DIGITAL ELECTRONICS DESIGN
Digital Electronics Design
Spark Product Innovation provides specialist digital electronics design from initial system architecture and component selection through to PCB design, prototyping, verification and production-ready hardware.
Our engineers have extensive experience developing high-performance digital and mixed-signal electronics for demanding applications. Particular attention is given to Signal Integrity (SI), Power Integrity (PI) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) throughout the design process to achieve reliable performance at both board and system level.
Embedded Processing & Carrier Board Design
High-performance embedded systems often combine processors, System-on-Modules, communications, data conversion and real-time control within a single application-specific electronics platform.
Spark develops custom processor and System-on-Module carrier boards integrating power management, communications, peripheral interfaces, sensor connectivity and application-specific control electronics.
Our NVIDIA Jetson TX2 project combined GPU edge computing with high-speed communications, synchronised imaging, thermal control and dedicated embedded control electronics for an industrial robotic vision application.
View Jetson Case Study
STM32 & Microcontroller PCB Integration
For many embedded products, a microcontroller provides the most efficient platform for real-time control, sensing, communications and low-power operation. Spark develops custom PCB assemblies and embedded firmware around platforms such as the STM32 family.
Microcontrollers can integrate analogue and digital sensing, communications, power management, user interfaces and deterministic control within a compact and cost-effective electronics platform.
- STM32 and ARM Cortex-M based PCB design.
- Microcontroller selection and peripheral integration.
- Real-time control and timing-critical firmware.
- Analogue and digital sensor interfaces.
- UART, SPI, I²C, CAN and other embedded communications.
- Low-power and battery-powered product design.
- Wireless and RF subsystem integration.
- Motor, actuator, LED, buzzer and haptic control.
- Prototype bring-up, debugging and production test support.
The Cerebra Sensory Tag Rugby Belt demonstrates this approach, combining embedded control, magnetic tag sensing, 433MHz RF telemetry, RGB lighting, acoustic feedback, haptic vibration and battery management within a compact wearable system.
View Wearable Electronics Case StudyESP32 & IoT Product Integration
ESP32 devices provide a flexible platform for connected products that require embedded processing together with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Spark can integrate ESP32 modules and devices into custom electronics for IoT, instrumentation, control and connected product applications.
The combination of local processing and wireless connectivity makes ESP32 particularly useful for products requiring browser-based interfaces, remote configuration, wireless data transfer or integration with wider connected systems.
- ESP32 module and device integration.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity.
- Custom PCB design around ESP32 platforms.
- Local web interfaces and device configuration.
- Sensor acquisition and wireless data logging.
- Remote monitoring and connected control systems.
- Low-power wireless product development.
- Prototype development and production integration.
High Speed Digital Hardware
High-speed digital design requires much more than connecting components together. Device selection, PCB stack-up, impedance control, routing topology, power delivery, clocking and termination all need to be considered as part of the complete system.
Our high speed digital electronics experience includes:
- High-performance multiprocessor and distributed processing architectures.
- High-performance FPGA-based electronics.
- High data-rate memory interfaces.
- High-speed parallel and serial communications.
- High sample-rate ADC and DAC interfaces.
- Low-power and energy-efficient digital hardware.
- Controlled-impedance PCB routing and differential pairs.
- Propagation-delay matching and timing-critical routing.
- Termination networks and transition-rate management.
Signal Integrity, Power Integrity & EMC
At higher data rates, PCB layout becomes an integral part of the electrical design. Spark considers signal integrity and power integrity throughout schematic capture, stack-up definition, component placement and PCB routing rather than treating them as issues to solve after the hardware has been built.
- Controlled-impedance single-ended and differential routing.
- Differential pair matching and timing control.
- Termination strategy and reflection management.
- Clock distribution and timing-critical interfaces.
- Power distribution and FPGA rail sequencing.
- Grounding, return-current paths and layer-stack optimisation.
- EMC-conscious PCB architecture and layout.
- Laboratory verification of high-speed interfaces.
FPGA & Programmable Logic Design
Spark develops custom FPGA-based electronics where deterministic timing, parallel processing or very high-speed digital interfaces make conventional processor architectures unsuitable.
Our work includes FPGA hardware architecture, supporting PCB design, power sequencing, high-speed interfaces, clocking and timing, embedded processors and FPGA firmware development.
One recent design used a Xilinx Kintex UltraScale+ FPGA with 6.25GHz I/O, programmable digital delay devices and an FMC mezzanine interface within a custom high-speed PCB platform.
View FPGA Case Study
Digital Electronics Design Capabilities
System Architecture
Digital system partitioning, processor, FPGA and MCU selection, communications, memory architecture, power requirements and interface definition.
FPGA Hardware & Firmware
FPGA-based PCB design, power sequencing, high-speed I/O, timing hardware, embedded processors and application-specific firmware.
Microcontrollers & Embedded Firmware
STM32 and ARM Cortex-M electronics, real-time firmware, sensor interfaces, communications and low-power embedded product development.
Wireless & IoT
ESP32 integration, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, wireless sensing, browser interfaces and connected embedded product development.
High Speed PCB Design
Multilayer PCB architecture, controlled impedance, differential routing, signal return paths, termination and timing-critical layout.
Mixed-Signal Integration
Integration of digital processing with high-speed ADCs, DACs, analogue circuitry, communications and application-specific interfaces.
Prototype Bring-Up
Board bring-up, power sequencing verification, communications testing, signal measurements and debugging of prototype electronics.
Verification & EMC Preparation
Functional verification, signal measurement and engineering preparation for EMC and production qualification.
Digital Electronics Design Case Studies
Examples of Spark’s digital electronics work include FPGA systems, embedded computing platforms, microcontroller-based products and application-specific high-speed PCB designs.
Xilinx Kintex UltraScale+ FPGA Pattern Generator
Custom high-speed FPGA platform developed for a quantum communications application, combining 6.25GHz FPGA I/O, programmable delay devices, high-speed differential routing and custom FPGA firmware.
View Case Study
NVIDIA Jetson TX2 Carrier & Control Board
Application-specific embedded computing platform integrating NVIDIA GPU processing, high-speed communications, synchronised imaging, thermal control and dedicated real-time control electronics.
View Case Study
Sensory Tag Rugby Belt
Wearable embedded electronics integrating microcontroller control, magnetic tag sensing, RF telemetry, RGB LEDs, acoustic feedback, haptic vibration and battery management.
View Case StudyDigital Electronics Design FAQs
Some common questions about our digital electronics, embedded systems, FPGA, microcontroller and IoT development services.
What types of digital electronics projects can Spark support?
We support projects ranging from relatively simple microcontroller-based products through to complex high-speed digital systems. This includes STM32 and other ARM microcontrollers, ESP32 and IoT products, embedded processors and System-on-Modules, FPGA-based systems, high-speed ADC/DAC interfaces and application-specific digital PCB designs.
Can you take over or modify an existing electronics design?
Yes. We can review existing schematics, PCB layouts, firmware and prototype hardware before making targeted changes or carrying out a larger redesign. This can be useful when additional engineering resource is needed, the original designer is no longer available or an existing product needs a new revision.
Can you update a design that uses obsolete or unavailable components?
Yes. We can assess obsolete components and identify suitable replacements, then update the schematic, PCB and firmware where required. Where a direct replacement is not available, we can redesign the affected section while retaining as much of the existing product as practical.
Do you develop the embedded firmware as well as the PCB hardware?
Yes. Hardware and firmware are often developed together. Spark can support embedded firmware for microcontrollers, communications interfaces, sensors, motor and actuator control, user interfaces, data acquisition, wireless connectivity and application-specific control functions.
Which processors, microcontrollers and programmable devices can you integrate?
The platform is selected around the requirements of the product rather than forcing every project onto the same architecture. Our experience includes STM32 and ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers, ESP32 wireless devices, NVIDIA Jetson embedded computing modules and Xilinx FPGA platforms, alongside a wide range of peripheral and interface devices.
Can you help with high-speed PCB design and signal integrity?
Yes. High-speed digital design is one of our specialist areas. We consider PCB stack-up, controlled impedance, differential routing, signal return paths, termination, timing, clock distribution and power integrity as part of the design process. Prototype hardware can then be measured and verified in the laboratory.
Can you help prepare electronics for EMC and compliance testing?
Yes. EMC considerations can be incorporated from the start of the schematic and PCB design rather than being left until formal testing. We can also support prototype testing, fault investigation and design changes ahead of external compliance testing.
Can you develop connected or IoT products?
Yes. We can integrate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy and other wireless technologies into custom embedded products. Typical applications include remote monitoring, wireless data logging, browser-based device interfaces, sensor systems and connected control products.
Can you help if the technical requirements are not fully defined yet?
Yes. Early engineering work can be used to define the architecture, compare technical options and identify the most appropriate processor, microcontroller, FPGA, communications interfaces and supporting electronics before committing to a detailed design.
Discuss Your Digital Electronics Project
Whether you need a complete digital electronics design or specialist support with an FPGA, microcontroller, embedded processor, IoT platform, PCB layout or difficult signal-integrity problem, our engineering team can help.
There is no charge for an initial project discussion.
Contact Spark Product Innovation