Services :: Bay Computer Associates

Services

BCA provides a full range of electronics and software research and design services for a wide variety of business and technical applications.

Flexibility

At BCA we’ve learned to be flexible. We provide services based on what our clients need. Some clients are large established companies looking to augment their present staff to complete a project. Or, such a company may see a product opportunity at a time when they do not have resources immediately available, so they ask BCA to complete the entire design for them. Additionally, we have served a number of startup companies. Often “virtual” companies feel the engagement of an existing seasoned design team is crucial for their success. In this case, we act as the engineering group for the startup as they establish their business.

Experience

Our engineers are experienced systems designers — whether the design is for a Web application that interfaces with remote custom electronics, an online business-to-business catalog, a laboratory instrument, a consumer device, and Apple iPhone application, or an FDA-registered medical device — we rely on proven design methodology. This practice, from requirements definition to design to formalized testing, means that our designs meet your needs and are reliable.

Options

We can help with a proposal or concept document, provide full system documentation, or design and implement a complex project. We can also provide investigative services to determine the root cause of field problems in existing products. If you contact us we will be happy to visit your company and discuss how we can help you.

Research

Development begins with the creation of a requirements document based on the user needs. Sometimes these requirements cannot be properly defined without doing research to determine if a particular development approach will be fruitful. This research may take the form of evaluating a new sensing technology or verifying some basic research from a peer-reviewed journal.

We have three PhDs on our staff, and a general scientific approach that allows us to define areas of research and carry the work to a conclusion. Sometimes the research has provided information that has furthered the product and sometimes it shows that the original concept is not viable. In either case, this is a valuable starting place for many projects that require research to reduce the uncertainty and evaluate the risk in a product concept.

ESS gogglesFor example, BCA collaborated with Triton Systems, Inc. to develop high tech goggles using their new VT technology.

Based on electrochromics, this technology changes light transmission when a small voltage is applied. BCA performed experiments to optimize the rate of change of the lenses under the direction of the client.

Product Development

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Electronics Design

All of our designs are created and tested within our design process to ensure that your product achieves your goals. This practice keeps the engineering efforts focused. In addition, we also rely on the collective experience of our engineers on the various products we have designed.

You may ask what an electrocardio recording device and ion beam sensor electronics have in common. It turns out that they have alot in common from an analog electronics point of view. Our wide range of experience allows us to use techniques found in other product areas to benefit your design.

Designs we have done include all types of electronics design. Analog circuits have been various combinations of low noise (ecg, sonar), high voltage (defibrillators, electron microscopes), and low power (hand-held instrumentation). We have designed our own RF transmitters as well as used IC based transceivers for our customers RF communications needs.

Our digital designs range from simple inexpensive processors for low cost systems to high end systems. We are very familiar with transmission line effects that need to be considered in high speed systems. Many times these designs require the implementation of FPGA or ASIC electronics using the VHDL or verilog design languages. This is exhibited in our tablet computer and communications systems designs.

The combination of the analog and digital worlds often include the use of digital signal processing techniques. Our designs have used both Texas Instruments and Analog Devices DSP processors.

Our scientific approach and experience make us the perfect choice for working on new technologies. We might surprise you with knowledge in those areas as well. As an example we have been working in the area of "Ultra Wide Band" communications recently.

The continuing increase in performance of electronics circuits has added constraints on electronics design to avoid undue radiated emissions, crosstalk, as well as ensuring manufacturability. Our experience has led us to the conclusion that having the design engineer do the circuit board layout gives better results. Therefore, unless you request otherwise, all our layouts are done at BCA by a design engineer.

All of our electronics are subjected to a personalized test plan. Reliable products avoid costly field service issues. We maintain a significant amount of calibrated test equipment in house. This includes standard electronics items such as oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers but also pH meters, leakage testers, electrostatic discharge "gun", temperature chamber, etc. Our tests include signal quality tests as well as tests to prove that final operation meets the functionality found in the product requirements. We are also very experienced in compliance testing. This includes the basic FCC testing required to sell electronics products in the United States, IEC testing for Europe, and communications and medical device compliance.

Services

Flexibility

Experience

Options

Research

Product Development

Electronics Design

Software Design

Firmware Design

User Interface Design

Compliance