Kurt Knappen Email & Phone Number

Decades of background and experience in embedded controls, electronic design, firmware, printed circuit board layouts, nanotech, biotech, sensor development, lighting methods and applications, information technology, voice and data communications, networking, power drive, battery circuits, software development, website creation, database development, accounting and management.

• Multi-layer printed circuit board layouts, 3D printer and CNC tool-path generation, firmware design, electronics and micro controller and power design.• Machine repurposing, rebuilding for various robotic ink dispensing applications such as silver, conductive carbon, silver-silver chloride, wax, carbon nanotube, and solder paste.

•CAD/CAM with TurboCad, AutoCad, BobCad; parametric modeling and scripting.•Developed products and test equipment for telecom, automotive, security, industrial, environmental control, and embedded networking.•Refurbished telephone and Teletype equipment. Obtained FCC Telephone Refurbishers License. •Designed first FCC-registered refurbished pay telephone discrete logic in the country.•Extensive embedded C development for microcontrollers, DSPs, and FPGAs (Verilog, VHDL).•Electronic design modeling with NI, Altium. Logic design and verification with Cadence. 2D/3D+t magnetics modeling with FEMM, Ansoft Maxwell.•Developed web ordering, catalog browsing, and intranet using ASP.net, VBScript, JavaScript, ADODB, MAPI, XML, SQL, COM. First Peachtree web ordering and dance class registration in the country.•Server/client software for Windows, Novell, QNX, Linux, Unix, OS/2, DOS.•Database design with VBA, Access, SQL Server for HVAC customer data, service tickets, warranties.•In-depth networking with IP, IPX, SNA, NetBios, NetBEUI, Named Pipes. Configured routers, bridges, firewalls from Cisco, HP, 3com, ZyXel, Nortel, Cayman, SonicWall. First to connect businesses in the state via cable TV.•Installed and maintained phone systems, videoconferencing, network security cameras for 100s of businesses. Developed call accounting software and many telecom applications.

• Implemented and tested patented nano particle sensor materials for ultra-sensitive strain gauge, structural integrity and intrusion pressure sensors, licensed from the University of Delaware (Dr. Erik Thostenson).• Depositioned carbon nanotubes on carbon fiber for thermal swing adsorption direct air CO2 capture and recovery materials. Successfully bench tested proof of concept.• Laser scribed materials for conductivity, sensor and battery technologies. Modified laser printer toner with functionalized nanoparticles for sensor printing (University of Delaware IP).• 3D CAD modeled nano particle depositioning electrodes for proprietary 3M manufacturing. Designed high surface area nano particle capacitor and battery electrodes for Dr. Steve Klankowski, including rapid super capacitor charger circuits.• Developed inter-electrode gap power drive and monitoring with high-res multi-axis motion control for proprietary nano-pulsed ECM machine, achieving tolerances competing with lithography.• Designed battery-powered thermoelectric temperature-controlled shipping container (with Dr. Steve Scully, Thaddeus Medical Systems) and neuropathic heat sensitivity testing device (with Dr. Kennedy, University of Minnesota).• Applied potentiostat and galvanostat methods for sensors, CO2 capture and electrolysis.Designed multi-layer PCBs and modified DSP-controlled high sensitivity 4-wire bio-impedance meter. Created biosensor flex board CAD artwork for multiplexed ELISA disease tester.• Prepared and depositioned nanotube ink for impregnated substrate heater elements.

• Development and implementation of on-demand emergency water battery energy using proprietary, Thomas Godfroy (NASA nuclear scientist) trade secret electrolyte formulations.• Refined different carbons and added materials for battery cathode and metals for anode materials. Spacer and separator materials were evaluated including formulations of electrolyte gelling agents for solid state (with Eric Ernst - CEO) battery applications.• Machine repurposing for electromagnetic copper wire coiling winding.• Magnetic field mapping from repurposed positioning table.• Contributed to a contract with Winnebago, successfully showing detailed proof of concepts for their electric recreation vehicles range extension options. Some concepts were energy harvesting by AI driven control and CAN bus connected smart suspension, magnetically coupled transmission system and power conditioning methods. Spearheaded by Wayne Kugel (former Cray Supercomputer executive and a founder of Zues Electric Chassi). Modeling and simulations using Comsol.

• Developed GUI, Excel spreadsheet and detailed graphing around Dr. Kevin Gering's AI battery life-cycle simulation core. FormerHitachi executive and president L. Tom Heiser licensed Dr. Kevin Gering's core from Idaho National Labs. The organizations thatwere provided successful installation demo copies are; iRobot (the Rumba manufacturers now owned by Amazon) and ZebraTechnologies (they bought Motorola's battery division during divestiture) for their battery support used in their hand scanners inbig box stores and warehouses. Cambridge University, Georgia Tech, Milwaukee Tool, Caltech and others also evaluated ourbattery lifecycle software tool. Fortran, Visual Studio and VBA was used for development.• Liaison for EDA software support between BQR and NASA/JPL using BQR's Fixtress. BQR's Fixtress integrates their AI driven failuremode analysis and mean time between failure analysis with major EDA software vendors like Altium, Cadence and Mentor (nowSiemens Xpedition) Graphics.• Electronic circuit design and printed circuit board EDA and CAD for Autotest testing hardware for defense contractors likeGeneral Dynamics and more.• U.S. support for sales to commonly known ISPs for customer experience performance monitoring and management cloudservice provided, using Kubernetes, by Veego.• Trained on Bedrock Automation PLC controllers.

• Selection and testing of low-cost high quality fused silica quartz for UV spectrum transmission from overseas sources using spectrum analyzer instrumentation.• Sourcing excimer gases and filling for tests at specific wavelengths for ozone production, water purification, safely destroying pathogens and materials process conditioning.• Evaluation of higher frequencies and high voltages as they relate to nano-meter wavelength UV power output efficiencies.• Efforts into moving to flatting out and miniaturizing excimer lamps with consideration of using mezzanine structure, quantum dot and solid-state epitaxial layering methods.• Work performed with majority owners Thomas Godfroy (NASA nuclear scientist) and Robert V. Albertson for IP patented protection.

• Development and design of a magnetic currency sensor AMR/permalloy built by Honeywell with Dr. Hong Wan. Designed chip-on-board packaging on ceramic substrate for final sensor product.• Complete Dollar Bill Validator hardware and software design engineering and support for car wash and laundromat bill changer. Serial diagnostics port. Smart card field upgradable. (my software/hardware design was used for a doctor's thesis)

• Power electronics, micro controller design, multi-layer printed circuit board layouts, firmware code development and 3D CAD modeling.• Battery powered hand tool controller, remote oil level sensor, laser assisted MEMS aiming device.

• Multi-layer printed circuit board layouts, firmware code development and 3D CAD modeling for strain gauge applications. Board layout compatible for automated manufacturing submission, like MacroFab using Altium, Cadence and Mentor Graphics.• Proprietary development platform for evaluation of high-resolution wireless strain gauge applications. Electronic design of USB power lithium battery charger with monitoring as well as switching power supply designs.• Proprietary discreet logic drive design and implementation for ultra-low power E-Ink display.

• Design, developed and engineered the electronics and software/firmware for a remote programmable softball pitching machine, both speed, and angle.• SCR half-bridge DC motor power drive.

• Several successful patents in automotive, security, games and appliances. Speaker at inventors club meetings. Consulted clients requiring working prototypes.

• Medical data sheet and pain chart generator. Allows administrators to log in and update daily dose for residents. Prints off monthly nurse charts for dose delivery check and pain recording. they used up to 2009 VBA for MS Access form based platform.

• Designed simplified stray voltage detector (for Surge), ac outlet strip surge suppressor and motion controlled rotary insertion table.

• Involved in development and design testing automotive and consumer hard goods electronic appliance controls.• Automotive activities include plenum blower drive control and temperature mapping, climate control, windshield wiper control and automated EL display panel segment tester in manufacturing line. For Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.• Consumer appliance design and testing included the first microcontroller consumer vacuum cleaner controller on the market, water chiller control and static absorption control for clothing dryer, etc. direct UL certification process. For companies like Sears and Whirlpool.

• Rebuilt IBM Selectric Holiday Inn reservation desk terminals as standalone printers for Apple I/II or Radio Shack TRS80. Implemented 6500 processor with hand entered machine code in an eprom.

• General Instructor's Shop Assistant.

Bachelor'S Degree, Physics With Electronics Emphasis

Certificate, C/C++ Programming Language

Certificate, Accounting

Certificate, Forth Programming Language

Associate'S Degree, Data Processing / Programming

Vocational, Physics & Calculus (All Available)

Associate'S Degree, Industrial Electronics

Vocational, Electronics Servicing

High School Diploma