Applied R&D / Simulate · Build · Prove

Some problems have no solution yet

When there is no standard solution, we find out what does work: simulated, built and measured on real hardware. You get a clear go or no-go, based on data.

Request an R&D Feasibility Sprint See the approach
Technical drawing of a lab: a bench with an oscilloscope probing a prototype board, a power supply, a laptop with a simulation and a soldering station; beside it a climate chamber and a field test with a radar over a bin of material
Applied R&D / Why it stays unsolved

Why problems stay unsolved

No known principle

Standard sensors do not work in dust, heat, sewers or underground.

Expensive to try

A test set-up costs time and money, with no guarantee it works.

Scattered expertise

Simulation, electronics, firmware and field measurements rarely sit in one team.

Applied R&D / Our approach

From question to go or no-go

We work in four steps. Before the first one, we agree with you on the research questions and the success criteria. Below, the steps on one type of problem.

Example · The type of problem
Measuring the flow of material out of a silo.Why it is hard: dust, falling material, and no standard sensor that fits.
01 · Simulate

Find the principle that can work

Physical simulation, checked against real measurements. Three candidates for this silo: a load cell, a camera and a radar.

02 · Build

Build a test set-up

Hardware, firmware and prototypes in our own lab. The load cell and the camera drop out; the radar goes onto a test set-up.

03 · Prove

Measure in the real environment

Material falls, the radar looks into the stream and measures its speed. Dust and falling material are part of the test.

04 · Go or no-go

Decided on data

The measurements answer the research questions agreed up front. Then scaling is optional: growing into a product, with production by us if you want it.

A no-go is a result too. You do not invest in a route that does not work.

Applied R&D / Typical problems

What lands on our bench

Autonomous sensors

Energy harvesting, low consumption, years without maintenance.

Hostile environments

Dust, heat, moisture, falling material.

Detecting and locating

Vibrations, presence, movement.

Sensor networks in the field

Remote and rugged, over LoRa, cellular or satellite.

Automatic inspection

Several sensors and machine data combined.

Applied R&D / Faster through Kilby

Kilby speeds up, an engineer signs off

Kilby is our AI embedded engineer. He takes over work where that is faster. Experienced engineers decide and sign off on the result.

Meet Kilby ↗

KilbyWhere Kilby helps
  • Running simulations faster
  • Firmware for test set-ups and test benches
  • Repeating tests on hardware
What stays with engineers
  • The research questions and success criteria
  • The interpretation of the measurements
  • The advice: go, no-go or another direction
Applied R&D / Where to start
Kickstarter · First step

R&D Feasibility Sprint

Find out if it works.

We test the most promising principle on a set-up, against the research questions you agreed with us.

You getA report with the test results and a clear go, no-go or alternative direction.
How it worksFixed scope, fixed price. Research questions and success criteria are agreed together up front.
Request the sprint
Next step · After a go

Prototype to product

Scale what works.

When the answer is go, we turn the proven principle into a product, with production by us if you want it.

You getA product built on the proven principle, ready for production and for the field.
How it worksRun as Product (re)engineering, phase by phase. After each phase, you decide whether the next one goes ahead.
See Product (re)engineering
Applied R&D / Cases

Proven in the field

25 mNMBS · RailSeismic detection of intruders, unnoticed in an active rail yardRead the case →2 countriesAvia-GIS · Environmental monitoringSolar sensor nodes, validated in South Africa and TurkeyRead the case →POC in weeksSmappee · EnergyA Wi-Fi module with Matter for the Linky meter, now in productionRead the case →
Contact

Bring us the hard problem.

A conversation about your problem is the first step.

Proven on real hardware