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 projectOur 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.
Reducing product losses and energy waste
Many losses go unnoticed simply because they are not measured: a temperature drift, a degrading power supply, a node that stops reporting. Our subsystems turn these signals into data that can be acted on.
Protecting product
Continuous monitoring with local logging makes temperature and environmental excursions visible early, so they can be corrected before goods are lost.
Catching drift and faults early
Condition monitoring of temperatures, power supplies and equipment states helps spot drift and faults before they turn into breakdowns, rework or wasted energy.
Low power by design
Battery-operated nodes with optimised power consumption and local logging reduce maintenance visits, battery replacements and data loss when communication fails.
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, industrialise, maintain and continuously improve.
- Agility: well suited to prototypes, demonstrators, custom variants, and small or medium production runs.
- Component-independent approach: our current experience with wireless microcontrollers 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 don’t offer
A generic module to bolt onto your product. We start from the function, the interfaces and the constraints, then design the subsystem.
The same goes for the gateway: depending on the project it may be a single-board computer, an industrial computer or an MCU-based design, chosen for the environment, lifecycle and qualification 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.
Production, compliance and quality
Production. We design for manufacturability and manage production for each project, with European-origin manufacturing available when required. Every unit is programmed, tested and verified by Aptinov before delivery. Volumes are agreed per project.
Compliance. We can take charge of compliance testing (EMC, radio and safety, as applicable to the product) with accredited laboratories.
Quality. Documented requirements, change management and recorded tests are part of how we work, from prototype to small series.
Intellectual property. Intellectual property and confidentiality terms are agreed before the project starts, and we are happy to sign an NDA first.
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.
Contact us