Innovotype

Personal project · KiCAD · JLCPCB · 4-layer PCB

ESP32 IoT Development Board

A purpose-built 4-layer IoT board, taken from schematic to assembled hardware in under three weeks.

The problem
Off-the-shelf dev boards are designed for breadth, not fit — oversized, carrying unnecessary peripherals, often lacking the sensor or power management integration a specific application needs. I designed a purpose-built 4-layer IoT board as both a functional prototyping platform and a proof of the full KiCAD design-to-manufacture workflow.The approach
Designed a compact 4-layer PCB around the ESP32-C3-S2 SoC, integrating an environment sensor, ambient light sensor, MEMS microphone, SD card, flash memory, USB-C, battery management IC, and power regulator. Layout required careful RF antenna keep-out clearance, power plane partitioning, and mixed analog/digital placement. Full schematic, layout, BOM, and Gerbers in KiCAD — fabrication and PCBA through JLCPCB.The outcome
Fully functional 4-layer board: connects to Wi-Fi, reads all onboard sensors, logs to SD, runs from USB or battery. Design-to-delivered-hardware cycle: under three weeks from schematic start.The lesson
Doing the full stack yourself exposes exactly where the gaps are. This is the workflow I bring to every client engagement — schematic, layout, BOM, fabricator liaison, bring-up. When I hand you a design package, it's been through my hands at every step.

Veolia Nuclear Solutions · UK

PCB Systems for Nuclear-Environment Robotics

Designing PCBs for nuclear remote-handling robots where in-field failure isn't an option.

The problem
Remote-handling robots in nuclear environments demand PCBs that perform under radiation, vibration, and EMI — with zero tolerance for in-field failure. The team needed rigorous design meeting IPC standards while remaining manufacturable at low volume on compressed timelines.The approach
Led schematic capture and PCB layout to IPC-2221 and IPC-7711/7721 standards. Ran structured DFM reviews with fabricators on stack-up, clearance, and impedance. Built and maintained the Altium component library and an equipment database integrated into the BOM workflow. Fabricated wiring harnesses and enclosures in-house and performed functional testing and safety validation on every assembly.The outcome
Multiple boards delivered from concept to assembled hardware. The equipment database cut BOM preparation time by 40% and reduced sourcing errors at manufacturing hand-off. All boards integrated into active robotic systems in nuclear operations.The lesson
In high-stakes hardware, the process is the product. Structured DFM reviews, standards compliance, and clean component data are the difference between a board that works in the field and one that fails weeks after deployment. An irrigation controller failing mid-season has consequences just as real.

Retail client · Systems integration

POS & ERP Integration for a Retail Client

Disconnected retail systems unified into a synchronised stack, cutting end-of-day reconciliation by 80%.

The problem
A retail client ran disconnected systems — legacy POS, standalone inventory, and manual CRM — producing stock discrepancies, double-entry errors, and 90-minute end-of-day reconciliation. The systems individually worked; the failure was at the seams.The approach
Scoped integration requirements across all three systems, selected a compatible POS and CRM/ERP stack, and managed deployment end to end: hardware installation, network setup, data migration, staff training, and post-go-live support. Built a simple daily reporting template the owner could use without any technical knowledge.The outcome
All systems running in sync within two weeks. Stock discrepancies eliminated. End-of-day reconciliation dropped from ~90 minutes to under 15. Live sales and stock dashboard from day one of go-live.The lesson
Most hardware and system problems are integration problems. The components work fine in isolation — the failure happens at the seam. That thinking is as relevant to a PCB stack-up as it is to an ERP deployment. The discipline transfers.

About

I'm Mohamed Osman — an electrical and electronics engineer with four years of professional hardware experience, now running a focused electronics design studio for agritech and IoT teams.My background spans PCB layout and schematic design for nuclear robotics at Veolia, electronics testing and validation at NCR, and a master's in Electronic & Electrical Engineering from Loughborough University. I'm proficient in KiCAD, Altium, and OrCAD, and I work across the full hardware lifecycle — from first schematic to DFM-ready files, BOM, and fabricator handoff.I built this studio to serve one niche well: hardware teams in agritech and IoT who need senior-engineer quality without the overhead of a full-time hire. Whether that's a soil sensor PCB, an irrigation controller, or a smart livestock monitoring unit — I take it from concept to certified hardware, fast.I work with funded scaleups, established SMEs, and government R&D teams across Saudi Arabia, the UK, and Australia. Projects are USD-denominated, async-first, and scoped clearly upfront.If you have a hardware problem worth solving, book a free 30-minute Design Audit and let's look at it together.

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