ALITECH^® SYSTEMS , Inc.

Custom Software for Mission-critical Projects

 

Some of Alitech's past projects...

• Control Software for Blood Analyzer (subcontract for Fortune 100 company)

First analyzed and documented client requirements, performed critical evaluation of client’s legacy product, wrote proposals for improved system performance and reliability, and estimated development resources.  Then re-designed and implemented sophisticated components of the embedded control system.  Design documentation had to comply with rigorous FDA requirements. Components were implemented as separate QNX processes, communicating via IPC messages. Work was done in C++ on QNX Neutrino (RTOS).   Tools used: RequisitePro, QNX Momentics IDE (Eclipse), CVS, PVCS Tracker, CxxTest, etc.

• Heart Pump Monitor Redesign (subcontract for heart pump manufacturer)

Defined a new object oriented architecture and design to replace the existing monolithic code base of a proprietary touchscreen monitor application.  Provided technical advice to in-house and end-client managers, and played a lead role in the C++ coding, unit testing and debugging of the software, to ensure on-time delivery.  Managed the integration of code from several sources (on-site and remote developers), throughout this tight-timeframe project.  Proposed and implemented the merging of two product code bases, to simplify development for multiple hardware configurations.  Proposed the use of VMWare to increase productivity.  Platforms/tools included: Windows, VC++, UML, VSS, PVCS Tracker, VMWare.

• Medical Device on Embedded Linux (subcontract for blood systems manufacturer)

Designed, coded and tested a general purpose message injector/receiver tool for unit testing, system diagnostics, and QA verification.  The tool supported both interactive and scripted operation, and included a multithreaded and re-entrant script interpreter/engine, written in C++.  Implemented an advanced application logging framework, using the syslog utility for configurable local or remote output.  Contributed to document and code reviews, assisted in debugging, created builds of root file system and target configurations.  Also pioneered the use of VMWare on this project, for improved development and testing efficiency, from Windows XP.  Platforms/tools included: BlueCat Embedded Linux, Mandrake Linux, CygWinX, Luminosity IDE (Eclipse), Gnu C++, Merant/PVCS, VSS, PVCS Tracker, VMWare.

• Customer Retention System Utility (contracts for insurance industry consultant) 

Designed and implemented a multithreaded utility to detect customer contact information when displayed on the screen by other Windows applications; using
Visual C++, OLE DB, MFC with system tray icon, and links to Web browser. 
Later revised with options to support Citrix-hosted virtual application environments.

• Biometric Identity Capture System (contract for ChoicePoint / Identico)

Re-hired to quickly create a new pilot application from an existing Windows XP product with similar technologies, using Visual C++, MFC, XML messaging, with fingerprinting hardware and libraries, identity quiz, and photo/video capture.

• Tablet-based Survey System (subcontract for ChoicePoint / Identico)

Led a small team in creating a survey application for a Tablet PC platform, with pen/stylus, on-screen keyboard, ID card scanner and flash card storage.  Developed with Visual C++, MFC, XML, etc., to create a user-friendly, dialog-based UI with robust data storage features.  Successfully delivered to field teams in two months.

• Database View/Query/Reporting System (contract for Visual Interactions)

Proposed top-level software architecture for a new business intelligence product. This included a conventional fat client architecture based on Visual C++ and Visual Basic, as well as a thin client architecture with Microsoft ASP.NET, Web Forms, and C# components. Also created object oriented and thread-safe designs of several core services for low-level database access, generic query handling (SQL), metadata handling (import, storage and retrieval), security (authentication and authorization for sessions and data access, including content-based security), and general utilities. Led the work of a team of developers in the implementation of several of these services, as VC++ DLLs; all work was completed on schedule.  The work included use of UML, COM /ActiveX, VC++ (with C++ Std. Library), VB, MS .NET and VS .NET (Beta 2), OLE DB, ADO / ADO.NET, ASP / ASP.NET, SQL Server and XML / XML schema; also various Microsoft tools for build management.

• Object Oriented Design and Database Consult (for Instrumentation Laboratory)

Mentored a team of developers regarding object oriented analysis, design and development for a high-end medical analyzer product. Also provided research and recommendations on back-end database architecture and products, with a focus on high performance data access with Microsoft SQL Server and its standalone Desktop Engine (MSDE). This work was for the Windows platform, and involved UML, Visual C++, MFC, etc. Data access technologies such as streamed XML, ADO and ADO.NET were carefully evaluated.

• Reactor Control System Host Interface (contracts for CXE Equipment Systems)

Upgraded a 16-bit SECS/GEM interface to the latest 32-bit technology, for use with the client's silicon reactor control system products. This work targeted Windows NT and Windows 98 platforms, involved a large amount of work with legacy code, and called for integration with GW Associates' SECS/GEM libraries and a WonderWare user interface (as well as a diagnostic interface provided by Alitech). Also provided documentation, test scripts (for SecSim Pro), and software build automation scripts.  Re-hired several times to support new features, reactor models, and multiple Windows platforms.

• Semiconductor Fab Air Monitor (contracts for Extraction Systems)

Designed and implemented a complete OEM software package to provide control, monitoring, graphical user interface and SECS/GEM interface for the client's amine impurity analyzer for the semiconductor fabrication industry. 

Focus areas: Reviewed software requirements, and long term goals, for this new product; recommended operating system and modular software architecture (using COM, Visual C++ and MFC); developed an object oriented design (with UML). 
Quickly implemented base features, and provided a shippable release within two months, including: sampling control, data acquisition, alarming and logging (implemented within a multithreaded Windows NT Service, and COM component), which interfaced to a user- friendly GUI module with dynamic bar displays, dynamic data charts, reports and journal.  Implemented a serial I/O interface with OEM hardware, with configurable input modes. Designed and implemented a SECS/GEM interface for the equipment -- packaged as an optional COM component -- to allow communication with host computers in semiconductor facilities; certified for SECS/GEM compliance using third-party test scripts (SecSim Pro). Re-hired to create additional features, including: advanced scheduling, enhanced alarm and control, diagnostic displays, enhanced security, new I/O hardware, increased number of sample locations from 10 to 100, auto-calibration scripts -- all fully configurable from the GUI; Alitech also developed InstallShield-based setup programs, on CD-ROM, and assisted the client and their customers with pre- and post-sale technical support.

• ActiveX Control for Spectrometer Interface (contract for PerkinElmer)

Designed, coded and tested an embeddable ActiveX control, which serves as the user interface for an 8-chamber spectrometer instrument. The work targeted Windows NT / 2000, and involved development in Visual C++, with an MFC architecture implemented inside the ActiveX control.

• Electronic Document Management System (contract for Valco Data Systems)

Managed a small team of developers in the design and implementation of several library (DLL) and user interface modules for an electronic document management system for use in hospitals. Also integrated these modules with various client-provided libraries and third-party libraries to support scanning, image viewing, and communication with hospital information systems. The work targeted Windows 98/NT/2000, and involved development in UML, Visual C++, with MFC and COM.

• Rule-based Data Validation/Prompting System (contract for Pamet Systems)

Designed, coded and tested a COM component for business rule validation and user prompting, including a general purpose rule compiler and high-performance runtime rule engine -- now part of Alitech's component libraries. Also implemented ODBC data retrieval from an SQL Server RDBMS, for use with the rule system. The work targeted Windows NT / Windows 98, using Visual C++, MFC and COM.

• Visual C++ Skill Evaluation Exams (contract for e-Exams)

Authored several sets of examination questions to verify job applicant skills in Visual C++ development. Examinations were created for Basic, Intermediate and Advanced skill levels, emphasizing practical application of VC++ in real-world development projects. The questions received excellent reviews from editors and test subjects. (Note: Alitech later acquired the rights to these exams.)

• Mass Spectrometer Control System (contract for PerSeptive Biosystems)

Designed, coded and tested major components for the control of a line of state-of-the-art mass spectrometers. Made significant contributions to all phases of the project from the analysis stage through an initial product release, including object oriented analysis/design, and implementation with multi-threaded Visual C++, MFC, client-server RPC, and an object database, on the Windows NT platform.

• Console Communication Server (contract for Digital Equipment)

Led a small team in design and development of software module to monitor text feeds from 200+ connected computers, and detect events occurring on those systems. The module was implemented as a high-performance, multithreaded Windows NT Service, as part of a new heterogeneous client-server product suite. Worked on object oriented analysis and design, with implementation using MS-Visual C++, MFC Library and Win32 API/SDK, with heavy-duty multi-threading requirements. Also led a task force on software internationalization.

• Uninstaller (contract for Lotus Development)

Designed and developed a complete program module to uninstall Lotus SmartSuite for Windows 95/NT and associated Lotus products. The work involved object oriented analysis and design, with implementation using MS-Visual C++, portable and internationalized Windows 95/NT code, MFC, and Win32 API/SDK.

• Oil Well Simulation (contract for NewSim Technologies)

Managed and implemented the development of a C++ class library to simulate fluid flow and control of oil and gas drilling operations, including: object oriented analysis, design and Visual C++ / MFC programming; development of a high speed, large capacity object oriented database system (OODB) for physical properties; template-based development, specialized collections and memory allocators, speed optimization, including I/O Stream class customization, and generalized runtime diagnostic classes.

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