Sraith McNulty:
Ba í Kathleen Antonelli (Kathleen McNulty roimh phósadh di), Gaeilgeoir agus ceannródaí sa ríomhchlárú, a spreag an tsraith seo, ina ndírítear aird ar chainteoirí Gaeilge éagsúla atá ar thús cadhnaíochta i réimse na teicneolaíochta. Mar chuideachta theicneolaíochta atá lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht, tá súil againn nasc a bhunú le cainteoirí Gaeilge eile laistigh de thionscal na teicneolaíochta, idir fhiontraithe nuálacha agus cheannairítionscail a mbíonn tionchar acu ar chúrsaí.
Kevin O’Flannagain
Analytical Robotics & Hereworks
Is innealtóir é Kevin O’Flannagain a bhfuil dúspéis aige i mbogearraí agus i gcrua-earraí araon. Ag labhairt dó faoina staidéar in UCD agus a obair sa tionscal, roinneann Kevin linn gur maith leis a bheith ag obair le bogearraí agus crua-earraí ‘mar gur féidir leat a fheiceáil go fisiciúil cad atá ag tarlú’. Tar éis dó a chuid staidéir in UCD a thabhairt chun críche, bhí baint ag Kevin leis an ngnólacht nuathionscanta, Analytical Robotics. Cé go raibh táirge agus coincheap nuálach ag an ngnólacht, áfach, níor éirigh leis ar deireadh. Is innealtóir bogearraí Kevin anois in Hereworks, gnólacht nuálach Éireannach a bhíonn ag díriú ar fhoirgnimh chliste agus theicneolaíochtaí closamhairc (AV). Sa phróifíl seo, foghlaimímid faoi eispéireas Kevin mar Cheannasaí Crua-earraí ag Analytical Robotics agus na moltaí atá aige le haghaidh gnólachtaí nuathionscanta eile a bhfuil a gcéad fréamhshamhlacha á bhforbairt acu.
Toisc na spéise a bhí aige sa ríomheolaíocht agus i dtionscadail róbataice, rinne Kevin staidéar ar an Innealtóireacht in UCD, agus bhain sé céim amach san Innealtóireacht Leictreonach ó UCD in 2017. Mar chuid dá obair agus dá staidéar, ghnóthaigh Kevin taithí ar theangacha ríomhchlárúcháin amhail MATLAB, C, C++ agus Python. Cé gur mór an tsuim a bhí aige sa ríomhchlárúchán, b’ábhar spéise dó an réimse crua-earraí freisin. D’fhoghlaim Kevin conas eilimintí a chónascadh chun turgnaimh a chur i bhfeidhm agus chun próisis a uathoibriú. Chuir sin ar a chumas smaointe a fheabhsú ar bhonn leanúnach.
Ina dhiaidh sin, ghlac sé páirt i ngrúpa taighde, arna mhaoiniú ag an earnáil tionscail, inar díríodh ar an innealtóireacht optúil. Bhí an grúpa sin ag fáil maoiniú ó Huawei le haghaidh dhá thionscadal taighde agus forbartha. Ba mheascán iad na tionscadail sin de thaighde agus obair phraiticiúil sa tionscal, agus bhí sprioc-amanna iarbhír i gceist, chomh maith le béim ar tháirgí. Chuir an timpeallacht foghlama sin ar a chumas iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar na smaointe a bhí aige.
In ionad leanúint sa réimse acadúil agus tabhairt faoi PhD, bhí an-fhonn ar Kevin dul isteach sa tionscal agus gnéithe éagsúla den innealtóireacht a iniúchadh.
Ceannasaí Crua-Earraí ag Analytical Robotics
Thosaigh Kevin ag obair le foireann Analytical Robotics in 2020. Ba ghnólacht nuathionscanta é a bhunaigh beirt innealtóirí – Éireannach agus Meiriceánach. Ba é an aidhm a bhí acu ardán ilróbait a fhorbairt a bheadh in ann lasta trom a ionramháil i dtimpeallachtaí coimpléascacha dinimiciúla. Is é a dhéanfadh an nuálaíocht seo dramhaíl a laghdú agus éifeachtúlacht a mhéadú i ngnólachtaí ina ndírítear ar an lóistíocht – mar shampla, FedEx nó DHL. Bíonn na gnólachtaí sin ag feidhmiú i dtrádstórais agus in aerfoirt ollmhóra agus bíonn siad ag brath ar fhostaithe chun méideanna móra pacáistí a bhogadh thart ar dheiceanna roithlíní. An dúshlán atá i gceist do ghnólachtaí den chineál sin ná gur minic a chailltear pacáistí nó a dhéantar iad a atreorú chuig an áit mhícheart. Tá gnólachtaí mar seo neamhchosanta ar chaillteanais airgid thromchúiseacha i gcás go gcailltear nó go gcuirtear moill ar phacáistí nó i gcás go seachadtar go mícheart iad.
An fhréamhshamhail a bhí á forbairt ag Analytical Robotics, chabhródh sin le caillteanas a mhaolú mar go mbeadh pacáistí agus lasta á rianú ón uair a thiocfaidís isteach sa trádstóras go dtí go n-imeoidís amach as.
Ba é Kevin an chéad fhostaí sa ghnólacht, agus tháinig sé isteach mar Cheannasaí Crua-Earraí. Maíonn sé gurbh é an spéis a bhí aige sa róbataic in UCD a spreag é chun glacadh leis an ról. Ag an am céanna, bhí comhbhunaitheoir Analytical Robotics, Ben Moore, díreach tar éis máistreacht a bhaint amach in Ollscoil Stanford, agus bhí aithne ag Kevin ar Ben le tamall de bhlianta. Anuas ar bheirt chomhairleoirí sinsearacha ó Stanford, a bhí ar an bpainéal comhairleach, bhí beirt eile fostaithe go páirtaimseartha ag an ngnólacht sna Stáit Aontaithe. Chuaigh an fhoireann thrasatlantach seo i muinín a leithéid d’uirlisí comhair agus Slack, JIRA, Bitbucket agus Github.
Mar a bheifeá ag súil leis i ngnólacht nuathionscanta, ghlac gach ceann de na fostaithe cuid mhaith cúram orthu féin. Mar cheannasaí crua-earraí, bhíodh Kevin ag plé leis na heilimintí crua-earraí a cheannach agus leis an gcruach bogearraí san am céanna. Ag labhairt dó faoi sin, dúirt sé, ‘bhíodh ort gach a raibh ar súil sa ghnólacht ina iomláine a thuiscint’. Bhí Kevin dírithe ar fhréamhshamhlacha a chur ag oibriú chun go mbeadh sé in ann an coincheap a chur ar taispeáint d’infheisteoirí agus do pháirtithe leasmhara. Ina theannta sin, chuir an fhréamhshamhail ar a gcumas an chruach bogearraí a thástáil.
Na Dúshláin roimh Analytical Robotics
Luaigh Kevin go raibh caipiteal ar na príomhfhadhbanna a raibh ar an ngnólacht dul i ngleic leis. A luaithe a críochnaíodh an obair ar na fréamhshamhlacha agus a forbraíodh an coincheap, tháinig fadhbanna maidir le sreabhadh airgid chun cinn, ar an drochuair. Bhí an fhoireann tar éis bheith ag obair i ndlúthpháirt le gnólacht lóistíochta amháin i rith phróiseas an deartha agus na forbartha. Ach níor sheol siadsan táirge píolótach nuair a bhí an fhréamhshamhail réidh. Dá dheasca sin, ní raibh an sreabhadh airgid ag an bhfoireann a raibh súil acu leis. Cé gur chuir siad an fhréamhshamhail i láthair caipitlithe fiontair, níor glacadh léi in am chun an gnólacht a choinneáil ag rith.
Comhairle Kevin maidir le Forbairt Fréamhshamhlacha
Agus tú ag tosú, molann Kevin do dhearadh a choinneáil simplí agus cost-éifeachtúil. Nuair a bhí fréamhshamhail Analytical Robotics á forbairt aige, is éard a bhí i ndearadh Kevin ná 4 róbat bheaga seachas róbat mór amháin. Chiallaigh sin go bhféadfadh an córas oibriú i gcás gach méid de lasta, agus dá mbrisfeadh róbat amháin, bheadh na róbait eile in ann leanúint den obair; dá mbrisfeadh an róbat mór, áfach, thitfeadh an córas iomlán as a chéile.
Mhol sé freisin gur cheart d’innealtóirí crua-earraí, ag an tús, comhpháirteanna a cheannach den tseilf chun an gnó a chur ar a bhoinn, mar go gcoinneodh sin na costais níos ísle.
D’admhaigh Kevin freisin nár thuig siad cé chomh fada a thógfadh sé nó cé chomh daoire a bheadh sé na crua-earraí agus na bogearraí araon a fhorbairt. Dar leis, dá mbeidís ag tabhairt faoina leithéid de thionscadal arís, dhéanfaidís an tógáil féin a sheachfhoinsiú chuig gnólacht, rud a chuirfeadh ar a gcumas díriú ar straitéis, bainistíocht agus na bogearraí.
Innealtóireacht Bogearraí ag Hereworks
D’fhág Kevin Analytical Robotics i mí na Bealtaine 2021, agus fuair sé post in Hereworks. Is gnólacht Éireannach é seo atá ar thús cadhnaíochta i dtaca le foirgnimh chliste agus réitigh chlosamhairc don láthair oibre. Bíonn Kevin ag ríomhchlárú do Shuimeálaí Máistirchóras Hereworks, pointe teagmhála aonair le haghaidh na mílte braiteoirí laistigh de na foirgnimh chliste úd. Dúirt sé go raibh an-spéis go deo aige sa ról mar go raibh gné de a bhí bainteach le crua-earraí. Cé go mbíonn innealtóireacht á déanamh aige ar bhogearraí, baineann na bogearraí sin leas as Idirlíon na nEarraí chun gléasanna a nascadh. Deir Kevin gur maith leis a bheith in ann ‘a fheiceáil go fisiciúil cad atá ag tarlú’. Mar sin, éiríonn leis sa ról seo cothromaíocht fhoirfe a bhaint amach idir réimse na mbogearraí agus réimse na gcrua-earraí.
The McNulty series:
Inspired by computer programming trailblazer and gaeilgeoir Kathleen Antonelli (born Kathleen McNulty), this series highlights various Irish speakers leading in the technology space. As a technology company based in the Gaeltacht, we hope to build a connection with other Irish speakers within the technology industry. These range from innovative entrepreneurs to impactful industry leaders.
Kevin O’Flannagain
Analytical Robotics & Hereworks
Kevin O’Flannagain is an engineer with a passion for both software and hardware. From his studies at UCD, through to his work in industry, Kevin shares that he likes working with software and hardware as you can “physically see what is happening”. Following his studies at UCD, Kevin was part of a startup called Analytical Robotics. While the Startup had an innovative product and concept, the business did not succeed. Kevin is now a Software Engineer at Hereworks, an innovative Irish business focused on Smart Buildings and AV technologies. In this profile, we learn about Kevin’s experience as Head of Hardware at Analytical Robotics and his recommendations for other Startups developing their first prototypes.
With a keen interest in both computer science and robotics projects, Kevin studied Engineering at UCD. He graduated from UCD in 2017, with a degree in Electronic Engineering. As part of his work and studies, Kevin was exposed to programming languages such as MATLAB, C, C++ and Python. While programming was a big part, so too was the hardware side. Kevin learned about combining elements to run experiments and automate processes. This allowed him to constantly improve ideas.
Following this, he joined an industry funded research group focused on optical engineering. This was funded by Huawei for two research and development projects. The projects combined research with practical industry work, with real deadlines and a focus on products. The learning environment allowed him to explore his ideas.
Rather than continuing in the academic field and pursuing a PhD, Kevin had a desire to enter the industry and explore various parts of engineering.
Head of Hardware at Analytical Robotics
Kevin joined the Analytical Robotics team in 2020. Analytical Robotics was a startup that was founded by two engineers – one Irish and one American. They aimed to develop a multi-robot platform for maneuvering heavyweight cargo in complex dynamic environments. This innovation would reduce waste and increase efficiency for companies focused on logistics – for example, FedEx or DHL. These companies operate in massive warehouses and airports and rely on employees to move large quantities of packages on caster decks. The challenge for these companies is that every so often packages can get lost or routed to the wrong place. Delays, loss and incorrectly delivered packages can cause huge financial losses for these companies.
The prototype being developed by Analytical Robotics would help minimize loss, with packages and cargo always tracked from entry into the warehouse to exit.
Kevin joined as Head of Hardware, the first employee of the business, citing his interest in robotics at UCD as a reason for him taking the role. The Co-Founder of Analytical Robotics, Ben Moore, had just completed his master’s at Stanford University at this time. Kevin knew Ben for many years. The business had two senior advisors from Stanford as part of the advisory panel. In addition to these advisors, there were two part-time employees in the US. The cross Atlantic team relied on collaboration tools such as Slack, JIRA, Bitbucket and Github.
As is the nature of working in a startup, each employee wore many hats. As the Head of Hardware, Kevin would work on both purchasing hardware elements and the software stack. He shared that “you needed to understand what is going on in the whole company”. Kevin was focused on getting prototypes operational in order to demonstrate the concept to investors and stakeholders. The prototype also allowed them to test out the software stack.
Challenges for Analytical Robotics
Kevin shared that one of the key issues that the business faced was capital. Once the prototype was completed and the concept developed, unfortunately, cash flow became an issue. The team had been working closely with one logistics company throughout the process of design and development. However, they did not launch a pilot once the prototype was ready. This then left the team short of the cash flow they had expected. They pitched the prototype to venture capitalists but did not get the uptake in time to sustain the business.
Kevin’s advice for prototype development
When you are getting started, Kevin recommends keeping your design simple and cost-effective. When developing the Analytical Robotics prototype Kevin’s design featured 4 smaller robots, rather than one large one. This meant that the system could work for cargo of all sizes and if one breaks, the other robots can keep working rather than one large robot breaking down totally. He also suggested that when starting out, that hardware engineers should access components off the shelf to get up and running while keeping costs low.
Kevin also shared that they did not realise how time consuming and expensive it would be to develop both the hardware and software. He said that if they were undertaking a project like this again, they would offload this and ask someone to do the build. This would allow them to focus on strategy, management and the software.
Software Engineering at Hereworks
Kevin left Robotics Analytics in May of 2021, joining Hereworks. This Irish company is pioneering in smart buildings and audiovisual solutions for the workplace. Kevin programmes for the Hereworks Master Systems Integrator, a single point of contact for the thousands of sensors within these smart buildings. He shared that he was very interested in the role because it has a hardware element. While he is engineering software, this software uses the internet of things to connect devices. Kevin shares that he likes to be able to “see physically what is happening”. So this role gives him the perfect balance between the world of software and hardware.
