Integra Sources Ltd
About Integra Sources Ltd
Founded in 2014 by experts in software and hardware development, Integra Sources has already completed more than 100 projects of varying complexity. Our team has helped more than 40 clients launch new solutions in education, healthcare, consumer electronics, and other industries. We are happy to work on your projects, improve your business, and develop new devices for you.
Integra maintains a reliable system of controlling the workflow on each milestone providing its clients with quick and effective feedback, meeting and satisfying clients’ requirements concerning the most flexible communication style, keeping agile workflow and delivering the best solutions for every chall...Read more
Founded in 2014 by experts in software and hardware development, Integra Sources has already completed more than 100 projects of varying complexity. Our team has helped more than 40 clients launch new solutions in education, healthcare, consumer electronics, and other industries. We are happy to work on your projects, improve your business, and develop new devices for you.
Integra maintains a reliable system of controlling the workflow on each milestone providing its clients with quick and effective feedback, meeting and satisfying clients’ requirements concerning the most flexible communication style, keeping agile workflow and delivering the best solutions for every challenge.
We can proudly say that our instant growth owes to our happy clients. Most of them are small and medium-sized companies from UK, Canada, USA, Australia and Europe looking for professional solutions for their projects. Due to their trust and background (many of them are developers themselves) they gave us opportunities to work on various spheres which resulted in award-winning systems or consumer devices that really exceeded customers’ expectations.
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Virtual Camera Driver
About
To make a video call most of us will use a front camera on our laptop or tablet and a video chatting app like Skype. But what if you need to make an online business presentation, conduct a video conference, or use a smart intercom to communicate with people using different software? The webcam on Windows devices can be used for such scenarios if it is combined with the right software.
A US company headquartered in New York that creates smart intercoms needed a solution similar to ManyCam to allow people to use their webcams on various applications whilst simultaneously live streaming or using video chat. In fact, the customer already had an out-of-the-box solution based on DirectShow filters provided by Microsoft. It allowed for streaming and performing other operations with the users` videos, however, it produced a high load on the CPU. Thus, our task was to build a custom driver for the virtual camera that could run on a low-performance CPU.
Solution
Our team at Integra Sources developed a reliable high-performance Windows driver for a virtual camera that allows for streaming data from the webcam to various client applications. The main requirements for the driver’s functionality included:
At least 10 apps must use the camera simultaneously
The CPU load must not exceed 50% with up to 10 channels connected simultaneously
The virtual camera driver must be compatible with Windows OS 7, 8, 10
Technologies Used
The driver is written in C/C++.
We used Microsoft Visual Studio and Windows Driver Kit (WDK) to implement the driver.
Result
We wrote a high-performance virtual camera driver that doesn't overload the CPU and is compatible with three versions of Windows OS. All you need to do to enable broadcast to multiple channels simultaneously is install a driver, configure settings, and then you can add up to 10 video sources to your live stream.
The client was happy with the work done so they returned to our team to develop additional features for the driver. We upgraded the driver interface, added a custom splash screen and support for streams with different resolutions. In the first version of the driver, the resolution was the same for all clients.
Algodroid R&D Project: Building a Computer Vision System for Preventing Falls
About
When people grow old, falls can be extremely dangerous. They are often the result of a sudden medical condition, such as stroke, seizure, or heart attack. The problem is especially acute for people who live alone: once they fall, a significant amount of time can pass before they receive assistance.
To reduce the risk of falls, numerous companies are working on technology solutions for fall prevention. These solutions include wearable devices, such as medical bracelets, reaction-based alarms, virtual sitters, video monitoring systems, and even smart shoes.
One of our clients, a Belgium-based startup called Algodroid is working on technology that uses cameras to detect falls in the homes of the elderly. They turned to us to help implement their solution.
The problem Algodroid intended to solve with technology wasn't a trivial one. To build a system for fall detection we needed to implement a set of intelligent algorithms that would be able to:
Recognize a human posture (sitting, walking, lying down, falling)
Detect a human in a frame
Detect the occurrence of a fall
Differentiate between an incident of falling and the process of lying down
Solution
Because of the complexity of the project, we offered Algodroid our Research & Development collaboration model that entails scientific research and project feasibility evaluation. We did thorough research in the area of computer vision and machine learning and are currently working on the implementation of artificial vision algorithms that enable video data collection and analysis.
Technologies Used
C++ language in combination with OpenCV library has been used for algorithms prototyping and receiving PoC.
We used JeVois smart machine vision camera as a compact and cheap solution which could be integrated into an MVP product.
Depth cameras, such as Intel RealSense and Orbbec Astra have been used for distance estimation to an object under observation.
We used Nuitracl library for working with depth channel.
BodyTracking algorithms have been used for obtaining information related to a human's silhouette.
Banana Pi Media Board Computer has been used as an RTSP server for streaming frames received from Astra camera.
RTSP server has been implemented with the help of C++ language in combination with live555 library.
Qt Framework has been used for developing a cross-platform GUI application for further interaction with Banana Pi board.
Result
The video monitoring system for fall prevention we at Integra Sources are currently working on can be broken down into four parts:
3D cameras to track older people's activities throughout the day
Single board PC for processing data from the cameras.
Artificial vision algorithms to recognize human postures and detect if a person has fallen
A communication system that sends an alarm message to caregivers along with a picture once a fall is detected.
Custom DIY Tablet Based on Raspberry Pi for Teaching Kids How to Code
One of the leading technology and innovation schools in Brazil offers interactive computer programming courses where kids can learn how to build drones, games, and applications. To make the learning process fun and interactive the company uses a special device tailored specifically for educational needs. It's a DIY (Do It Yourself) tablet based on Raspberry Pi3. With this device, children can learn how to code, create digital music, develop games, and more.
ntegra Sources was hired to:
Build a custom Linux operating system for the DIY device
Developed entertainment and educational applications for children
Build an autonomous power supply system that ensures fast charging
Write firmware for the power bank
Solution
To create a custom OS for the touchscreen device we modified Debian – the operating system based on the Linux kernel. We redesigned the interface to make it simple and intuitive and built two applications for learning how to code. The apps are integrated with the Blockly framework. It uses linked-together visual blocks that make writing code easier.
Our hardware development team at Integra Sources provided a solution for a high-efficiency autonomous charger. We picked out hardware components and wrote firmware that provides a quick charge without harming the battery.
We also developed an interface converter from DSI to LVDS to support 1280*720 touch-screen display.
Technologies Used
The OS we developed used Debian as a basis.
Buildroot was used for the custom OS creation.
QT application was developed as the main launcher.
JavaScript application was used for generating sounds.
JavaScript application was used for taking control over the playing characters in Minecraft.
Adapted video driver to be able to work with HD resolution.
Developed hardware DSI - LVDS converter to support higher resolution of the display.
Powerbank was developed using TPS61088 and BQ24295RGER made by Texas Instruments.
STM32 was used for controlling the charging process.
Firmware for STM microcontroller was written using C++.
Result
The solution represents a DIY tablet that children can assemble by following instructions. The operating system comes with applications which are grouped into fun “planets” (Art planet, Media planet, Game planet, Code planet, App planet, Web planet). One of the apps that our software development team created teaches kids how to code by creating modifications in their world of Minecraft. And the other one allows them to compose digital music.
Customizable GPS Tracking Platform for Monitoring Assets
Viewing the location of assets or individuals in real-time is crucial for supply chain management and logistics. To track their assets companies use GPS tracking systems. These systems allow companies to know where and in what condition their products or vehicles are at any moment in time.
Solution
The asset tracking solution we developed is comprised of a GPS tracking device and a cloud platform that stores the location of assets and displays it to users in real time via web and mobile user interfaces.
The main challenge of this project was to meet strict requirements for the device size and battery life. It had to work for about a month without charging.
Technologies Used
The GPS tracker has a set of sensors including temperature, humidity, accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS.
We developed apps for iOS and Android which display the location and current state of the GPS tracker.
The backend for the tracking platform is built in PHP.
We used the PostgreSQL database.
The firmware for the GPS tracker is written in C/C++.
Microsoft Visual Studio with Visual GDB plugin was used for firmware implementation.
The GPS Tracker has BLE, WiFi, and GSM/HSPA communication interfaces, which can be used in any combinations in the final solution.
The GPS Tracker supports HTTP, HTTPS, and MQTT protocols.
FreeRTOS was used for firmware development.
STM32L452 with Cortex-M4 core was used as MCU in this project.
The GPS tracker is equipped with an SD Card which can be used to store tracks and sensors data.
Result
The GPS tracker is a small device that gets attached to a vehicle, a container, or can be carried in pockets. It records the location and condition of assets and transfers this information to the server via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or GSM at defined time intervals. To enable indoor positioning, the device gathers data and signal strength from beacons and sends this information to the server where the exact location of the GPS tracker is calculated. The device is integrated with temperature, humidity, accelerometer, and gyroscope sensors to understand the condition of the asset.
In addition to the device, we also built a software platform that stores the data on assets and offers web and mobile user interfaces with Google Maps where a user can monitor the location of assets.
Our solution comes pre-equipped with basic asset tracking functionality. Because every client has special requirements for GPS tracking platforms, we can customize the platform for each customer. Our solution reduces the development time by 40-60%.
Autonomous Robotic Lawn Mower
A company in the consumer robotics industry was working on a robotic mower. They needed a professional company that could provide an independent design review for their first version of the printed circuit board that had been created by another electronics design company. Integra Sources' expertise and our ability to predict possible risks impressed the client so he decided to continue the development of the robotic mower with our company.
We were chosen to build peripheral device drivers for the first version of the lawn mower and then continued working on the second, more advanced version of the circuit board.
Solution
Our major goal was to develop a machine that could independently cut grass in specified areas of home gardens with minimal supervision. We achieved it by doing research, designing a robotic movement mechanism with electronic control circuitry and programming the controller.
We went through several iterations to build the electronics and develop firmware for the robot so it could meet the customer's expectations. The main challenge was to keep within the budget for hardware components. Our client wanted to make the lawn mower accessible to the mass market. Therefore, it needed to be cheaper than its competitors.
Technologies Used
STM32F4 series MCU with Cortex-M4 core was used for this project.
FreeRTOS was used for firmware development.
Microsoft Visual Studio with Visual GDB plugin was used for firmware implementation.
CMOS sensor (camera) with DVP bus was used.
The device can connect to the cloud (server) using WiFi or 3G connection.
The first prototype of the device has a wireless module NRF24L01 to communicate with the base station and LCD with touchscreen for GUI.
For precision positioning, GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass (magnetometer) and computer vision algorithms are used.
Altium Designer IDE was used for Schematics and PCB design.
The firmware was implemented using C/C++.
Result
Integra Sources managed to put the project on solid technical footing while lowering the estimated cost of the development effort required. We provided hardware design, prototyping, firmware development, and testing.
The delivered result is a fully completed hardware solution for an autonomous robot that doesn't need any supervision. The robotic lawn mower is equipped with algorithms and sensors – camera, accelerometer, gyroscope – that allow the robot to map the area it's about to work on. It's also equipped with a charger and a Wi-Fi and 3G module.
To set up the area of operation, you just need to walk around the lawn with the robot so it remembers where to work. After that, it is ready to cut the lawn’s grass 24/7 and will charge itself when it runs out of battery.
A USB Keylogger for Recording Keystrokes Typed on Any PC
In order not to scare anybody, the hardware keylogger we'll talk about in this case study isn't something hackers use to steal personal information. On the contrary, these devices are used by corporations to protect their data. Managers install keyloggers to monitor employee activity and provide a backup of data entered. Keyloggers are especially important for organizations that work with sensitive data and take measures to prevent private information from getting into the wrong hands.
Integra Sources was hired to build a USB keylogger for our client from Poland who wanted to implement this solution for two target markets. One of these markets is business owners who want to protect their corporate data. And the other one is parents who want to monitor their children.
When our client contacted us, they already had a hardware keylogger for PS/2 keyboards and they needed to develop a new device that could capture keystrokes from a USB keyboard.
The services we provided included custom schematics, printed circuit board (PCB) design, firmware development, and software development for the PC configuration utility.
The keylogger is operating system-independent and can be hidden inside a keyboard. It captures every key pressed by a user and stores this information in the text file on the internal NAND-flash. Users can access the text file after pressing a special combination of keys that switch the device into the flash drive mode.
Inside the keylogger, there is a text file (log), a configuration file for setting up the device parameters, and a file for keyboard layouts for controlling the language that the keyboard is set up for. There is also a small internal battery inside, so the time of the keystrokes is kept accurate even when the host PC is turned off.
After launching the first version, we continued working on the keylogger for about a year and released several new and different versions of the device. The latest version offers 16MB of internal memory, a timestamp saving feature, a real-time clock, and text encryption.
Technologies Used
USB Key Logger is based on AVR MCU AT90USB162 (later ATmega32U2) and EPM3064 CPLD.
CPLD firmware was written on AHDL using MAX+PLUS IDE.
MCU firmware was written in C using AVR Studio IDE.
In critical cases, we used Assembler language for MCU firmware implementation.
EAGLE CAD IDE was used for Schematics and PCB design.
PC software was implemented using Borland Delphi.
Result
The USB keylogger that we built gave a competitive advantage to our client and allowed them to meet their customers’ expectations. They successfully sold the desired number of keyloggers and then sold the idea and the prototype itself to another company.
To use the keylogger, a user needs to plug it between the keyboard and the PC. It works just like a flash drive. The main purpose of the keylogger is to record the data being transmitted by the keyboard. Every single keystroke is stored in the keylogger in a time-stamped text file.
When a user presses a specific key combination on the keyboard, the device switches into a flash drive mode. Users can conveniently browse through the logs and find the information they are looking for.
Custom IP Camera for Monitoring Pets Remotely
Leaving pets at home alone can be stressful for pet owners. But in-home pet cameras solve this problem. No wonder there are so many of them on the market. To build one, you need both software and hardware development teams.
A startup that was looking to develop a pet monitoring camera had a software development team in-house ready to implement the solution for pet owners. But they needed a strong hardware development partner to be able to handle the low-level requirements. They found Integra Sources.
We provided PCB design and developed a custom embedded Linux distribution build for the device installed at home for pet monitoring. We also developed a camera module that enables real-time video streaming via a mobile application.
Technologies Used
We used Allwinner A20 SoC with 2 ARM cores as CPU in this project.
We built a custom Linux image for the device.
The device firmware was stored on onboard NAND flash.
CMOS sensor (camera) with CSI bus was used.
The device was able to stream 1080p at 30fps H.264 encoded video.
We used the H.264 hardware codec for video encoding.
The device has an onboard WiFi module for networking.
NAT traversal functionalities were implemented.
All software was implemented in C/C++ language.
Altium Designer IDE was used for Schematics and PCB design.
Result
The final device is an IP camera similar to PetCube with real-time video and a built-in laser pointer. The main purpose of the camera is to watch if a pet is playing nicely while the owner is away. The pet owners can watch, talk to, and play with their pets using a mobile app.
SkinView iOS App for Identifying Melanoma Skin Cancer
A mole is a benign (non-cancerous) skin tumor. Almost everyone has from 30 to 60 moles on their body. And nearly all of these moles are harmless. But some types of moles are slightly more likely to develop into melanoma than other types of moles. If a mole has the characteristics of the ABCDEs (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, and Evolution) of melanoma it should be checked by a dermatologist.
GP2U Telehealth, an Australia-based GP online clinic, came up with the idea for the SkinView app. SkinView uses a disposable device that clips on to a smartphone and turns it into a digital dermatoscope. The application allows users to receive a skin cancer diagnosis without having to visit a doctor's office and pay the fee. When GP2U Telehealth turned to Integra Sources, the application was already under development. We were hired to port the app from Python to C++ and improve the quality of the computer vision algorithms.
We ported the SkinView app to C++ but our collaboration with GP2U didn't stop there. Our client was so impressed with the quality of our work and development approach that he decided to continue working with us on enhancing the accuracy of melanoma detection and optimizing the iOS app performance.
Technologies Used
Python language in combination with the scikit-image library has been used for receiving PoC.
C++ language in a compartment with OpenCV library has been used for algorithms converting from Python language.
Objective-C has been used for iOS mobile application development.
Algorithms developed with the help of C++ have been wrapped by Objective-C and integrated into the iOS mobile application.
Results
We significantly improved the algorithms for image processing and recognition. The melanoma diagnostic accuracy of our algorithms increased from 30% to 80%. Despite the complexity of the algorithms, we managed to decrease the processing time of the data to less than 0,1 second while the original version of the app required 4-6 seconds to process the image and show results.
SkinView became one of the two winners of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute Bytes4Health competition in November 2016. We continued working with the GP2U Telehealth company on another project.
Wearable Electrocardiogram Device
About:
Noise can be harmful. Exposure to noise increases stress levels which leads to raised heart rate and blood pressure. The University of East London had been conducting a study that examined how exposure to noise may adversely affect the cardiovascular systems of children and adults.
To carry out their research, the Research Center built a portable electrocardiogram (ECG) device for the participants in the experiment. This device was designed to record heart rate and individual noise levels. With these records, researchers could analyze how different noise levels affect heart rates and heart rate variability (HRV).
Request:
Request The research team was looking for an experienced development company that could build firmware for their ECG wearable device. They also needed to create an application that could provide data visualization capabilities for further heart rate research.
Solution:
Integra Sources provided firmware development so the ECG device could perform its function: record the data from all its sensors and send this data to mobile phones via Bluetooth where it is displayed in real time. We also provided Android mobile application development for our client.
How it works:
Participants in the experiment (children and adults) are equipped with a wearable ECG device placed on their skin. As they go about their day, electrical impulses released by the heart are picked up, processed by the microprocessor and recorded. At the end of the day, the participants come back to the lab where the researchers take off their ECG devices and study the heart's electrical activity in response to environmental noise, including from road traffic and aircraft.
Technologies used:
- We used ? nRF51? with ? BLE 4.0? support and ? Cortex-M0? core as MCU in this project.
- FreeRTOS ? was used for firmware development.
- The firmware was implemented using ? C/C++? .
- Microsoft Visual Studio? with ? Visual GDB? plugin was used for firmware implementation.
- The android ? application was implemented in the ? Android Studio? using ? Java ? language.
- The device has a ? microphone? , ? ECG? , ? accelerometer, and thermometer sensors.
Smart Home Control Panel
About:
A home automation system is a complex network of items that typically involve lights, appliances, electrical outlets, and heating and cooling systems. To control various home automation systems, manufacturers provide a control panel which is operated intuitively by means of a touchscreen display.
Request:
A provider of a smart home system based in France was looking for a reliable supplier experienced in electronics engineering. They needed to build a custom control panel for their IoT-based home automation system.
Solution:
Integra Sources developed a tablet-style smart home head unit based on the Allwinner A20 microprocessor. We made the schematics, designed the layout and provided prototype testing. The device has a 7-inch touchscreen, NFC module to control access to the system, and a radio frequency (RF) module for integrating the tablet into the IoT ecosystem. We also provided software development for a custom Linux build and driver development for different modules of the system.
Technologies used:
- We used ? Allwinner A20 SoC ? with 2 ? ARM ? cores as CPU in this project.
- We built a ? custom Linux image? for the device.
- The device firmware was stored on ? SD-Card ? flash.
- CMOS sensor? (camera) with ? CSI ? bus was used.
- The device has an onboard ? WiFi ? module for networking and ? Ethernet ? connector.
- All software was implemented on ? C/C++? language.
- The device has several ? buttons? , ? switches, LEDs, light sensor, microphone, and speaker? .
- For GUI device has ? LCD ? with? touchscreen? . We ported ? Linux kernel driver ? from a different kernel version for ? NFC ? reader.
- For ? LED-stripe? backlight we implemented a special ? Linux kernel driver? using an existing ? SPI driver.
- The device has a special ? RF-module? for custom communication protocol.
- UI interface was implemented using the ? QT ? framework and compiled to support ? EGLFS? .
-The device has 2 power sources: internal ? LiPO battery? and ? 5V? ? wall adapter? .
- EAGLE CAD ? IDE was used for ? Schematics ? and ? PCB design? .
-Flexible PCB? technology was used for ? LED-Stripe? , ? NFC ? antenna and special ? LCD ? adapter PCBs? .
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