Tagline: “Where code meets silicon—and real-time becomes story time.”
📍 Quick Navigation (jump to a section)
Act I – Introduction · Act II – Education · Act III – Skills · Act IV – Projects & Experience · Act V – Extracurriculars · Leadership · Bonus · Stats · Awards · Contact
🧪 Soft Skill Examples (evidence)
- Mentorship: Guided RISC‑V lab cohorts; introduced pre-lab checklists reducing clarifying questions (qualitative TA feedback).
- Reliability Thinking: Data transfer project instrumentation uncovered timeout tuning sweet spot (reduced retransmits at medium loss).
- Cross-Discipline Communication: Converted raw sensor register docs into quick‑reference tables for Formula Student teammates.
- Documentation: Embedded project README templates (Setup → Build → Test) reused across multiple repos.
- Iteration Mindset: Built latency profiling harness before optimizing neurofeedback loops, avoiding premature micro‑tuning.
Hello! I’m Sakthivel, a hands-on Embedded & Firmware Engineer who loves building at the edge where software orchestrates hardware.
I’m currently pursuing my M.S. in ECE at Northeastern University, Boston, and mentoring peers as a Teaching Assistant. My interests span real-time systems, low-level OS internals, protocols, and signal-aware firmware—anchored by measurable outcomes and careful engineering.
Northeastern University — Boston, MA
M.S., Electrical & Computer Engineering · Dec 2026 (Expected) · GPA: 3.5
Relevant Coursework: Computer Architecture, Operating Systems, Hardware & System Security, Computer Networks
Anna University — Chennai, India
B.E., Electronics & Communication Engineering · May 2024 · GPA: 3.6
Relevant Coursework: Digital Design, Embedded Systems, RTES, DSP, Internet of Things (IoT)
🔎 Full Arsenal (click to expand)
Languages: C, C++, Python, Assembly (RISC-V), Verilog/SystemVerilog, Bash
Boards/Platforms: STM32 Nucleo, Xilinx FPGA (PYNQ-Z2), Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP8266/ESP32
Tools/EDAs/Test: Vivado, KiCAD, Wireshark, CMake, Git/GitHub, Debuggers, Logic Analyzer, Oscilloscope, Multimeter, Soldering
Networking/Protocols: UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP
Operating Systems: Linux, Windows
- Mentorship & Communication — TA across Digital Design & Networks; simplify complex topics, lead recitations/labs
- Teamwork Under Pressure — SAE Formula Student electronics team (DAQ, telemetry integration, race-day reliability)
- System Thinking — balances real-time constraints, interfaces, and measurable performance outcomes
- Creativity with Rigor — business pitch design + engineering docs; pragmatic and tasteful
🎛️ Perspectives (filter my profile)
| Firmware Lens | Low-level C/C++ focus, deterministic timing, bus bring‑up (UART/SPI/I2C/CAN), RTOS experimentation, memory layout intuition. |
|---|---|
| Systems Lens | Kernel primitives (syscalls, context switching), ELF loading, concurrency boundaries, instrumentation mindset. |
| Networking Lens | Transport reliability (ABT/GBN), Wireshark analysis, protocol framing (TCP/IP, DNS), latency vs throughput trade-offs. |
| Teaching & Mentorship | Lab scaffolding, conceptual reframing, cohort onboarding, structured feedback loops. |
🗂️ Compact Table View (click to collapse)
| Title | Plot (Challenge → My Solution → Outcome) | Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Firmware for TMS Neurofeedback | Latency-critical neurophysiological feedback → RT C++ plugins in RTXi/Xenomai → foundation for hard real-time experiments. | C++, Xenomai, RTXi, Linux |
| OS Primitives from Scratch | Need kernel insight → syscalls, ELF loader, custom mmap, context switcher → runnable user programs w/ 4KB stacks. | C, Xen, SSH |
| Reliable Data Transfer (ABT & GBN) | Packet loss vs throughput → ABT & GBN w/ timers & checksums → 95%+ delivery across regimes. | C++, Ubuntu |
| RT Health Monitor IoT (<$15) | Affordable vitals logging → ESP32 + MAX30102 + OLED + cloud → portable SPO2/BPM/temp history. | ESP32, MAX30102 |
| Vision-Based Smart Traffic | Static timing waste → YOLOv5 queue sensing → ~27% simulated wait reduction. | Python, OpenCV |
🔍 Deep Dive: Firmware for TMS Neurofeedback
Context: Real-time TMS experiments required deterministic feedback loops (<5 ms jitter tolerance).Engineering: Designed pluggable C++ modules inside RTXi/Xenomai, isolated acquisition vs processing threads; minimized lock contention; profiled latency with cycle counters.
Outcome: Stable baseline enabling future closed-loop neuro-modulation experiments. (Add measured avg/max latency when available.)
🔍 Deep Dive: OS Primitives from Scratch
Implemented minimalist userspace program loader (ELF parsing), syscall dispatcher, and cooperative thread context save/restore. Showcases low-level memory + control-flow understanding.🔍 Deep Dive: Reliable Data Transfer (ABT & GBN)
Built instrumentation harness to vary loss %, window size, and RTT emulation; exported CSV metrics. Potential extension: selective repeat or congestion window experiment.🔍 Deep Dive: RT Health Monitor IoT
Optimized sensor read scheduling to prevent bus contention; future enhancement: add OTA firmware & low-power sleep cycles.🔍 Deep Dive: Vision-Based Smart Traffic
Pipeline: capture → YOLOv5 inference (PyTorch) → queue length heuristic → adaptive phase timing. Possible next step: deploy on edge TPU for latency.🗓️ Experience Timeline (chronology view)
| Period | Role / Focus | Snapshot Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Teaching Assistant (Digital Design / Networks) | 90% lab on-time completion; reinforced RISC‑V & protocol fundamentals. |
| 2024 → 2026 | M.S. ECE (Northeastern) | Specializing in embedded systems, OS internals & networking. |
| 2023 | Embedded & IoT Intern (Emertxe) | Delivered low-cost vitals logger + vision-based traffic prototype. |
| 2021–2022 | Electronics (SAE Formula Student) | Improved DAQ reliability & telemetry integration. |
| Pre-2021 | Undergraduate Foundations | Core EE / embedded coursework & early prototyping. |
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Teaching Assistant — Fundamentals of Networks (Northeastern, 2025)
Led Wireshark labs, socket programming (Python), and TCP/IP; biweekly coaching. -
Embedded & IoT Engineer Intern — Emertxe (Bangalore, 2023)
Built ThingSpeak-backed health monitor and vision-based adaptive traffic timer (YOLOv5/OpenCV). -
Electronics (SAE Formula Student) — Team Sakthi Racing (2021–2022)
Optimized real-time DAQ (6+ sensors), I2C/UART/ADC integration with ECU/GPS, plus business-pitch design support.
NU Wireless Club
NU Electric Racing (Electric Formula Student Team)
Global Student Mentor — Northeastern University
- Onboarding incoming international graduate cohorts: orienting on campus resources
- Hosting Q&A / micro‑sessions (wellbeing and resource awareness) with emphasis on actionable checklists.
- Providing 1:1 guidance on transitioning in a Happy and Informed Husky🐾
Senator — Graduate Student Government (GSG)
- Contributing to committee discussions on Student Welfare within the university
- Drafting concise briefing notes to accelerate consensus (problem framing → proposed action → impact).
- Volunteering: Participating in Walkthroughts and building projects for students as part of Non-profit
- Hobbies: Trekking, Reading, Racket Sports, and building weekend embedded prototypes ⚡
Reserved for future recognitions, hackathons, conference papers, and honors.
