The Hidden Complexity of Instrument Control Software

Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working with some incredibly smart individuals: physicists, chemists, materials engineers, software architects, informaticians, and business leaders—all experts in their respective fields. But no matter how brilliant, there’s one mental error I see even the best make: underestimating the complexity of someone else’s job.

This isn’t surprising. Nobody excels at everything. At best, you might be exceptional in one or two areas, while being average elsewhere. Physicists, for example, often have the broadest range of capabilities because they study how everything works, but even they have their limits.

If you’re part of a startup building a machine—whether to automate internal processes or as a product—you’ll need to bring together experts from a variety of disciplines: electrical and mechanical engineers, optical engineers, chemists, and more. All of these roles might involve some level of programming, from analysis pipelines to motor studies in MATLAB. However, when it comes time to develop the software to run your machine, you might be tempted to assign it as a side project to one of your existing team members. After all, how hard could it be?

It Seems Easy Until It’s Not

Modern programming languages and tools have made it easier than ever to start coding. And with the rise of generative AI, we’re constantly hearing promises that “we’ll never have to code again.” So why not let your existing team handle it?

Let’s turn the tables. Imagine you’re part of a software company with a web-based product, and you decide to build a portable hardware device. You ask an AI to design it, specifying low power consumption, specific capabilities, and a tight manufacturing budget. The AI delivers plans with 95% accuracy. You pass it to your team… and are met with blank stares. Nobody knows where to begin.

This scenario is doomed from the start because throwing web programmers at an electronics problem is an obvious mismatch. Yet many make the same mistake in reverse: asking non-software-specialists to handle software development. Why? Because modern software tools have made programming seem easy.

The Illusion of Simplicity

Back in the early days of computing, programming was an arcane craft—punchcards, assembly language, and pocket protectors. The advent of higher-level languages like C, followed by C# and Java, made programming accessible to more people. Today, tools and frameworks like Python and TypeScript allow developers to create amazing things without needing to understand what’s happening under the hood.

But this ease comes with a caveat: once you move closer to the machine—to the low-level systems—the difficulty skyrockets. The tools that make general programming easy haven’t evolved much for these specialized tasks. Instrument control software is one of these areas, requiring deep expertise and multidisciplinary knowledge.

Unique Challenges in Instrument Control Software

Developing software for scientific instruments involves a host of implicit requirements that significantly influence the design. Here are just a few challenges:

• Incremental Development: The software must support partial assembly and testing as the machine comes together.
• Calibration and Diagnostics: Instruments require calibration routines and diagnostic tools to identify hardware issues—often mistaken for software bugs.
• Hardware Independence: Software development shouldn’t stall due to lack of hardware; robust simulation capabilities are essential.
• Timing and Reliability: Tight timing requirements may demand custom firmware, while consumer-grade technologies like USB can introduce critical reliability issues.
• Safety and Recovery: Instruments often involve hazardous components, requiring fail-safes and recovery mechanisms for power-loss scenarios.
• Version Management: Supporting multiple generations of instruments from a single codebase is crucial to reduce maintenance costs.
• Update Mechanisms: Secure delivery and verification of software and firmware updates are non-negotiable.
• Changing Requirements: Flexible architectures are needed to accommodate inevitable mid-project changes.
• Isolation and Security: Many instruments must function offline due to customer policies or regulatory requirements.

Why Expertise Matters

Instrument control software engineers are a rare breed. They’re polymaths, fluent in multiple disciplines, and are often the glue that binds an instrument development project together. They need to bridge the gap between hardware, software, and business requirements, mastering areas like layered architecture, parallel programming, UI design, network programming, and fault tolerance.

Finding someone with all these skills isn’t just hard—it’s rare. But that’s where we come in.

What We Offer

At our company, we specialize in instrument control software. With experience across multiple development cycles and instruments, we understand the unique challenges you face. Here’s how we can help:

• Rapid Prototyping: Using a lightweight, open-source framework, we can quickly get your prototypes up and running without requiring a full-time engineer.
• Proven Architecture: Our architecture has been refined over a decade at prominent biotech companies, ensuring adaptability to both current and future requirements.
• Tailored Support: Whether you need us to handle the entire project or just help you hire and train an in-house team, we’re here to set you up for success.

We love what we do and take pride in helping innovative teams bring their ideas to life. If you’re building a machine and need software to make it all work, don’t underestimate the complexity. Reach out to us—we’re here to help you get it right the first time.