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Acuity Electronics Yearbook

Projects completed in 2006

	USB Camera The client had a requirement for a camera to expand the functionality of his existing door entry system. This project required Acuity Electronics to design a remotely-located circuit linked by USB to the secure access control unit, providing a video and audio link with the door keypad.
	Power Rack Technical Manual This customer had constructed a complex and expensive mains power conditioning rack, which needed an installation and operation manual before it could be delivered. The manual was written using the customer's source documentation to avoid intruding on their engineers' time and its format and layout was welcomed as a step forward in their documentation practice.
	ISDN to Ethernet Bridge An innovative UK client found their hardware resources over-stretched and commissioned Acuity Electronics to carry out the design of their Ethernet bridge with ISDN and GSM (cellular data) interfaces. The work spanned writing a full technical specification to releasing production-ready parts list and circuit.
	Power Control Cabinet The manufacturer of control systems for the oil industry needed a detailed wiring plan of a new 19-inch rack system drawn up for operation and maintenance engineers. This required knowledge of mains and high-voltage distribution to translate the customer's requirement into a clear diagram.

Projects completed in 2005

Telecontrolled Irrigation System
The client wished to overlay a dial-up control system for crop irrigation onto his existing telephone system and approached Acuity Electronics to propose a method of doing this. A technical study was completed, together with proposals for trialling the idea before committing to production.

Solar Powered Battery Life Extender
This project resulted from a novel idea by an individual who saw an opening in the market for a device to greatly extend the battery life of consumer equipment. Different approaches were investigated and examined in depth, resulting in a basis for the client to start his own business to exploit the idea. As always, the nature of the project will remain confidential until the customer wants to reveal it!

Projects completed in 2004

Multiple DSL Modem project
In this project a telecomms giant with HQ in mainland Europe commissioned the design of a multi-line ADSL/SHDSL modem, but wanted to retain control over prototype build and test in their own factory. Working closely with the client's engineers, Acuity Electronics developed the product from negotiating its Functional Spec, through circuit design (picture below), to providing a complete production release package, and finished by carrying out prototype testing at the customer's premises to prove the design.

Multi-Channel Broadband development
This overseas client, a global telecoms provider, had a new ADSL2+ line card for telephone exchanges, and engaged Acuity Electronics to create a multiple subscriber modem to test it against. The project ran from writing a functional specification, through design and verification, into pre-production. The technical focus was in miniaturising the circuitry so that as many independent modems as possible would fit onto a single card without limiting performance. Frequent liaison with the chip set supplier and the customer was required throughout, and the assignment included selecting the sub-contract manufacturer and overseeing pre-production assembly and test.

Security Broadband IAD design study
A security application required a battery-backed ADSL2+ Broadband product with customer-facing phone, ISDN and LAN ports. The brief was to provide a report aimed at establishing the most appropriate components and a first pass at the hardware cost, with a view to allowing the client to respond to his invitation to tender. The assignment involved contact at engineering level with individuals in widely separated overseas countries as well as in the U.K.

Projects completed in 2003

	Residential Broadband IAD project This provided a complete design for two related ADSL Broadband products (one PSTN, one ISDN). A Functional Specification was first written and approved by client's management, then hardware design followed including liaison with critical chip vendors; designing circuit diagrams and programmable logic; overseeing PCB layout; finally returning control to the client with full technical documentation.
	Wireless LAN Phone Interface project The client had devised an idea for a Wireless LAN product for the residential market, which needed telephony interfaces to complete it. The brief was first to capture requirements for the overall product as a formal Functional Specification, then to design the telephony sub-system and integrate it with the Wireless core technology.
	Remote TV camera project The customer had a hand-built prototype which provided a means of operating a TV camera in a sealed chamber over a fibre-optic link. When they needed a production version, Acuity Electronics was engaged to provide a professional circuit diagram, parts list and PCB layout for both the controller and the receiver.

Projects completed in 2002

	Technical Spec project The client's product worked fine but they had no agreed definition of exactly what it did! This assignment generated the functional specification for a Residential Broadband product, liaising with the client's design engineers, marketing department and technical author.
	PSTN Chipset Design Study project The phone line interface chipset used in the client's Broadband equipment was expensive and was in danger of being withdrawn by the manufacturer. Acuity Electronics was commissioned to research alternatives and presented an assessment report to the client, including not only projected chip and product costs but intangibles like quality of support, availability of devices and extra features offered which could give a competitive edge to the end product. The report, recommendation and background information was used by the client's own engineers to redesign their product.
	Embedded Radio project Put a DECT radio subsystem onto a plug-in option card for a residential Broadband telecomms product. Acuity Electronics took existing licensed third-party design and reworked its interfaces to be compatible with the client's base equipment. Designed schematics, parts lists, supervised PCB layout by client's CAD engineer and got prototypes running.

acu'ity, abstract noun; sharpness, acuteness or accuracy; lit. or fig., esp. of senses or understanding