Konsulko Group: The Year in Review 2025

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In 2025, as in our previous 13 years in business, Konsulko Group focused on the practical hardware and software engineering that help companies build breakthrough embedded devices. More and more, this has been with a specific emphasis on deploying Edge AI. We worked alongside companies creating real-world products using AI-capable hardware in medical devices, robotics, smart transportation, and industrial automation.

Beyond our core services, we announced a new platform for Edge AI and published technical guides to address common integration challenges. The following highlights cover the technical work and resources we delivered this year to support embedded product development.

Introducing Konsulko Orca OS for Edge AI

On November 2, we launched Konsulko Orca OS, the production-ready Linux operating system designed for secure, high-performance AI applications on NVIDIA Jetson platforms. Built on the Yocto Project, and delivered as part of Konsulko Group’s software services, Orca OS is engineered from the ground up for deployment in real-world, commercial products, featuring long-term support, secure boot, encrypted storage, hardened production builds, remote diagnostics, reliable over-the-air (OTA) updates and cloud management.

Konsulko also offers end-to-end Jetson development services for the entire NVIDIA Jetson family, including custom hardware designs, board bring-up and application integration with OTA updates.

Custom Hardware for Complex Embedded Systems

Konsulko continued to deliver hardware design services ranging from schematic capture and PCB layout to rapid prototyping, custom SOMs and carrier boards, to manufacturing management. Serving the consumer electronics, medical, telecommunications, and industrial sectors, our engineers integrate robust hardware design with secure, production-ready software to accelerate our customers’ deployment of their devices.

Production Engineering for Medical and Utility Robotics

Our services work in 2025 focused heavily on deploying Edge AI in regulated and industrial environments. For example, we provided a production-secure, encrypted OS using Yocto and a mainline Linux kernel to serve as a base for AI applications operating at the edge for smart grid monitoring systems. 

Konsulko assisted with two separate medical device projects, both built on the NVIDIA Jetson platform. For both projects, we migrated the underlying OS from NVIDIA L4T to a production-ready Yocto Project distribution. A key requirement was creating and maintaining a custom SDK to enable their developers to build CUDA applications. Additionally, we ensured another medical device running on Yocto remained current by updating it with the latest NVIDIA SDK releases.

Addressing Hardware Security on NVIDIA

Implementing a full Chain of Trust on high-performance SoCs remains a significant challenge for engineering teams. In July, we published the technical guide, Cybersecurity on NVIDIA: Why Embedded Lags Enterprise Linux.

Embedded Linux systems, even on popular platforms like NVIDIA Jetson, can sometimes lag behind enterprise Linux distributions in terms of cybersecurity practices and promptness of security updates. This guide provides a high-level overview of the methodology and components utilized to secure Jetson hardware on production projects. 

The process establishes a hardware-based root of trust, which is then extended to verify the integrity of every subsequent boot stage, all the way to the Linux userspace. Furthermore, the solution incorporates encryption-at-rest to protect sensitive intellectual property in deployed systems.

Standardizing Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing (Labgrid)

At Open Source Summit Europe in August, Konsulko Principal Software Engineer Tim Orling (with Trevor Gamblin of Bay Libre) presented Powering Up: Lab Automation With Labgrid and CI. This highlighted a standardized testing infrastructure we can use for customer projects. 

We can utilize Labgrid (a Python library for embedded control) to integrate physical boards into the Continuous Integration pipeline. Instead of relying on QEMU or manual QA, we automate power cycling, serial console interaction, and GPIO manipulation on actual hardware to catch regressions in the boot process or hardware interaction layers before code reaches the client.

We have also leveraged this capability to support the U-Boot community. Specifically, we enabled the community to run their existing test suite automatically in Gitlab CI. This automation covers four distinct hardware platforms and various software configurations.

Executing Windows CE to Linux Migration

As Konsulko Principal Software Engineer George McCollister described in his technical blog post Migrating from Windows CE to Yocto-based Embedded Linux in January, our team managed several legacy migration projects for industrial customers. These projects involved porting application logic from deprecated Windows CE environments to supported Yocto Project-based Linux builds. 

We delivered modernized OS images that maintained existing application behavior while moving the underlying system to long-term supported (LTS) kernels, mitigating the security risks associated with end-of-life operating systems.

Explaining “Embedded Systems” to professionals in other fields

Those of us working in this field for 20-30 years (or more) can sometimes forget that the basics — what these systems are and the steps we take every day to make them work — may seems very foreign to folks in corporate management, finance, or students and newcomers to embedded engineering.

To this end, Konsulko Group started a series of informational articles. The first asks the overarching question: What is Embedded Systems Design?

Continuing our Contribution to Open Source communities

Throughout 2025, Konsulko engineers maintained their seats on the OpenEmbedded Board of Directors and the Yocto Project Technical Steering Committee, and played a key role in organizing and presenting at multiple community events. Our engineers continue in the role of project maintainer and make significant contributions to numerous Open Source projects.

We look forward to working with you in 2026 on building your next embedded device. Please contact us anytime to discuss your new or on-going hardware and software requirements.

16 case studies featured in Konsulko Group’s Year in Review

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As we reach the end of 2024, we want to thank our customers, partners and engineers for another successful year (our 12th!) helping companies around the world develop their embedded products.

We’ve collected sixteen new case studies across multiple industries to showcase our work and give a sense of the scope and breadth of our engineering across multiple industries.

Healthcare Industry Solutions

At Konsulko Group, we provide engineering services to help our customers develop innovative, secure, and FDA-compliant healthcare products. With expertise spanning biometric sensor integration, secure embedded Linux development, and scalable system design, we provide software and hardware engineering services to support our customers in the medical industry as they develop innovative and reliable products. 

Our work spans a wide range of applications, and we are engaged by Point-of-Care Diagnostics companies, Medical Device Startups, Robotics and Automation developers, Biometric Sensor Integration projects and established Healthcare manufacturers.

Read two case studies:

  • Secure Point-of-Care Diagnostics
  • Communication Hub Proof-of-Concept

Industrial Automation, Heavy Equipment Manufacturers and Smart Energy

Konsulko Group provides engineering services to support customers in designing and developing innovative products across the industrial and heavy equipment market. Our clients rely on our expertise to bring their ideas to life, whether they are building advanced agricultural machinery, mining systems or industrial automation equipment. While we do not deliver turnkey solutions, we offer the hardware and software engineering capabilities necessary to help our customers achieve their goals.

We work with a diverse range of customers, including global leaders in Agriculture Technology, Mining Equipment, Transportation and Railway Technology providers, Heavy Machinery manufacturers, and Food and Manufacturing Equipment suppliers. 

We’ve published five case studies:

  • Secure Device Management in Industrial Automation
  • Scalable IoT Device Management on Kubernetes for Construction/Home Automation
  • Addressing Emissions Issues in i.MX8M-based hardware for MIL-STD461G Compliance
  • Custom Yocto Build for Nvidia Jetson Xavier AGX for Defense/Industrial manufacturers
  • Real-Time PRU and Xenomai Integration for ADC Data Acquisition on BeagleBone Black for the Smart Energy industry

Services for the Telecommunications Industry

Konsulko Group has extensive experience providing engineering services to support our telecommunications customers in designing and developing innovative technologies. With expertise in embedded Linux software and hardware engineering, we help our customers create next-generation products. 

We collaborate with a diverse range of customers in the telecommunications industry, including Network Infrastructure suppliers, Wireless Communications innovators, Satcom Technology developers, Telecom Monitoring and Optimization specialists, and Defense and Secure Communications providers.

You may read detailed descriptions of five of our engagements here:

  • Prototype Development of New Networking Architecture
  • Embedded Linux Engineering for Networking Routers
  • Yocto Project Customization for Advanced Telecommunications Hardware
  • Secure Embedded System with Webserver and Device Driver Development
  • Driver Development for High-Performance FPGA Ethernet Systems

Engineering the Next Generation of Transportation

The transportation industry is undergoing a technological revolution, and Konsulko Group is at the forefront, helping customers develop embedded systems that drive innovation in connected vehicles, autonomous platforms, and advanced automotive technologies.

We work with a diverse range of customers in the transportation industry, including Connected and Autonomous Vehicle developers, Semiconductor leaders, Mapping and Navigation innovators, Industry Consortiums and OEMs, and Silicon Valley Innovation Offices.

We’ve posted four case studies of a few of our engagements:

  • Audio System Integration for Autonomous Vehicle Platform
  • Apple CarPlay Integration for Automotive Infotainment
  • Multimedia Audio System Development and Integration
  • Debugging and Resolving Infotainment System Freeze Issues

Expanding Konsulko’s reach and expertise

Embedded hardware engineering

Konsulko Group offers complete hardware services including design, integration, validation and certification, rapid prototyping, biometric signals, sensors, wireless communications, low power applications and manufacturing test/support.

In April, Konsulko Group welcomed three veteran hardware developers to our growing team. Alexandar Kalaydjiev now serves as Konsulko Hardware Director. Marin Balkandjiev and Tsvetan Mudrov, PhD joined Konsulko as Principal Hardware Engineers.

Customers can leverage their technical expertise and extensive experience to create comprehensive products and solutions tailored to their specific requirements.

Konsulko hardware engineers can manage and facilitate the production of the developed products, ensuring their successful realization. We can provide deployment support as required, ensuring a smooth transition for the end-customer.

New in 2024 to our expert team of engineers

In addition to our Hardware group, Konsulko continues to attract outstanding talent to our team. This year we have added three individuals who represent some of the best in embedded Linux and open source engineering.

  • Peter Tyser has designed hardware and software for rugged, high performance computers targeting military, aerospace, and industrial applications. He has hands-on experience with hardware design, board bring-up, board debug, firmware development, OS development, documentation, failure analysis, product verification, and anti-tamper security.
  • Andrew Bradford (bradfa) is an author/developer of the “Cross Linux From Scratch” embedded book and has contributed patches to the Linux kernel, u-boot, and Yocto/OpenEmbedded projects. He also has extensive experience with EnergyStar and EMC/EMI testing, compliance, and certification.
  • Filipe Pires has crafted robust, efficient, and user-friendly applications that run seamlessly on Linux platforms. Filipe is experienced in build automation, scripting, and web development, with proficiency in multiple frameworks and industry best practices.

You can learn more about the whole Konsulko team of embedded hardware and software consultants on our Meet the Team page.

Open source contributions and conferences

Konsulko’s senior leadership have been contributors in the Linux kernel and other OSS communities since the late 1990s. In addition to our commercial engineering work for our customers, the Konsulko team continues to have active roles in a number of Open Source projects including U-Boot, Yocto Project, OpenEmbedded and Automotive Grade Linux (AGL).

Konsulko engineers made presentations at open source and commercial conferences and developer gatherings including Embedded Linux Conferences (North America and Europe), AGL All Member Meetings and Yocto Project Summits. We also published seven new technical articles as blogs on our website.

All of us at Konsulko Group look forward to working with you in the coming year. Contact us to explore how our engineering services can help bring your innovative products to life in 2025 and beyond.

Konsulko Group extends its hardware services business

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Konsulko Group welcomes three veteran hardware developers to our growing team. Alexandar Kalaydjiev will serve as Konsulko Hardware Director. Joining as Principal Hardware Engineers are Marin Balkandjiev and Tsvetan Mudrov, PhD.

Customers can now leverage their technical expertise and extensive experience to create comprehensive products and solutions tailored to their specific requirements.

Konsulko hardware engineers can manage and facilitate the production of the developed products, ensuring their successful realization. We can provide deployment support as required, ensuring a smooth transition for the end-customer.

Meet the new members of the Konsulko team

Alexandar Kalaydjiev (middle photo) was an integral member of a team that developed a DVD writer in the early 2001, focusing on the control mechanisms for the semiconductor laser during the writing process. His contributions extended to the mechatronic design of both pneumatic and electrical robotic manipulators, specifically tailored for critical procedures in the manufacturing of DVD discs. Over the last 15 years, he has dedicated himself to comprehensive product design encompassing electrical design, PCB layout, CAD modeling, and production management.

Marin Balkandjiev (left photo) has spent over 8 years in the Telecom industry working with access multiplexers, data link converters and other key hardware. He has 10 years experience in the Automotive industry developing automotive interior products, and 10 years building consumer and industrial products, IoT, and sensors. He worked previously for Johnson Controls Automotive Electronics.

Tsvetan Mudrov (right photo) has 20 years of experience in development of Medical Electronics including external defibrillators, biomedical signals acquisition and processing (including ECG, EEG, PPG, bio impedance), medical telemetry and long-term monitoring. His expertise includes development of hardware and software for embedded systems, PCB layout routing, production management and final testing. He is experienced with ISO9001, ISO13485, MDR and other quality management procedures and certification. Tsvetan wrote his PhD dissertation on “HV generators for external defibrillators.”

Hardware Design and Development

Konsulko Group offers complete hardware services including design, integration, validation and certification, rapid prototyping, biometric signals, sensors, wireless communications, low power applications and manufacturing test/support. Please visit our Hardware Design Services page or contact us for more information.

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