Kyle Hagen
Electronic & Firmware Designer ~ Leader
With over a decade of experience, I have successfully brought motor and driver products to global customers and businesses.
During this time, I have been instrumental in bringing product lines from conceptualization to TRL10, enabling their application in simulation, automation, and mining sectors.
Today, I lead the development of electronic designs and a real-time ARM code base, and drive innovation within an agile team that I have cultivated.
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Projects
some of the more memorable ones...
Orca Smart Linear Motors
Power drivers, sensor arrays, realtime control, and a linear motor all in one package.
Role: PCBA, embedded c++, magnetic design, certification, support.
Target: ARM Cortex M4.
The Orca Series motor has been my focus for about a decade. Switching up to 2 kW at 60V into custom stator windings, sampling and interpreting over 12 magnetic field readings, developing a feed-forward force senser, sub-mm position sensor, position and path control algorithms, and an integrated USB GUI were my playground.
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I was lucky enough to lead the development for 6 generations spanning 10 years which reached customers in simulation, entertainment, and manufacturing.
Raven6-DoF
6 Degree-of-Freedom Motion Platforms for Virtual Reality
Role: Embedded Linux, bare metal c++, FPGA, PCBA, and motor design.
Targets: Zynq7000, ARM Cortex M4
Comms: MODBUS RTU, UDP/IP (custom)
This was a really fun one. Used by different customers for helicopter, boat, and truck virtual reality trainers, as well as a derivative used for camera stabilization, this project was a dream of mine since the days we took on integrating the MOOG 6dof platform with VRX.
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Was a great opportunity to lean Petalinux and the Vivado suite, including HLS to implement kinematic models on the FPGA for ultra low latency.
VR Motorcycle Handlebar Motors
Mounted between the forks and the frame
Role: Software, Firmware, Electronics design; Motor design; development team management
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Embedded Processors: ARM 32 bit and AVR 8 bit
Actuators: 2, cog-less 40 lbf (proprietary) 500 W linear induction motors with integrated position and force-sensing
Interface: USB Force Feedback (DirectInput)
Software: Windows configuration, diagnostics and data logging application (visual studio + qt)
Status: 25 systems deployed
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Description: in conjunction with local and foreign engineering firms, a VR motor cycle experience was designed and deployed to a Chinese theme park. The force feedback actuators gave haptic feedback from the bike as well as from characters that interacted with the rider during the ride.
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This was a great opportunity to visit China several times; the food is unreal!
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Joystick/ Gear Shifter
2-phase magnetic linear motors on each axis
Role: project management; firmware, software and electronics design
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Embedded processor: ARM 32 bit and AVR 8 bit
PCB design: 4-layer mixed signal, 24 V 20 A / channel
Firmware: bare-metal c++; 6000 Hz control loop
Status: licensed
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Description: scaling down the magnetic linear actuators originally seen in the dragonfly, two-phase versions powered the x- and y-axis of a high fidelity joystick. Convincing effects like gear-shifter gates and improper shift grinding always seemed to impress.
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Actuators and joysticks in the video were (configurably) force-linked (no master)
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This project was a good opportunity to meet some players in consumer electronics
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MOOG 6dof Middleware
GUI and translation between simulators and hardware
Role: contract negotiation and software design and development
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Language: qt and c++
Target OS: Windows 10
Interfaces: UDP, USB Serial, shared memory
Status: delivered and deployed
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Description: a software application was written which was a GUI for platform diagnostics, a translator for simulation software to communicate with the platform, and interfaced with a micro controller responsible for hardware signals and controls.
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This was an excellent opportunity to work as part of a much bigger picture
Force-Feedback Rudder Pedals
4-phase, 45 lbf @350 W, linear motor
Roles: software, firmware, electronics design and development; motor design
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Embedded processor: 32 bit ARM
PCB design mixed signal, 24V 20A (per channel)
Windows GUI: c++ and qt
Status: archived
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Description: Following the success of the linear motor in the Dragonfly yokes, 4-phase geometries were conceived and a 24V system was built.
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This project lead to some really cool magnetic geometries and sensor technologies
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Dragonfly Flight Yoke
2014 Kickstarter Campain
Roles: firmware and electronics development; motor design; customer support
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Embedded processor: ARM 32 bit / AVR 8 bit (handle)
PCB design: mixed analog/digital, 2-layer, 12V 250W
Interface: USB DirectInput (native plug-and-play in Windows)
Status: all units shipped
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Description: a 3-phase cogless linear induction motor provides contactless pitch feedback, while a brushed rotary motor (COTS) provides roll feedback. Variable-speed fan, multiple handle options, temperature and position sensors.
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This project gave me a good appreciation for the depth of my inexperience
Patents and Publications
And this was written before chatGPT!
WO2018148850 METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LINEAR ELECTRIC MACHINE (wipo.int)
Improve Electric Motor Efficiency with Increased Phase Counts | Power & Motion (powermotiontech.com)
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Professional History
My Experience
November 2008 - May 2009
Robotics Lab Assistant (RMC)
This was my introduction to assembler, c, and 8 bit micro-controllers and real-time systems. I translated a robotics course's labs from assembler to c and just generally played around with the course robots.
January 2014 - June 2016
Co Founder / Designer
When Iris Dynamics started up in a couple living rooms, time not spent at university was spent writing firmware, designing PCBs, and experimenting with magnetic geometries. Ultimately, we shipped all of our kickstarter orders of USB force-feedback flight yokes.
2015 - present
Engineering Manager
Over the last 7 years, several junior or co-op engineering positions that participated in firmware/software and electronics design and testing fell or fall under my supervision. I supervise their agile workflow over github and am honored to work with such a superb team.
2015 - present
Embedded Designer
PCBA; C++ for ARM, Zynq, and Windows; mathematics including kinematic models and design optomizations. Full stack from concept to TRL10, I've seen a lot, messed up a lot, and truly love this stuff.
2016 - present
CTO
While not sniffing solder, coding in a dark room, or planning the roadmap for our developers, contract negotiation, technical communications, government contacts, patent research and writing, and investor relations occupy each day.
Always
musican, gamer
But I try and mix in hiking for the dogs, yoga for the back, gardening for the soul, and cooking for mom.