Ian Smith (@ians)

I am Managing Director and co-Founder of Abelon Systems, an embedded systems design consultancy based in Edinburgh, Scotland. My background is in telecoms and networking technologies, and since 2002 I have been applying this experience to help our clients in wide variety of markets sectors. My specialities are embedded control systems, DSPs and low level embedded design and programming. We are currently very active in designing M2M/IoT solutions in the area of smart metering and other systems where there is a need to gather data from a large number of devices or sensors.

Embedded Firmware Refactoring, Optimisation and Migration

Ian Smith ● March 29, 2016

Legacy embedded products often hit CPU, memory, or power limits long before customers stop wanting new features. This article lays out three practical paths: squeeze more from the current build with optimisation, make the codebase maintainable through refactoring, or port firmware to new hardware when constraints demand it. Read on for a pragmatic view of when each approach makes sense and how to reduce risk.

SIGFOX – A new network technology for IoT comms?

Ian Smith ● February 29, 2016●5 comments

Built for tiny, infrequent messages, SIGFOX promises ultra-low-cost, long-life IoT connectivity using ultra-narrowband radios and a managed back-end. The network supports 12-byte uplinks, up to 140 messages per day, deep indoor penetration, and multi-year battery life, making it ideal for meters, alarms, and simple sensors. The article covers coverage, available modules, and practical trade-offs like limited bandwidth and vendor lock-in.