lecturer is a Martin Bates who is an author of several books on programming and interfacing microcontrollers, he has also introduced the foundation degree to us which I will be seriously considering…maybe.

Entry Filed under: Technical