Who We Are:
HD Associates is a software and systems engineering and development company that was founded in 1987 by Gregory Hirshan and Peter Dufault. Our target markets include but are not limited to, medical equipment control, semiconductor capital equipment, and Military control systems. HD primarily works with New England based companies but can go on-site if necessary.
What We Work On:
Our
areas of expertise include:
·
Real-time and embedded
control systems for real-time kernels, real-time UNIX, MS-Windows and MS-DOS
·
Medical instruments and
FDA approval
·
Laboratory instruments
·
Multi-processor control
systems
·
Digital motion and
process control
·
UNIX, MS-Windows and
MS-DOS applications and internals
·
Data acquisition, processing
and display
·
Communication protocols
for semiconductor and medical instruments
·
Digital signal and image
processing
·
Diagnostics and
automated testing
·
High bandwidth I/O
·
Cross development
environments
·
Language translators
· User interfaces
· Software tools
Who We've Worked With:
HD Associates has had the fortune of working with a broad range of clients. Nearly all of our business has been obtained through
referrals from satisfied clients or continuing work with existing clients. The following is a description of the
work we have done for some of our major clients.
Seacoast Technologies, Portsmouth, NH
(June 2004- Present)
HD worked on a microprocessor controlled version of Seacoast’s Chiller,
a device designed to
provide neuroprotection by chilling the surface of the brain in settings such
after an operation or following brain trauma. The device is controlled by an embedded PC running the RTEMS real time executive and
using Microwindows
as the display interface.
The multi-threaded software is flash based and written in C++ and C.
Meridian Medical Systems, Bath, ME
(August 2003-Present)
HD worked on the Oncoscan, a device to collect
and analyze radiometric information to look for breast cancer markers. The device consists of a Windows user
interface that guides a technician through the process and collects and
displays the information connected to a microprocessor based data acquisition
system. The User Interface is
written in C++ using Tcl/Tk for the GUI driver, and runs on WIN32, OS/X Darwin,
and FreeBSD Unix with a native look-and-feel on each platform.
The data acquisition back-end can be run-time selected and supports an NI-DAQ add in card, a small PIC based data acquisition system, and a MPC565 based acquisition system.
RMS LLC, Bedford, NH
(March-April 2003)
HD developed a proof of concept prototype for RMS. This acoustic consumer device is based on the PIC18F452 microcontroller. The software is developed in C++ on Mac OS X and tested on the target using the Microchip development system and Windows XP.
Wr also designed, built, and tested the prototype hardware and software now being used to present the concept to investors, and also developed a project plan with budget and schedule for the next phase of delivering prototype production units
(July 2002- February 2003)
HD worked with Guardian Solutions on a computer-aided
surveillance system,
a distributed, network based application written in C and C++ that runs on a
combination of Linux and Windows XP.
We implemented a generic interface to pan tilt zoom cameras to incorporate new cameras, carried out general user-space Linux software development, developed the product specification with others, and worked on General startup-up support, such as manning trade booths and carrying out presentations.
GSI Lumonics, Wilmington, MA
(May 2001- November 2002, August-September 2003)
HD worked on a GSI memory repair system that uses a laser to enable selected circuitry on memory chips in an integrated circuit fabrication line to increase chip yield. The software is written in C++ and Tcl/Tk, runs on Solaris and VxWorks, and is distributed across multiple embedded Power PC based VME boards and the network.
We Ported preliminary software from WIN32 to VxWorks on a Power PC VME board, developed the software for the embedded control of the precision fine stage, developed a network accessible GUI written in C++ and Tcl/Tk that runs on FreeBSD, Linux, Solaris, and Windows XP, added the ability to collect large amounts of real-time data to a network disk on Solaris or FreeBSD system while a fine stage trajectory is running, and added the interface required for tuning control parameters for the fine stage
Abiomed, Danvers, MA
(May-September 2001)
HD worked on the user interface for a next generation Abiomed product. The embedded platform is based on the Infineon ST10C167 microcontroller. The software is developed in C together with the Nucleus real-time OS. We ported Microwindows, an open-source windowing system for microcomputers, to the embedded platform driving a color LCD display, developed a small-footprint strict subset of the Windows API portable between Windows, FreeBSD with the X Windowing System, and the embedded platform.
Goodrich Aerospace, Lexhington, MA
(1997-2001)
HD worked on the Goodrich RAPTOR system, an airborne reconnaissance high speed, high resolution,
dual-band digital imaging sensor running on Power PC VME boards using VxWorks.
We Performed
the preliminary research into a hardware implementation of the image chain JPEG function based on a VHDL implementation of the
algorithm on an FPGA, implemented the RAPTOR Mission Plan Parser in YACC
and C, running on Solaris,
FreeBSD, Windows with Cygwin,
and VxWorks.
Keseli Associates, Mont Vernon, NH
(1995)
Kesseli Associates is a thermo-fluids and energy consulting company. HD designed and developed the software for a Solar Burner Controller. The software is used for the real time control of a natural gas burner that is part of a hybrid solar-natural gas electrical generator. The system controls the fuel input and air-to-fuel ratio of the burner to keep a vessel of sodium-potassium at a precise temperature under varying load, while continually displaying the status on a monitor.
The hardware is based on a Intel 80386-SX ISA bus PC running a modified version of the publicly available BSD UNIX derived operating system, FreeBSD. The modifications include a device driver for a Data Translation data acquisition board and the OS extensions that permit the real time control of two control servos and a stepping motor throttle while the non real time operator interface operates in the standard BSD environment. The identical software was also run in an MS-DOS environment for the customer’s convenience.
Microwave
Medical Systems, Acton, MA
(1994-2001)
MMS is a developer of medical
instruments that use microwave energy in medical applications.
HD developed the software for
the MMS Fluid Warmer which is used to quickly bring fluids (blood, saline,
etc.) to body temperature and then to accurately maintain the desired temperature. The system is a high-reliability Intel
80196 microprocessor system implementing three 60 Hertz digital feedback
control loops that meets FDA requirements for use in human patients. The software continuously tests and
monitors both the equipment and the process to guarantee safe operation, and
will shut the system down if it detects a failure. The software is written in ANSI-C, developed and tested in
simulation on a UNIX workstation and then cross compiled for the microprocessor
target.
The Fluid Warmer includes
host link software that collects key system data that can be transmitted to a
host computer for calibration, manufacturing and engineering tests. All Fluid Warmer capabilities can be
exercised from a remote GUI. HD
developed both a calibration station and a manufacturing test station, written
in ANSI-C and Tk/TCL on a FreeBSD UNIX workstation, used by MMS for their
production.
HD has written the software
for the precision control of microwave energy in a safety critical
application. The software is a
high-reliability Intel 80196 microprocessor system that implements a digital
feedback control loop. The
software is written to share common functions with the MMS Fluid Warmer.
Software Partners/32, Topsfield, MA
Software Partners/32 is a
leader in network data management systems for UNIX and VMS. Their software is used to schedule file
system backups for one or more workstations in a domain and to catalogue and
track the physical media that contains the data sets. HD Associates designed and developed the Archiving module
for the latest version of SP/32's StorageCenter product. The Archiving module allows UNIX system
administrators to delete unused or shelve little-used files from a file system
(shelving is the process of copying a file to a backup medium and replacing the
file with a smaller "marker" file). Users can "make-space" on a file system (remove
eligible files until a disk-space target has been reached) or "groom"
a file system (remove any eligible file).
Eligible files can be specified directly or can be selected using a
query language based on an extension of the UNIX "find" semantics.
The Archiving module is
written in ANSI-C using Standard C library and POSIX functions so that it could
more easily be ported to the six UNIX platforms supported by SP/32 (DEC OSF/1,
IBM AIX, HP HP/UX, SUN SUNOS, SUN Solaris and DEC Ultrix). HD wrote a comprehensive test suite
written in UNIX shell (sh) language to validate the Archiving software.
Waters, Milford, MA
(1994-1995)
Waters is a major developer
of high performance liquid chromatography (LC) instruments for pharmaceutical,
analytical, and research environments.
HD Associates engineers worked with Waters to complete the functional
requirements, design, and implement the application control software, real-time
kernel extensions, and test software and to provide technical direction on
Waters' latest LC instrument (the Separation Module). The software was written in C++ for the Motorola MC68332
using the VRTX real-time executive.
Instrumentation Laboratory, Lexington, MA
Instrumentation Laboratory is
an international developer of medical instruments for laboratories and
hospitals. Their products include
clinical chemistry analyzers, blood gas analyzers and coagulation analyzers. HD designed and implemented a medical
instrument communication package conforming to the American Society of Testing
and Materials (ASTM) protocol. The
protocol allows laboratory instruments to communicate with host computers and
laboratory instrument managers to receive test requests and to send test
results. The package is written in
ANSI-C and is designed to be platform-independent; it has been ported to Intel
iRMX and MS-DOS platforms. HD also
developed a host emulator to test and validate the protocol.
HD designed and implemented
the real-time process control software for an automatic blood coagulation
analysis laboratory. The
application runs on Venix (a real-time UNIX) on PC-compatible platforms. The process control software is a set
of Venix processes written in ANSI-C that are responsible for the scheduling,
loading, and data acquisition of patient, calibration, and quality control
samples, instrument resource identification and inventory control, and analyzer
management. The scheduling rules
are designed to optimize sample throughput while respecting the timing
constraints imposed by the chemical reactions.
HD designed and implemented
the low-level and application oriented libraries used by the process control
package for communicating with and controlling the Analytical Module (the
electro-mechanical analysis engine).
The application library provides the application with a logical model of
the instrument (including instrument stub behavior for off-line debugging)
while the low-level library is responsible for interaction with the
instrument. This package is
written in ANSI-C
HD designed a simulation
package used to emulate the instrument for automated system test. The design allows developers and
testers to write test scripts that simulate normal and anomalous instrument
behaviors. The scripting language
is implemented in TCL (Tool Command Language).
Alliant Computer Systems, Littleton, MA
(1989-1992)
Alliant Computer Systems was
a manufacturer of high-performance, multi-processor, real-time UNIX mini
supercomputers. Alliant went out
of business in May 1992, but at the time HD was a key part of their successful
Custom Products Group. Custom
Products designed and implemented custom software and hardware applications for
customers of existing or newly purchased Alliant computers.
HD designed and developed a
real time data-to-disk array system for the Alliant FX/2800 mini-supercomputer.
The system can continuously
write data to a 64 GB Maximum Strategy HIPPI disk array at 32 MB/second while
concurrently reading selected regions from the disk and writing them to an
AMPEX DCRSI tape drive at 10 MB/second.
HD also developed drivers and
support software for High Definition TV interfaces and for hardware in the loop
missile simulation and control systems.
Optronics, Chelmsford, MA
Optronics is a developer of
high-speed, high-resolution image scanners and recorders used by the scientific
and graphics arts industries. HD designed and developed the software and
consulted on the system architecture for the Optronics ColorGetter, a high-speed,
high-resolution color separation scanner.
The scanner uses an embedded IBM-PC compatible computer as the
controller with a custom hardware interface to the electro-mechanical
components of the scanner. The
scanner controller communicates with a user's computer via IEEE 488 (GPIB) or
SCSI interfaces. HD wrote the
embedded control software, the embedded test software, scanner and host
interface protocols and host test software. All software is written in ANSI-C. The system was originally
developed on a UNIX workstation with software to emulate the scanner during the
time that the scanner was being designed and then re-compiled for the target
environment.
General Scanning/Teradyne Laser Systems, Somerville, MA
(1989-1992)
Teradyne Laser Systems is a
developer of laser marking systems for semi-conductor and other commercial
industries. In the marker, a high powered laser is positioned by X- and Y-axis
mirrors deflected by galvanometers.
The application and real-time control software runs under DOS on IBM-PC
compatible computers.
HD designed and implemented
the TruView job editor, which is used by customers to layout and configure laser-marking jobs. TruView is a
graphics application that allows users of the laser marker to position graphics,
text and barcodes in the marking field and assign laser marking parameters to
the marking objects. TruView is
written in ANSI-C using the Vermont View menuing library. HD took over the development of and
significantly enhanced the Markit library, which is used to load and render marking
objects from jobs created by TruView or custom applications and prepare them
for marking by the MCL marker driver.
Markit is written in Borland Object Pascal. HD took over the development of and significantly enhanced
the MCL marker driver. MCL is
responsible for the real-time control of the laser power, position and velocity
when marking. MCL is written in
Intel 80386 assembler.
HD has also written custom
applications for TLSI for their customers.
Paragon Imaging, Woburn, MA
(1988-1991)
Paragon Imaging is a
developer of image processing software for military and commercial
applications. HD Associates was
Paragon's initial technical resource when Paragon was founded in 1988 and
continued to provide consulting services as Paragon grew. HD wrote a translator to automatically
port a "dusty deck" FORTRAN image-processing program to modern
engineering workstations; this was Paragon's first commercial product. HD developed UNIX kernel drivers and
related test software for SCSI image scanners, and reviewed products that
Paragon was considering for re-sale.
Brooks Automation, Chelmsford, MA
(1987-1989)
Brooks Automation is a
developer of semi-conductor material handling and test equipment. HD developed an embedded-PC application
for the control of a large-format (450x450mm) semiconductor substrate handling
system (the Automatic Plate Handler).
The handlers are used on semi-conductor fabrication equipment
(manufactured by MRS Technology) used to make flat-panel video displays. The software is written in ANSI-C and
in P3, a concurrent state-machine programming language designed by HD.
HD also designed and
developed embedded-PC control applications for vacuum end station controllers
(material handlers that operate in vacuum environments) and track station
controllers (belt driven material handlers for use in semi-conductor furnaces)
based on the P3 architecture.
MRS Technologies, Chelmsford, MA
(1987-1989)
MRS is a developer of
semi-conductor fabrication equipment for the manufacture of large format
flat-panel displays. HD designed
and implemented a SEMI Equipment Communication Standard (SECS) communications
protocol package that is used in the MRS Panel Printer and in the Brooks
Automation Automatic Plate Handler so that the Panel Printer can control the
Plate Handler. The SECS package
implements SECS-I (point-to-point communication) and SECS-II (message content)
protocol layers. The driver is
written in ANSI-C and has been ported to embedded IBM-PC/DOS and embedded
Motorola 68k/VxWorks environments.
Founders:
Gregory Hirshan-
Prior to forming HD Associates Greg
worked as an independent consultant. While consulting at GCA he designed the "three-tiered"
architecture (user/data management, machine control and module control) and inter-processor
message communication protocol for the GCA advanced lithographic
step-and-repeat camera. The system
was a multi-processor, Motorola 68000 configuration on a VME bus. The real-time control software was
written in C and used the VRTX real-time kernel. Greg also contributed to the cross-development tools and
environment used on the project.
Greg consulted for M/A-COM's
Custom Projects group where he designed and implemented the software for a
field-portable plastic pipe locator using ground penetrating radar. The software was written in C and ran
on a portable IBM-PC compatible single board computer with passive
backplane. The software Greg wrote
included code to configure the radar source, collect reflected data, store the
data for subsequent off-loading and a graphical user interface for instrument
control and data display.
Prior to consulting Greg
worked for Optronics where he managed the software development team, developed
control and application software for image scanners and recorders and managed
the development of a high-speed large format (40 inch by 40 inch) color
separation scanner and laser film recorder.
Greg's professional interests
include real-time control systems, end-user embedded and UNIX applications,
graphics and image processing.
Greg received a Bachelor of
Engineering in Electrical Engineering from New York University in 1969 and a
Master of Science in Engineering Management (Computer Systems) from
Northeastern University in 1973.
Greg has made significant contributions to the following HD clients: Brooks Automation, General Scanning/Teradyne Laser Systems, Instrumentation Laboratory, MRS Technology, Optronics, Software Partners/32, and Waters.
Peter Dufault-
Prior to forming HD Associates Peter
worked as an independent consultant.
Peter consulted for GCA, a manufacturer of semi-conductor fabrication
equipment, on the design and implementation of the controls for their advanced
lithographic step-and-repeat camera.
The system was a multi-processor, Motorola 68000 configuration on a VME
bus. The real-time control
software was written in C and used the VRTX real-time kernel. In addition, Peter was responsible for
the development of the digital closed-loop servo software that controlled the
high-speed, high-precision wafer positioning stage. Peter also designed and implemented an SECS communication
protocol package for the instrument and a UNIX host, and wrote major parts of
the cross-development and instrument-simulation tools.
Peter also was engaged by the
Eye Research Institute where he developed a FORTRAN-based ray tracing programs
used in the design of optical systems and worked on other scientific modeling
and simulation projects.
Peter's professional
interests include feedback control systems, integrated control systems,
embedded real-time systems and real-time UNIX.
Peter received a Bachelor of
Science in Physics with Distinction from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in
1980.
Peter has made significant contributions to the following HD clients: Alliant Computer Systems, Brooks Automation, Kesseli Associates, Microwave Medical Systems, MRS Technology, Optronics, Paragon Imaging, and Waters.
How To Contact Us:
Email: info@hda.com
Phone: 978-433-6936
Fax: 978-433-5267