Custom Engineering Portfolio
Amel Advance:
Saudi Radio Trainer Screenshot
Working as a sub-contractor to the Amel Advance Corporation, we delivered a Radio Trainer System for use by the Saudi Ministry of Defense, Signal Corps. The purpose of the Radio Trainer is to teach radio operators different aspects for evaluating, improving and performing radio communication using VHF, UHF and HF radios; along with satellite voice communication (C-Band) and wired land-lines. This simulator consists of two instructor positions controlling and interacting with 20 trainee stations.
The Radio Trainer accomplishes optimum training efficiency through its unique graphical interface which was custom designed for AMEL Advance. Using BCG's VoIP simulation hardware and software to simulate real radio units, students are provided with all the tools needed to improve their knowledge and use of radio communication. The simulated environment accounts for geographical characteristics of the surrounding terrain, environmental conditions, and operating characteristics of the radio being simulated.
The system allows the instructor to create integrated training exercises for all 20 trainees within the simulated environment, and measures each student's ability to use radio systems efficiently to perform voice communication. Each trainee maintains control over his/her own radio using programmable parameters for radio selection, operating band, antenna types, power and geographic location. Trainees are provided with graphical displays showing their location, the location of other radios, terrain data, and their area of radio coverage based upon current radio settings. When within signal range of another radio, the system shows connection lines which are color coded for strength of signal. Another feature is a Trial Mode which allows students to hypothetically adjust settings in an effort to improve signal strength or coverage area.
Christmas Central:
BCG provided and continually supports a custom database driven desktop application with UPS shipping and third party inventory tracking integration to facilitate Christmas Central's daily warehouse operations. This application is capable of ingesting CSV files containing thousands of orders from their storefront provider, sorting and tagging said orders, and finally mass printing them for distribution to picking teams on their warehouse floor.
Coastal Storm Sheltering Application:
BCG supports and maintains a database system for use in large deployments in emergency shelter operations. This system provides high reliability data entry for staff and clients during events, such as coastal storms, and provides emergency managers with real-time data on shelter population and staffing levels.
CUBRC:
BCG has performed contract software development and consulting services for CUBRC. In one particular instance, BCG performed a complete analysis of a public health department's IT and field data collection systems to evaluate their effectiveness, identify deficiencies, and make specific recommendations for industry best-practices. This effort led directly to the health department issuing a RFP for replacement of their sub-par legacy IT solutions.
Erie & Niagara County GIS Framework:
BCG provided a custom Geographic Information System (GIS) web application to be shared by the counties of Erie and Niagara in New York State. This application is capable of consuming numerous different ESRI map services for use by the GIS departments of both counties for land management, policy planning, managing the natural systems, and heritage assets in this region.
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC):
BCG built the DEC a custom alert creation wizard in NY-Alert so that the DEC can generate alerts to the public and to DEC personnel about environmental issues, such as sewage discharge. The public can sign up for "Environmental" alerts through NY-Alert to receive alerts in their area.
NYS Department of Health:
BCG provided a custom mass immunization system, Med+Trak, for the state of NY to use during the administration of countermeasures in response to a naturally occurring or man-made biological outbreak. Med+Trak is real-time web based comprehensive information management system designed and optimized for use in large-scale public health emergencies (e.g., pandemic influenza). The system is utilized state-wide for managing the rapid data input by the public health community during a crisis and during routine clinic operations.
NYS Sheriff's Association:
BCG built a standalone portal, powered by NY-Alert, for users to sign up to receive Orders of Protection in NYS. This is a free service allows users to receive messages via text, email, phone that will let them know that their order of protection has been served or that it has expired. Users can also check the status of their Order of protection via the website without having to sign up.
Radar Switch Box:
Buffalo Computer Graphics was awarded a contract to deliver custom designed radar switch boxes to a US Government customer. BCG designed, built, tested, and delivered the units that support two separate radar antenna inputs from the Furuno 21X7 radar and provides a single switchable signal output to drive the radar system. All input radar signals are terminated and buffered, while the output signals are all using a circuit with the same signal characteristics as found with the Furuno 21X7. The switching unit, which will be installed onboard various ships, is packaged in a metal 1U rack mount enclosure measuring 1.75"H X 19" W X 16" D. BCG completed this project within the cost and schedule restrictions of the end customer.
This project, along with many others, speaks to our engineering capability and goes beyond our proven simulation experience.
Tel Instruments:
BCG was enlisted by Tel Instruments for three different team efforts. The first was to design the software used by Tel for a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) Test Set. This device is used by Tel Instrument's military and commercial customers to qualify and test the DME equipment used by aircraft. This test set can be used on a runway to verify DME operation prior to take off, or in a test lab to test/repair DME units on a workbench. BCG rewrote the embedded software, and assisted in the hardware development for this task. The software was done in C/C++ and runs in a UNIX environment within the unit.
The second effort involved the hardware design of a new Tel product - a Mode 5 IFF Test Set destine for the US Navy and Air Force. BCG was responsible for designing the digital portion of the unit and Tel Instruments was responsible for developing the RF portion and packaging.
The third and most recent effort is tied to the first Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) project. The scope of the project included porting the software and hardware of a legacy avionics test set to modern equivalents, while maintaining all the functionality of the previous generation, and guaranteeing a drop-in replacement capability for new units. The end result of this project will be a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) test set which will be used to test the DME/P avionics carried aboard various military aircraft to assist the pilot with his approach to a runway apron in inclement weather or during periods of reduced visibility.
United States Coast Guard:
Rescue 21 Simulator Screen Image
BCG has supported the US Coast Guard's Command and Control Engineering Center for more than 20 years. In this role BCG has designed and developed multiple simulation systems used by the Coast Guard to test and validate shipboard navigation systems. These customized hardware and software systems allow the Coast Guard to evaluate the readiness of complex shipboard systems before they are introduced to the fleet. They are also used to evaluate hard to isolate in-field failures through the use of programmable simulation provided by BCG. BCG's support in the area spans multiple unique ship sensors, communication systems, navigation equipment and both commercial and military radar.
BCG developed special middleware software that operates as a bridge between the SPS-50 (Furuno's FAR21X7) radar and the Northrop Grumman Electronic Chart Display and Information System (VEGA) which is the primary electronic charting system for Coast Guard cutters. This software is used onboard Coast Guard cutters as the bridge between two proprietary systems allowing integrated operation and a complete situational awareness picture.
Our custom engineering work is also evident in the Rescue-21 simulator in use by the Coast Guard's OS 'A' School in Petaluma, CA. Primarily, a voice communication system (using our VOIP Software), the R-21 simulator has realistic operator controls, Geo-Display information, scenario playback functionality, and several other features that mirror the operation of the real R-21 system in use throughout the Coast Guard.
