Let Us Answer Your Questions
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Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is in an Embedded System?Embedded systems come in many forms and can do many things. They drive home appliances like the washing machine, thermostat, or phone. Automobiles have dozens controlling everything from the brakes to the windshield wipers. For industry they control motors, measure power, and drive robots. Healthcare uses them to monitor patients, administer drugs, and perform surgery. The common thread is that all embedded systems have a processing unit that is programmed to perform just one specific task or set of operations and is surrounded by whatever other hardware it takes to do that one job. A typical Banker Coté design uses 1 or 2 processors and is programmed in C. The program is firmware, not software, resides in flash memory, and is often capable of being upgraded via a serial data link. The hardware is designed using standard components. We select the parts, design the circuit, and have a PC board made. The overall design may be packaged on a single such PC board, or may involve multiple processors or multiple boards of circuitry specific to the application. How much will it cost?Every project is different, so there is no definitive answer to this question. We usually work on a Time and Materials basis because it provides the most flexibility for you to finalize details or add features as the project progresses. Many clients wish to lock in a fixed price as a means of controlling costs, but that only works in cases where the project is rigidly defined. In general, we discourage this approach because it promotes an adversarial relationship when every change becomes a negotiation. At the same time, flexibility is a good thing, but it can become costly if your plans change much from the initial estimate. If your project definition is fluid, it might be best to start with a discrete definition phase to develop a roadmap that serves us both in future phases and to get to know each other. I've never used a consultant before. How do we work together?We start with an initial consultation in which you outline your requirements and we jointly decide what role Banker Coté will play. Generally, there is no charge for this exploratory step. Once you decide to use our services, engaging us is simple: a purchase order or an initial payment gets us started on your project. Generally we work on a Time and Materials (T&M) basis (perhaps with a “not to exceed” cap) although fixed fee arrangements are possible. We will provide an estimate of the required effort, and then revise the estimate as work proceeds and details become more firm. We differ from direct or contract employees in that you pay only for the time we spend working for you, never for any idle time. Will my plans stay confidential?We NEVER discuss a client or potential client’s business with anyone else without specific permission. If you wish, we will sign a non-disclosure agreement before the initial consultation. To avoid conflicts of interest, we simply do not accept work from competitors to existing clients. Do you need to work in our facility?It depends on the nature of the work, the geography, and your preferences. If the hardware is very large or involves special equipment (such as venting for toxic gases), we must work at your facility for at least part of the time. The same is true if you simply prefer us to be on site, or if active collaboration with your staff is mandated. If there are no such requirements, if you are located beyond commuting distance, or if you have no space for us, we work at our own facility. While there, we generally use our own tools and equipment, but occasionally a client will loan us something specific to his job, such as an item of specialized test equipment. How do we get started?Contact us to discuss your requirements. You can call us or we’ll call you. If you prefer, send us an email with a brief outline of your project. After an initial consultation, we jointly decide the next step. We have a tight deadline. Can you meet it?Probably. It depends on several factors, including your deadline, our pre-existing workload, and how well our skills mesh with your needs. The only way to know for sure is to talk about it, so give us a call! The engineer on this job left the company. Can you take over an unfinished project?Yes. It is not always easy to step into another engineer’s shoes, but as consultants we often do just that. For example, in a product redesign, the old design’s documentation may serve as the specification, or when implementing changes to an existing design we must study the design before making the change. Completing an unfinished design is a similar activity. Are you insured?Yes. We carry general liability and workers compensation insurance. Our liability policy includes coverage for any equipment or material belonging to our clients while on our premises.
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