IoT / Pharma

Case Study: Smart IoT Device for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Sector: Internet of Things (IoT) / Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Nature of Project:

BFO Systems developed firmware for a smart device used in pharmaceutical production, transforming a previously non-intelligent system into a predictive maintenance tool. The device was designed for hazardous environments and provided real-time monitoring to ensure compliance while optimising maintenance schedules. By tracking component wear and performance, it helped balance cost efficiency and regulatory adherence.

Tech Stack Used:

· Microcontroller: STM32 Cortex-M

· Sensors: Accelerometer

· Communication: Wi-Fi module

· Display: Small colour LCD with NEST-style UI

· Power Management: Ultra-low power design for a 4+ year lifespan on non-replaceable, non-rechargeable internal batteries

· Graphics Processing: Custom rendering engine for UI elements on a low-power processor

Major Challenge Overcome:

Memory Constraints and Multi-Language UI Implementation

A key challenge was the device’s limited 128KB of ROM, which had to accommodate:

· A bootloader

· Two separate firmware images (for fail-safe OTA updates)

· The main application (restricted to ~50KB)

Initially, the UI was minimal, but mid-project, the client requested multi-language support, including Japanese and several Western languages. The added font data and rendering requirements risked exceeding available memory.

To solve this, BFO Systems developed custom compression tools for fonts and graphical assets, reducing font storage to one bit per pixel bitmaps. Kerning information was optimised, and all on-screen keyboards were redesigned to function within the constrained memory. Since the STM32 had no GPU capabilities, all graphics,

including 2.5D rendering, alpha testing, and animated bitmaps, were implemented using bespoke software rendering functions.

Outcome:

The final device successfully provided predictive maintenance insights while running for over four years on a sealed battery in hazardous environments. Despite severe memory limitations, BFO Systems delivered a fully multilingual interface with an intuitive UI, ensuring usability in diverse regions. This solution significantly improved production line efficiency and compliance adherence in pharmaceutical manufacturing.