Jan Kühnemund

Site Reliability Engineer (DFS). Former DevOps & Network Engineer (Blue Networks).

Context / Problem

At RoNikJa (Jan 2020 – Nov 2021), the task was to develop a digital microscope system that could be controlled in a modern and user-friendly way via mobile devices. Simultaneously, I was responsible for maintaining the internal IT infrastructure.

Responsibilities

  • Development of firmware for the microscope’s microcontroller (controlling optics, lighting, data transfer).
  • Development of an Android app (client) for displaying the microscope image and controlling functions.
  • Maintenance and operation of internal infrastructure (GitLab, servers).
  • Ensuring communication between hardware and the app.

Tech Stack

  • Embedded: C/C++, Microcontroller
  • Mobile: Android (Java/Kotlin)
  • Tools: Git, CI/CD
  • Infrastructure: Linux, Virtualization

Outcome

  • Functional prototype and production-ready system of a digital microscope.
  • User-friendly app that increases the flexibility of microscope usage.
  • Stable internal development environment through maintained infrastructure.

Lessons Learned / Next Steps

The close integration of low-level hardware programming and app development requires a broad skillset. This experience underscores the value of clean interface definitions and automated tests in embedded projects.