Embedded Systems Engineer – Prototype Design and Firmware for Measurement Device

Project Overview

I’m looking for an experienced embedded systems engineer to help develop a proof-of-concept contact-based measurement system for soft surfaces using off-the-shelf components.

The system is intended to explore automated measurement of soft surface depth in variable environmental conditions, particularly in conditions where traditional optical-only systems may lose accuracy or fail.

The system combines optical groove detection with a mechanically actuated contact probe capable of rapidly measuring tread depth while the system operates during continuous motion across a surface.

The goal is to demonstrate reliable operation, repeatable measurements, and robust behavior under practical field conditions — not to build a production-ready commercial product.

Context of Use

The system is intended to simulate real-world inspection scenarios involving soft surfaces such as rubber (e.g., tires).

Typical manual measurement approaches require positioning a gauge, recording results, and repeating the process multiple times per tire. This becomes physically demanding and time-consuming when inspecting multiple vehicles or tires located in difficult-to-access areas.

The proposed system explores automated measurement workflows during continuous motion across a surface.

The system is expected to:

• operate on rubber surfaces,
• function reliably in contaminated environments,
• maintain repeatability during repeated measurement cycles,
• and support compact operation during testing.

Specific mechanical geometry and implementation details will be discussed after initial alignment.

Core Functionality

The system should support:

• Continuous scanning of a soft surface during motion
• Detection of tread grooves using a non-contact sensing method
• Controlled actuation of a mechanical probe (solenoid or similar actuator)
• Measurement of probe displacement/depth after physical contact with the groove bottom
• Automatic return/retraction of the probe after each measurement cycle
• Wireless transmission of measurement data (serial and/or BLE)
• Support for both automatic and semi-automatic operating modes
• Reliable execution of a repeatable cycle: trigger → detect groove → actuate → measure → retract → transmit

The primary focus is measurement consistency, timing reliability, and repeatable behavior across multiple cycles.

Scope of Work

This project is structured into several development phases:

• System architecture and component selection
• Integration of groove detection sensing
• Development of the probe actuation mechanism
• Integration of displacement/depth sensing
• Firmware development for the operational cycle
• Bluetooth or serial data transmission
• Functional testing and validation
• System refinement for stable operation during testing

The expectation is to use development boards (ESP32, STM32, or similar) and commercially available components.

No custom PCB design or production-level optimization is required at this stage.

Deliverables

• System architecture diagram
• Wiring / connection diagrams
• Firmware source code (well-structured and commented)
• Demonstration videos showing system functionality
• Basic setup and operation documentation
• Description of measurement logic and firmware state machine

Technical Expectations

• Strong experience with embedded systems and firmware development
• Experience with ESP32, STM32, or similar microcontrollers
• Ability to integrate sensors and actuators into real-time systems
• Experience with motion control and event-driven firmware logic
• Familiarity with hardware prototyping and debugging
• Experience with contact-based measurement systems is highly desirable
• Experience working with noisy real-world sensor conditions is a strong plus

Collaboration Approach

We will begin with a small initial milestone focused on:

• architecture review,
• component validation,
• and operational logic design.

Further development will proceed milestone-by-milestone depending on prototype performance, communication quality, and practical engineering results.

Clear communication and pragmatic problem-solving are very important for this project.

When applying, please include:

• Examples of similar embedded systems or hardware projects
• Your proposed approach for building a repeatable contact-based measurement cycle
• Experience integrating sensors with mechanical actuation systems
• Estimated timeline for the initial milestone

Goal

The goal is to create a working proof-of-concept demonstrating:

• reliable groove detection,
• repeatable contact-based tread depth measurement,
• stable actuation behavior,
• and consistent operation under varied test conditions.

Screening Question

Please briefly describe how you would ensure repeatable and accurate measurements when probing a soft material like rubber.