So what is MSI LLC up to these days ? Basically working on a plan that involves selling software and FPGA IP cores until the chip shortage resolves. Several new and current FPGA based DAQ products had to be put aside due to the lack of availability of FPGA developer boards and modules. The shortage is expected to last well into 2023 and maybe 2024.
The new plan for the next year or two involves focusing on FPGA cores and Linux kernel drivers for DAQ and SDR type systems. This includes specialized DMA blocks and signal processing cores. If enough parts can be found we have a few FMC cards with ADC and radio chips on them in the works as well.
We are also researching into using AI/ML to function as signal processing blocks. At the heart of all this is the long term goal of building lightning sensors, weather satellite receivers and weather radar systems.
This summer we managed to collect several data sets of lightning through a magnetic field direction finding loop antenna system. We are currently developing a wider band pre-amplifier board for it. We have also been evaluating some different receiving solutions for GOES HRIT signals which involved testing several different radio chips and antenna configurations.
On the software development side, we have been porting our SmartDAQ 2000 python application from QT4->QT5 and Python 2.x to Python 3.x. We are also shifting from PyQT to WxPython for future application development. Currently in the works is a wave viewer application for the lightning data sets we collected this summer.
Business plan has been in a constant state of flux due to the chip shortage and shift to a more software/firmware business model. This has been a really trying time for MSI LLC, but we’re doing our best to figure out a new path forward.