Meet FITC featured speaker Eugene Andruszczenko
Eugene has over 15 years of extensive experience in the technology landscape.
With his vast knowledge in technologies ranging from hardware through middleware to front end presentation tier, Eugene has continued to deliver solutions to consumers and client by abstracting those tiers and driving focus on their business success criteria.
He has successfully built focused technology teams with thought leadership and idea generation as the icing on the cake. His recent efforts in driving collaboration with clients has proven great success in expanding and extending business opportunities.
With a "We don't work for the client, we work WITH the client" mindset, Eugene keeps the focus on customer and client success key to any project objectives and business endeavours.
Eugene will be presenting Sparky Jr. (Programmable RGB LED HID) at FITC Toronto April 27-29, 2014. Thanks for answering some questions for us!
1) Tell us about your early beginnings, how did you get your start?
For me, it was a three step process. Hobby became a job, became a career.
We where fortunate to always have a computer at home. Even at the infancy of the web, with a duplex 9600bps modem.
Always encouraged to learn about the electronics and internal workings of the computers (the day's where you had to solder on your own dip chip ram!!!)
2) Can you share with us your latest project?
There are loads of projects I work on. Most of them have something to do with interfacing devices that weren't meant to be interfaced with :)
Sparky Jr. has been an on again off again ongoing project. It's a pretty basic RGB LED controller for gaming enthusiasts. There are no additional parts (like drivers or ic chips) for controlling RGB LEDs, so it's pretty basic to get into for anyone.
3) What do you think is the biggest challenge our industry faces right now?
Some of the deltas I've encountered in the open source world is greed. It's a big one. As an open source community, we are encouraged to share our projects and learn from others, monetization should come second.
The next big one would be standardization of platforms.
4) Within your Industry, is there someone that inspires you?
Not necessarily an individual, but more so groups of individuals, the open source hardware and software worlds where groups continue to aspire and inspire the public to get involved, even if it is to make an LED blink.
5) Do you have any future projects lined up, and can you share them with us?
Sure thing, it would be taking the Sparky Jr. configurator online, meaning you could remote update your controller from anywhere with an online connection. Even an offline mode.
6) For those new to the industry, how do you recommend they break in?
Read, read, ask, read, lather rinse repeat. Kidding aside, I would say don't be afraid, and don't set limits by thinking you can't do something, ex: long ago, I really shied away from surface mount soldering. Little pieces, easy to mess up. A few exercises, tips and tricks from other hobbyists and I can now solder up a quad flat no lead project... by hand.
You need to crawl before you run.
7) Favourite cartoon character or superhero, and why?
Lately it's been way too much my little pony (thanks to my daughter), but long time, I had a soft spot for Transformers.
8) If you had one superpower (or wish), what would it be?
Less superpower, more science. I would love to have mass shifting capabilities, like soundwave (the cassette player transformer) to change from bad ass robot to useless cassette tape player.
9) Favourite music to work to? Any specific artists?
Deep house cat podcast.
10) If you weren't doing what you are now, what would we find you up to?
Still riding my little BMX bike.
11) If there was one person dead or alive you could have dinner with, who would it be and why?
The answer should ALWAYS be my family.
Thank you, Eugene! Can't wait to have you at FITC Toronto 2014!
