Embedded Systems and Product Development
From first concept to production-ready device, we provide the engineering depth to build intelligent, connected products that ship.
Consult Red is a specialist embedded systems and product development consultancy with over two decades of experience across hardware design, embedded software, and systems integration.
We work with product teams, engineering leaders, and innovation directors who need embedded expertise at depth – from early-stage architecture through to device deployment at scale.
Our solutions run in more than 100 million households worldwide.
Embedded development has a failure mode that most organisations discover too late
Embedded projects fail for predictable reasons. Architecture decisions made in week one create constraints that cost months to undo in year two.
SoC selection is tied to a single vendor, with no built-in flexibility. Security gets bolted on after design freeze. A software team builds against a hardware platform they do not fully control.
The result: delayed launches, unexpected re-spins, certification failures, and products that work in the lab but not in the field.
We have spent 20 years learning how to avoid exactly this. Our chip-to-cloud capability means hardware and software decisions are made together, from the start, by people who have done it before at tier-1 scale.
What makes our embedded systems expertise different
Most embedded consultancies are strong in one layer. Embedded product development requires depth across all of them, and we have the deployments to prove it.
Technology agnostic, outcome focused
We have no preferred vendor and no hidden allegiance.
We recommend the right silicon, OS, and architecture for your product and your commercial constraints, drawing on experience across the leading SoC platforms, operating systems, and connectivity stacks.
You get genuine independence at every decision point.
Strong partner relationships, applied to your advantage
We have built long-term partnerships with the technology companies shaping embedded and edge development.
Those relationships give our clients faster access to platforms, roadmap insight, and technical support that is not available through standard channels.
Making products intelligent
We have accumulated 20+ years of hardware and software design experience, including embedded Linux, RTOS, Android, edge AI, and cloud integration.
Whether you are adding on-device intelligence to an existing product or building it in from day one, we have the engineering depth to make it work at production scale, not just in the lab.
Consult Red embedded engineering capabilities
We provide end-to-end embedded development services, whether you need a specialist to plug into your existing team or a full-stack partner to take a product from concept to production.
Hardware design and development
Architecture and engineering for complex, edge-capable systems. We cover schematic design, PCB layout, hardware bring-up, and design for manufacture.
Embedded software development
Production-quality firmware and application software for STBs, gateways, IoT devices, and media platforms. C, C++, assembly, and cross-platform middleware.
Embedded RTOS
Real-time operating system development for time-critical applications requiring deterministic performance and precise hardware control.
Embedded Linux
Custom Linux distributions, BSP development, driver porting, and kernel configuration for resource-constrained connected devices.
Embedded product development: from concept to production
Building a connected product involves more decisions than most teams anticipate at the start. Silicon selection, OS architecture, connectivity stack, security posture, power budget, and certification requirements all depend on one another. Making any one of these decisions in isolation creates risk that surfaces later, usually at the worst moment.
We structure embedded product development engagements to surface and resolve those dependencies early.
- Research and Architecture
Before any code is written or hardware is laid out, we work with your team to define the technical architecture, identify the right SoC platform, and validate the feasibility of your product concept. This phase prevents the most expensive mistakes. - Hardware Design and Bring-Up
Schematic design, PCB layout, prototyping, and hardware bring-up. We design for your target manufacturing process from the start, not as an afterthought. - Firmware and Software Development
Embedded Linux, RTOS, Android, or bare-metal development against your hardware platform. We write software that knows the hardware it runs on because the same team designed both. - Integration and System Validation
Connectivity, cloud integration, third-party SDK integration, and end-to-end system testing. The product has to work as a system, not just as individual components. - Compliance and Certification
Device security, RF compliance, and, where applicable, carrier certification. We manage compliance as a thread through the programme, not a gate at the end. - Production Readiness and Scale
Design for manufacture, factory test development, and production support. We have managed device factory operations for major operators for over seven years.
Whether you are evolving an existing product or building from scratch, our Connected Product Evolution service addresses the specific challenges of extending device life and adding capability to intelligent, connected devices.
Where we apply embedded systems expertise
Embedded systems sit at the heart of products across a wide range of sectors. We bring relevant industry context, not just technical capability.
Industrial and manufacturing
Edge AI inference, sensor platforms, computer vision systems, and intelligent inspection solutions for Industry 4.0 environments.
Consumer electronics and IoT
Connected home devices, smart cameras, wearables, and health technology where power efficiency, security, and reliability are non-negotiable.
Healthcare
Connected patient monitoring, presence detection using FMCW radar, and health communications platforms requiring certified, reliable embedded systems.
Broadband and telecoms
Smart routers, broadband gateways, and CPE platforms where embedded software defines what operators can offer their customers.
Pay TV and media
Set-top boxes, video accelerators, and media terminals where performance, security, and ecosystem integration determine subscriber experience.
Frequently asked questions about embedded systems and product development
-
What does embedded product development involve?
Embedded product development covers the full journey from initial product concept to a device that is manufactured and deployed in the field.
It includes hardware architecture and design, silicon selection, firmware and software development, operating system customisation, connectivity and cloud integration, security, compliance and certification, and production readiness.
A complete embedded product development engagement requires hardware and software decisions to be made together from the start, which is why single-discipline specialists often create risk in programmes that need both.
At Consult Red, we cover the full stack from chip to cloud.
-
How long does embedded product development take?
Timescales vary considerably depending on hardware complexity, software scope, and certification requirements.
A hardware prototype to working firmware can take four to twelve weeks. A full product development cycle from concept to production-ready software, including compliance and certification, typically runs from six months to over a year.
We help clients understand and manage these timescales from the very first architecture discussion.
-
How do I choose an embedded systems development partner?
Look for multi-layer capability, not just firmware or just hardware.
Check that they have shipped products at production scale in your target market or a comparable one.
Verify that security is embedded in their process, not treated as a final step.
Ask for evidence of SoC vendor experience relevant to your platform, and ask how they handle the handover from development to manufacture.
-
What does chip-to-cloud mean?
Chip-to-cloud refers to the ability to develop and integrate every layer of a connected device, from the silicon and firmware at the device level through to cloud connectivity, data pipelines, and remote device management.
A chip-to-cloud partner reduces the number of handovers in a development programme and ensures that hardware, software, and cloud decisions are made coherently rather than independently.
-
Do you work with existing product teams or only take full ownership of a project?
Both. We operate as embedded pod teams that integrate into a client’s existing programme, as a specialist resource to augment capability in a specific area, or as a primary development partner taking end-to-end responsibility for a product.
The model is agreed upon at the start of the engagement based on what the client needs.
-
What is the difference between embedded Linux and an RTOS?
Embedded Linux provides a flexible, feature-rich operating environment suited to devices that need networking, complex application logic, and broad hardware support.
An RTOS is designed for applications that require deterministic, time-critical response, such as motor control, safety systems, or sensor processing.
Many modern devices use both, with an RTOS managing time-sensitive tasks and Linux handling application-level functions.
Ready to discuss your embedded project?
Whether you are starting from a product concept, mid-programme and needing specialist support, or looking to modernise an existing device, we have the experience and the team to help.
Tell us about your project and we will come back to you within one business day.
Embedded systems and product development experience at production scale
Our embedded work does not live in demos. It ships.
Case Studies
Linux-based touchscreen control device
The client needed to upgrade a limited microcontroller-based touchscreen to a full-featured Linux control system.
Case Studies
Design, tune & test 24GHz radar solutions
The project’s goal was to designed, tuned and tested (DVT and Compliance) Frequency modulated (FMCW) radar solutions to detect presence / absence of people, and ignore […]
Case Studies
Low cost wireless gateway bridge for connected home sensors
Designed for manufacture and scale, Consult Red delivered an end-to-end connected platform which communicated through a low-cost gateway to the cloud.