Software & Firmware Design
Software is the magic that gives hardware life. Enabling devices to sense, communicate, and act with precision.
Diatomic Product Development is a team of engineering and prototyping experts that offers a turnkey solution to your software and firmware design challenges.
We provide software and embedded firmware development services for hardware-based products, including medical devices, scientific instruments, and connected IoT systems. Our Seattle-based engineers design production-ready firmware, real-time embedded systems, and secure connected device software that integrates seamlessly with electronics, mechanics, and user interfaces.
Our team creates the intelligence that transforms physical hardware into functional, complete and connected products. We support startups and established companies with embedded software, firmware, and connected product development, delivering performance, reliability, and scalability across commercial and regulated markets.
Our software team works in close collaboration with our hardware engineers to ensure that every function—from sensing and control to connectivity and data logging—operates in harmony.
Key Activities
System Architecture & Platform Design
Every successful product begins with a solid software foundation. Our approach starts with a thorough understanding of our client’s problem domain and user workflow to design software solutions that match end-user needs and expectations. Our engineers define the embedded architecture that best supports the product’s functionality, performance, and lifecycle needs.
- Firmware and system requirements definition
- Embedded system architecture and RTOS selection
- Processor and microcontroller platform evaluation
- Memory, I/O, and peripheral interface planning
- Communication interface mapping (I²C, SPI, UART, BLE, etc.)
- Integration of sensors, radios, displays, and user interfaces
- Secure boot, firmware update, and provisioning strategies
- System state-machine and control architecture design
Embedded Firmware Development
During detailed design, firmware engineers develop the core codebase that drives sensing, control, and communication. We design and implement production-grade firmware that runs efficiently on constrained hardware platforms. Our code is structured, maintainable, and optimized for both performance and low power. This ensures reliable operation in real-world environments. Firmware is developed and tested in parallel with hardware to accelerate integration and de-risk development.
- Firmware for microcontrollers and embedded processors
- Real-Time Operating Systems for time-sensitive applications.
- Device drivers, BSP development and low-level firmware
- Real-time control and signal processing
- Sensor data acquisition and calibration
- Automation and control of motors
- Heaters, pneumatics, optics, sensors and peripherals
- Low-power design and energy management
- Communication stacks (BLE, Wi-Fi, USB, UART, SPI, I²C, CAN)
- Bootloaders, drivers, and board-support packages (BSPs)
- Application-level state machines and logic control
Algorithms + Digital Signal Processing
We design and implement algorithms and DSP software for real-time analysis, control, and signal interpretation. Our expertise spans sensor integration, filtering, feature extraction, and embedded implementation to create embedded systems that see, sense, and respond with precision.
- Signal and image processing and computer vision
- Spectral analysis, filter design, adaptive algorithms
- Signal detection/estimation/classification
- De-noising, beam forming
- Modeling and simulation
Connectivity & IoT Integration (IoT firmware development, connected devices, cloud integration)
Connected products demand secure and reliable data exchange. We integrate firmware seamlessly with mobile apps, cloud platforms, and wireless protocols to enable intelligent, connected experiences.
- Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, and cellular integration
- IoT protocol implementation (MQTT, HTTP, CoAP)
- Over-the-air (OTA) firmware update systems
- Secure device pairing, encryption, and authentication
Integration, Testing & Verification
Firmware engineers collaborate across disciplines to integrate software with physical hardware and verify performance through bench and system testing. We test to ensure stable, predictable operation under all expected conditions.
- System integration testing with electrical and mechanical systems
- Debugging and performance optimization (using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG)
- Unit testing, regression testing, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation
- Power profiling and performance optimization
- Code reviews and static analysis
- EMC/EMI validation and system-level stress testing
- Support for regulatory software documentation and release control
Manufacturing Transfer Support
Our team supports your software through the entire manufacturing process. This includes firmware release management, version control, production programming support, and documentation required for manufacturing and regulatory compliance.
Software engineering sits at the intersection of hardware and user experience. Our team works closely with electrical, mechanical, and industrial design engineers to create cohesive, fully integrated products, from early prototypes to connected ecosystems.
Whether developing a wearable medical sensor, portable instrument, or next-generation consumer device, we deliver firmware that’s stable, scalable, and manufacturing-ready.
Why Diatomic?
From concept to released code, our team of experts deliver turnkey software and firmware solutions.
