20+ Years Delivering Electronic, Mechanical and Software Product Solutions that Drive Our Clients’ Success
Project & Program Management • Multidisciplinary Development • Prototyping • Manufacturing •
Hardware Engineering • Software Development • Mechanical Engineering
Established in 1996, LocoLabs is a premier product development and design firm in the Silicon Valley of California. Companies from startups to the Fortune 50 seek out LocoLabs to provide electronic, mechanical and software product solutions. They come to LocoLabs because we understand the entire system and the complete lifecycle of product development and manufacturing.
LocoLabs brings creative innovation and over 20 years of Silicon Valley experience to solve tough design and manufacturing challenges for our clients. Complete product development, from program and project management to multidisciplinary development, to in-house prototyping, to turnkey volume production.
LocoLabs has delivered ruggedized IoT and IIoT solutions, wireless sensor networks, embedded Linux systems, lightning survival solutions, commercial robotics, LiDAR 3D spatial processing, LCD/OLED touch panel systems, and advanced Mil Spec gamma radiation imagers. With a proven design methodology we call Rev-Zero design, the majority of our product designs go into production without ever needing a spin. So take us for a spin!
Or, perhaps you already have a design project that is in need of rescue. You’re in the right place. We’re Silicon Valley’s premier product design & development partner. Creating new products is extremely difficult. Even some of the most experienced hardware and software companies struggle to exceed a 50% success rate. That’s why even the best companies turn to LocoLabs. For over 20 years, we’ve specialized in the design and development of complex hardware and software products. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, LocoLabs is a 100% US-based design and manufacturing partner that helps companies bring production-ready designs to market faster and easier.
We’ve helped:
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Our mission is accelerate your product development and get to production quickly. We focus on building your product so that you can focus on succeeding in the market.
In 1996, while working together at a video compression startup in Silicon Valley, Brad Hoffert and Steve Kelsey founded LocoLabs. Combining expertise honed during Brad’s time at Sun Microsystems and Steve’s at Qualcomm, they created LocoLabs to solve tough problems in system-level development. Since then, they’ve helped drive innovation for hundreds of projects large and small, from digital video to wireless communications, custom chip design, sensor development, and Internet of Things devices.
Touch Revolution: Capacitive Touch Tablet Design
LocoLabs leveraged the LocoLabs/Marvell Green Calliope platform to rapidly build multiple generations of capacitive touch sensor tablets for product demonstrations. LocoLabs also built manufacturing test fixtures for volume production and a developer kit to ease integration of touch technology into client projects.
Magnum Semiconductor: Quad 1080P Broadcast Transcoder
LocoLabs produced a full-size PCIe card with broadcast quality encoders, decoders, scalers and transcoders. This board was used to transcode broadcast programming in real time for over-the-air and satellite transmission.
TiVo: Digital Video Recorder and Transcoder
LocoLabs developed Audio DSP software that integrated MPEG encode algorithms and provided audio and bit-stream buffering and system interface communications on the very first TiVo box. And, almost 20 years later, designed the hardware and streaming software for the first TivoStream transcoder.
Intel: Streaming Set Top Box
LocoLabs worked with Intel to integrate tuners and video processing hardware into an Intel Set Top Box design for an early background movie streaming and storage solution that utilized over the air transmission.
Dazzle Multimedia: Video Streaming Hardware
LocoLabs produced a low-cost MPEG Video compression hardware card for use in an editing and content creation product.
LSI Technology: Video Streaming Software
LocoLabs delivered a streaming software solution for a popular Windows format to showcase a new broadcast encoder solution.
NVIDIA: FPGA and ASIC Design
LocoLabs developed and performed verification for a wide variety of FPGA and ASIC designs. Example projects include the design and verification of a 2.5 GHz, full-width PCI Express Switch, creation of a RAM generator program to produce FPGA-optimized versions of ASIC RAM libraries, and development of Time Domain Multiplexing interfaces to increase signal density between multiple 1000+ pin FPGA devices in a large verification system.
ChargeItSpot: Reduce Cost and Complexity of Cell Phone Charging Kiosks
LocoLabs developed a single board that controls charging and locker functions for cell phone charging kiosks. The LocoLabs solution improved yield and greatly reduced cost and complexity: the redesign reduced the need for 24 boards to 2 boards and eliminated 30 cables. LocoLabs also identified and qualified a lock solution that resulted in a 10x reduction in the the end-unit cost. LocoLabs provided all charging control and watchdog timer firmware for the solution and all automated test fixtures, including remote firmware updates.
Globalstar: Precision Downlink Programming and Power Solution
LocoLabs created mobile power conditioning and programming devices for remote downlink stations for re-programming and updating. The equipment was sensitive to voltage variation and thus needed precise regulation and monitoring during programming.
DVDPlay (Redbox/NCR): Automated Movie Rental
LocoLabs developed multiple generations of automated movie rental kiosks that allow customers to browse, select, and rent the latest DVD and Blu-ray releases. LocoLabs led the hardware and firmware design and release teams with FRU and Unit Test fixtures, including an automated self-calibration system, compliance testing, and a health and monitoring database for remote diagnostics and alerts. This was designed for Redbox/NCR
DoD Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA): Visual Imaging System for a Radiological-Nuclear Sensor
LocoLabs designed hardware, software and a mechanical enclosure to integrate LiDAR, 360-degree day/night Cameras IR Illumination, and NVIDIA GPU overlay algorithms to deliver a qualified Mil-Spec Vision system in under 18 months. This system has been used by the US Army’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles (NBCRV) to identify radioactive hot spots.
SOLOSHOT: Remote GPS tracking Video Camera
LocoLabs developed a prototype waterproof Proof-of-Concept dual GPS tracking solution to allow kite-board surfers to video themselves remotely from their kite-boards using a shore-based video camera with PTZ platform. LocoLabs produced the firmware and integrated 440MHz radio links and GPS to track the surfers. This product was funded via Kickstarter and is now in its third generation production.
Ascentry: Ruggedized Wireless Mesh Sensor Router
LocoLabs developed highly ruggedized wireless mesh router units designed for deployment in challenging conditions to aid first responders to instantly and securely share voice, video, sensor readings, and data over a reliable WiFi network.
IDEO: Capacitive Touch Remote, VOIP Family Video Conferencing Solution
LocoLabs provided DSP full-duplex echo cancellation software, VOIP streaming software, capacitive touch control solutions, and inductive charge solutions. LocoLabs developed multiple products in collaboration with IDEO, providing a variety of electronics and software development services.
Alion Science & Technology: Gamma Imaging Spectrometer
LocoLabs first engaged on a 9-month contract to rescue a troubled government project from a university laboratory. Subsequent contracts funded numerous enhancements and upgrades, culminating multiple years later with an extremely hardened yet lightweight carbon fiber design that provides the highest resolution and sensitivity of any portable CZT-based Gamma Imaging Spectrometer instrument produced.
Google Labs: Rapid Prototype Hardware, Firmware and Mechanical Services
LocoLabs supported multiple teams to create proof-of-concept designs of new and innovative projects.
AmberWatch: Ultra-Low Power Child Safety Alarm
LocoLabs developed an ultra-low power and ultra-miniature alarm circuit design and optimized the mechanical design of a digital wristwatch which, when activated, immediately calls attention to a child at risk by means of a piercing audible alert and bright, flashing LEDs. LocoLabs provided firmware and test fixtures for volume manufacturing.
Motorola Labs: Audio Amplifiers and Sound Field Generator
Developed many prototypes for Motorola Labs for demonstration of new technologies. Created low volume production runs for validation, qualification and acceptance.
Bright Things: Games Console Platform
After developing a proof-of-concept prototype in just three days, LocoLabs designed an innovative virtual machine, programming language, and development tools as the foundation of an optimized, hardware-independent game platform. LocoLabs also brought up volume offshore manufacturing, developed test fixtures and software, and deployed a production test and tracking system.
MGA Entertainment: Encryption Solution
LocoLabs produced a lightweight encryption solution for a children’s game to thwart copying of games and add-on module.
Marvell: Smart-TV Demonstration Solution
LocoLabs developed the LocoLabs/Marvell Green Calliope Engine based on Marvell’s GHz class embedded ARM processors to provide Bluetooth, Wifi, HDMI, USB, SDCARD, IR, Video Scaling, and Linux functionality for use as a demonstration system for Smart TV integration and Streaming Media devices. LocoLabs developed the hardware and supported the Linux Board Support Package, and helped multiple customers incorporate this technology into their products.
Mystery Clients: These need to stay under the radar, but some of the technologies involved are: