Electronic engineering · firmware · edge & backend

From sensor to application: custom connected subsystems

Aptinov designs embedded electronic systems and the software that connects them to the rest of the product: sensors, microcontrollers, data acquisition and logging, wireless communications, edge gateways, and integration with software or web platforms.

Tell us about your project

Our value: expertise across the entire data chain

Our expertise goes beyond the electronic board. We develop products in which data is measured, processed, logged, transmitted, received by a gateway, and then integrated into software or a backend service.

1. Embedded node

Microcontroller, sensors, local memory, power management and real-time firmware.

2. Communications

Wireless networks, serial interfaces and integration of communication technologies suited to the project.

3. Edge gateway

Reception of measurements and commands, temporary storage, local control and transfer to other systems.

4. Backend & application

Backend services, APIs, web platforms and integration with customer software.

Embedded electronics

Design of microcontroller-based boards and subsystems, integrating sensors, memory, power supplies and the interfaces required by the product.

Firmware

Embedded firmware development: acquisition, timing, non-volatile storage, communications, diagnostics, fault recovery and power-consumption optimisation.

Measurement & acquisition

Sensor integration and conversion of physical quantities into reliable, logged data that can be used by the customer’s system.

Networks & connectivity

Experience with wireless sensor networks, Zigbee, USB and serial interfaces, Ethernet, and cellular modem integration.

Edge & gateways

Gateway software to receive measurements, send commands, manage communication with equipment and relay data to other applications.

Backend & integration

Development of backend services, APIs and integration with applications and web platforms to connect equipment to customer systems.

Hands-on experience with products deployed in the field

Aptinov has been developing its own wireless measurement systems since 2011. Previous generations use Texas Instruments CC2530 microcontrollers; we are currently developing a new generation around the CC2674P10, based on an ARM Cortex-M33 architecture.

Our products combine sensors, battery operation, local data logging, Zigbee communications and data recovery. The gateways we develop receive measurements or commands, apply local logic when required and forward data to our applications.

This chain integrates with applications, backend services and web platforms. This “sensor-to-backend” experience is the foundation of our OEM offering.

Architecture we master

Sensor / MCU
Measurement · processing · local storage · low power

Network / interfaces
Zigbee · serial link · USB · Ethernet · cellular integration

Edge gateway
Data reception · commands · local logic · forwarding

Applications & backend
Backend services · APIs · web platforms · integration with customer systems

OEM needs where we can add value

We focus on subsystems where our combination of electronics + firmware + connectivity + software allows us to deliver a complete function rather than just an isolated board.

Distributed acquisition

Multi-sensor measurement nodes, local logging, timestamping, periodic collection and data transfer to a central system.

Condition monitoring

Monitoring of temperatures, power supplies, states or environmental parameters for diagnostics, maintenance and traceability.

Gateways & conversion

Connecting equipment, sensor networks and applications: receiving, transforming, queuing and forwarding data or commands.

Autonomous data logging

Equipment able to continue measuring and storing data when communication is lost, then synchronise the data when the connection is restored.

Test & validation systems

Electronics and software to acquire measurements, automate tests, record results, or test subsystems during development and production.

Complete system prototype

Functional demonstrator combining an embedded board, firmware, communications, gateway and backend to validate an architecture quickly.

Sectors where this experience is directly transferable

We do not seek to impose a particular technology or component: the platform is selected according to the customer’s constraints, environment, product lifecycle, interfaces and qualification requirements.

Industry & OEM equipment

Connected equipment, multi-sensor acquisition, condition-based maintenance, gateways and integration with information systems.

Instrumentation & laboratory

Measurement, traceability, data logging, automatic data transfer and integration of specific instruments or sensors.

UAV & autonomous systems

Auxiliary acquisition, condition monitoring, logging, sensor interfaces, gateways, and ground or test equipment.

Aerospace & defence

Instrumentation, connected measurement systems, test equipment, maintenance, subsystem monitoring and technology demonstrators.

A realistic approach to aerospace and defence

For equipment subject to qualification or certification requirements, scope, traceability, validation, environment and cybersecurity must be defined with the customer. Our offering primarily targets measurement and connectivity subsystems, demonstrators, test equipment, ground equipment and auxiliary functions; for critical aerospace functions, specific requirements are defined with the customer and, where necessary, with qualified partners.

Why work with Aptinov?

One team across multiple system layers: electronics, firmware, edge and backend.
Product experience: our expertise comes from equipment that we develop, manufacture, maintain and continuously improve.
Agility: well suited to prototypes, demonstrators, custom variants, and small or medium production runs.
Component-independent approach: our current TI/ARM experience is a starting point; the final choice depends on project requirements.
Development in Portugal: direct communication with the technical team and proximity to the European supply chain.

What we are not trying to sell

We do not offer a “generic module” to impose on the customer’s product. We first seek to understand the function, interfaces and constraints, and then design the appropriate subsystem.

Likewise, a Raspberry Pi gateway may be suitable for certain equipment or prototypes, but it is not a constraint of our offering: for an OEM project, the gateway platform or embedded computer is selected according to industrial and environmental requirements.

From requirement to functional subsystem

1. Requirements

Functions, data, interfaces, environment, constraints, volumes and validation criteria.

2. Architecture

Hardware/software partitioning, technology choices, electronics, firmware, edge and backend interfaces.

3. Prototype & testing

Hardware and software development, functional testing, logging, diagnostics and iterations.

4. Industrialisation

Documentation, testability, validation, change management and preparation for small or medium production runs.

Do you have a measurement, connectivity or embedded integration requirement?

Tell us about the function you need, the data to be acquired or exchanged, the existing interfaces and the expected quantities. We can work with you to define the most suitable architecture before development begins.