Aaron Hammond Email & Phone Number

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Using my strong physics and spatial background, I develop precision positioning software for use with the GNSS. By removing road-blocks and adding generality I am creating a framework for higher performance calculations, realising the optimal positioning potential of GPS and its cousins.

Pulling together all aspects of embedded system design, at Advanced Navigation I developed products to be added to the lineup of precision GPS and 6DOF Inertial Navigation Systems.Isolating areas for innovation, and developing solutions from first principles, I increased the performance and lowered the cost of our high-performing solutions.By understanding the purpose of every component in a system, I evaluated their necessity, found novel methods to work around constraints, and predicted future gains and obstacles that would present when particular solution was chosen.I developed several systems for adding 3D attitude information to inertial receivers; creating an algorithm that drastically improved velocity-based heading determination, and the full-stack development of a satellite compass.I stepped in to work with electronics teams to pinpoint obscure issues in circuit design, explain complicated phenomena in optics systems, and direct development for maximum performance.

Perth, Australia

Working at ExBlocks I provided complete support for the development of new products for the oil and gas industry.Products are designed within the tight restrictions required by IECEx and ATEX certification standards, while simultaneously maximizing for marketing and sales potential within the industry.A range of access-control products were developed to add security and safety to hazardous areas. These projects involved designing robust and fail-safe electronics and mechanisms, injection moulded part design, validation and testing, and certification.As part of my role, I was required to manage ISO 9001 and IECEx quality systems to ensure compliance during the manufacturing of ExBlocks' product lineup.The previously used QA system was updated to be paperless to ensure that the system was simple to use and maintain.

Perth, Australia

Working at Orbital provided opportunities to work with a variety of control-systems and embedded devices.I was involved in the design and review of microcontroller based engine controller units (ECUs) for small aircraft and other engine management related circuitry. Designs comprised of digital and analogue systems, fault tolerant power stages, and serial communication stages. I developed methods of monitoring and increasing the durability of gas injectors tenfold, as well as managing a project that aimed to reduce tyre-wear on heavy-duty vehicles.Development of engine control strategies for implementation within the ECU required a thorough knowledge of the system as a whole, in addition to an understanding of the various layers of microcontroller code. ECU strategies involved ADC interaction, closed-loop control systems, diagnostic protocols over CAN and J1939, and automated test systems. I was required to write efficient microcontroller code in C, and take every opportunity to improve system and process performance by developing automated methods for common tasks. I was often required to work with third parties to implement software improvements, and to locate and solve problems with code under development.

Newcastle, Australia

My worked focused on the development and analysis of robust positioning stages built using silicon processes for atomic force microscopy (AFM) applications.Development of conventional nanopositioners for AFM systems is mature, however their components and manufacture are expensive, and the systems themselves are bulky. These provide barriers for widespread use of this technology. It is possible to shrink the systems to a scale that can be manufactured in batches using existing silicon processes, however the shift in manufacturing processes requires further development of the designs to effectively utilise this technology.I developed a framework for designing nanopositioning stages that can be adapted for different operating frequencies, strokes, sizes, and applications. The stiffness of the spring suspension will determine the stroke, precision, and frequency characteristics of any nanopositioning system. Analysis of the forces and strains that occur within the system provides a methodology for selecting system parameters to achieve an optimum solution given the manufacturing constraints. I used my framework to produce a nanopositioning design that had a very high z-axis stiffness, but that allowed considerable stroke in the x and y axes. This design has been manufactured and demonstrated in an AFM as an x-y positioning stage, and provides a platform for future MEMS based AFM research.