Stephen C. Brass has extensive experience in medical device design and development, digital signal processing, hardware design, and software development. He has designed several medical products in compliance with relevant safety and regulatory standards. Additionally, he has experience managing all stages of product development from concept to completion. Brass holds an MS in Technical Management from Johns Hopkins University and a BSEE from Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology. He currently works as an independent consultant providing design services for various industrial, scientific, and medical clients.

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STEPHEN C. BRASS
Washington, DC email: stephen.c.brass.sb@gmail.com
Mobile #: (508) 380-3784 Citizenship: US
TECHNICAL CAREER SUMMARY
Medical Device Design/Development : Knowledgeable about high reliability systems design and its
relation to IEC62304, including Hercules dual ARM “R” core processor-based systems. Designed/developed
several medical products in accordance with the IEC 60601 suite of safety standards. Also general regulatory
standards and documentation for the overall medical product development cycle, including generating
Essential Requirements, System Requirements Specifications, detailed Hardware and Software Specifications
and Requirements, Failure Mode Analysis, and maintenance of Design History File. These products involved
working with marketing to identify the product functions and target markets, system design, optimizing and
documenting the electronics, mechanical, and firmware components to meet those requirements and comply
with relevant international standards.
Top Level System Analysis and Design : Designed several products from marketing requirements thru
system analysis and modelling, to the final product.
Software Languages : Considerable experience and expertise with C for embedded firmware and DSP
applications, MATLAB and Visual Basic Applications for simulation and analysis, and Python.
Digital Signal Processing : IIR and FIR filters, FFTs and IFFTs, frequency measurement, Voice
Frequency measurement algorithms, medical EMG, and general signal processing, detection and estimation.
Hardware Design : Standard logic devices including ECL. CPLDs and FPGAs designed using Verilog.
Many microcontroller-based, mixed signal systems involving analog signal conditioning and user interfaces.
High precision low-noise analog signal processing for many applications, and electro-mechanical systems.
Protocols : General telecoms protocols, VITA 49 Data Transfer Standard.
Marine System Design/Development : Design and test experience with large hydraulic ship rudder and
fin stabilizer servo systems. Designed installation of experimental autopilot for sea trials. Design experience
with extensive range of commercial sonar systems, including sub-bottom profilers, sidescan, and altitude
measurement systems. Field operating experience of these and other marine instrumentation systems.
Management : Experience at managing all cycles of product concept, design and development processes.
Work well with marketing to define product requirements. Personnel management experience as Section
Manager and Manager of Advanced ImplementationTechnologies at TTC, a telecommunication test equipment
manufacturer. Obtained MS in Technical Management at Johns Hopkins University during this time.
Patents : High speed ATM/SONET switch architecture patent (joint holder), patents for several medical
device fluid flow control/measurement, and a consumer soil moisture sensing device (joint holder).
EDUCATION
•••• MS in Technical Management, majoring in Systems Design, 3.8 GPA, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD
•••• MSEE coursework : Natural Modes and Transients, Graph Theory, Digital Signal Processing, Linear
System Theory, System Optimization, Robotics, and Computer Control Systems, 3.5 GPA, George
Washington University, Washington DC
•••• BSEE, Robert Gordon’s Institute of Technology, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
CONSULTING EXPERIENCE – March 2004 to present
Industrial/Scientific:
• Designed multi-channel GPS satellite simulator – responsible for design approach, 1.2 & 1.5 GHz RF
system design including synthesizer, phase splitters/combiners, modulators and output attenuators, code
generation hardware and firmware, and precision clocking requirements. System produces doppler and
phase shifts to simulate complex scenarios.
• Algorithm design for resolution enhancement and feature extraction from MEM-based Optical
Spectral Analysis unit using Savitzky-Golay filters and deconvolution techniques, and simulated
performance using MATLAB.
• Designed signal processing algorithm for a 32-channel NIR Diffuse Optical Tomography scanner –
this involved custom sample block windowing and overlapped FFTs to give real-time images.
• Designed the electronics and firmware for a range of consumer watering controller products to be
manufactured in quantity.

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• Researched and chose the sensor technology for a very low cost and low power MSP430
microcontroller-based wireless moisture sensing device for consumer market. Designed the electronics
and firmware.
• Designed a 915 MHz short range communication system for robotic collision avoidance. This uses a
CSMA protocol to allow multiple robots use the same frequency.
• Designed a UHF RFID system to provide immediate location information to the above robots as they
travel in a large multilevel warehouse facility
• Designed 8 channel stepper motor controller/driver for robotic device. Responsible for hardware and
firmware on Freescale MC56F8345 microcontroller.
• Designed very low noise, low power electronics, and wrote the software for a miniaturized, low power
radiation hazard detector. Device uses MSP430 microcontroller and runs 1600 hrs on one CR2032 coin
battery. Another version runs from ambient light and has a 915 MHz radio for remote monitoring.
• Designed low noise and low power analog interface circuitry for a new IR-based gas sensing
transducer. This required precision constant current sources and low noise instrumentation amplifiers, and
needed to fit into a 1” diameter by 1” long housing.
Medical Devices:
• Designed the electronics and wrote the software for the 4 channel sensor of a bio-assay analyzer
product. This used Hamamatsu linear imaging arrays scanned using an 8051 microcontroller.
• Designed classifier algorithm for identifying areas of interest in medical device analyzer output traces,
suitable for microcontroller implementation. Implemented and tested it using MATLAB.
• Designed and wrote a program in MATLAB and subsequently Visual Basic Applications to optimally
fit a set of straight line segments to a Four Parameter Logistic (4PL) Curve.
• Designed a 3 MHz ultrasonic transmitter for an experimental instrument to measure bone density.
• Designed the electronics and wrote the software for a small battery operated neurological stimulus
product with graphic OLED display to help accelerate stroke victims’ recovery. Device outputs user-set
levels of random vibration and a separate electrical stimulus signals. Selected microcontroller and
development tools, and all electronic components. Performed signal analysis and wrote noise generation
and filtering software, and user interface software.
EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
ACMI Corp. - February 2002 to March 2004 - Principal Electronics Engineer
This was a lateral, transition move out of the telecommunications area into medical device development.
− Wrote detailed engineering specifications, designed electrical system and selected new pump for
Berkeley VC10 vacuum curettage system.
− Designed system approach and detailed implementation of modular urodynamic system. This
included a new infusion pump, patient electronics module (PEM) and a voided fluid flow
measurement system. The modules all used the same 80C51 microcontroller. The PEM measures
vesicle pressures and EMG activity, and communicates via USB (later version – wireless). All
components of this system were tested to, and complied with UL and IEC60601-1.
− Wrote the detailed specifications for each module for above system, and performed all system
analysis and top-level design for them. This included all digital signal processing required to meet
the accuracy and performance requirements.
− Designed and debugged the electronics, and wrote the firmware (in C) for all the modules.
− Proposed several new fluid management products (and obtained several patents) to replace aging
product line.
− Became in-house expert on UL and IEC compliance issues for regulatory affairs group.
− Departed on good terms to become independent consultant. Continued assisting ACMI with
follow-up work.
SB CONSULTING - February 2000 to February 2002 - Telecommunication System Consultant
Provided design services for telecommunications equipment manufacturers, specializing in network
synchronization (GR1244) and line protection (GR1089).
Previous full time employment positions include Principal Engineer, Section Manager, and Manager of
Advanced Implementation Technology – details on request.