Getting different systems to communicate efficiently with each other: it's a challenging adventure. Fortunately, Calculus can count on a lot of strapping employees who pull out all the stops on a daily basis to make monitoring run smoothly and to turn innovative ideas into reality. In the blog series 'Computing Power' we like to put them in the spotlight. This time, Vincent Put talks about the evolution of his role at Calculus.
"I was actually trained in Electronics, Design Techniques," Vincent begins his story, "but the first years after my studies I mainly co-programmed a lot at the IT company that I founded together with Pieter (Quinart) and Geert (Pieters)." When the trio co-founded Calculus after a project in collaboration with Tomorrowland, they suddenly found themselves in need of hardware. This allowed Vincent to get back to work in that field. "Actually, I was quite happy to make the switch again: that's where my passion really lies."
Made locally, tested locally
Still, Vincent looks back fondly on his time as a programmer. Because despite a brief introduction to programming in his education, he especially learned a lot from Pieter in particular. "At such times you do what is necessary for the company," he says. "By trial and error."
Meanwhile, he is again developing all the hardware for Calculus' monitoring systems. This includes designing the necessary devices, building prototypes and following up production with suppliers. "As a matter of principle, I think it is important to keep everything as local as possible. The circuit boards are assembled in Riemst, for example. For the other parts, we also try to stay as close to home as possible. After all, we try to build a relationship of trust with our suppliers. Sometimes we laugh about that: 'If it's no good, we should at least be able to drive there to complain'. "
In the unpredictable conditions of a festival, anything can break.
Testing of the devices is also often done locally. "For example, our devices are used at many festivals," Vincent says. The advantage of that? "If they work there, they will work anywhere. After all, in the unpredictable conditions of a festival, anything can break down. The unreliable network, the overloading of cell phone masts and the regular loss of power are at once a good test."
Moving enthusiastically into the black hole
That testing allows for continuous improvement of products. "We've come a long way," Vincent states. "Calculus really started from scratch and from there we built something and professionalized it further." In the process, the company continues to challenge itself. "That's how our products keep evolving: we're constantly pushing our limits."
Being able to say, "It's finished and it works," that's always a bit of a triumph.
In the process, Calculus is constantly testing out new things. "That's when I'm really at my best," Vincent beams. "The most fun is when I can learn something: jumping into a black hole and trying something new, gaining knowledge and seeing what is possible. After that phase, it's a bit of a struggle: everything still has to be developed and tested, you keep discovering new problems that you have to solve. Once your product is finished, however, it is again enormously satisfying. Being able to say: 'It's finished and it works' is always a bit of a triumph."
It is also a weakness, Vincent says: "We are convinced that nothing is impossible. In the beginning, we jumped on new projects rather quickly because of our youthful enthusiasm; now we will dwell a little longer on their scalability. As a start-up you have to dare to wander, but by now we have a clearer vision of the future."
Vacuum cleaner or broom?
Calculus also did that wandering itself. From water monitoring it rolled, via many detours, into other forms of measurement, until it could offer a total picture of diverse parameters. Moreover, the company started in the events sector, to now also be able to serve the machinery rental sector and the building management sector without problems. "That search was not an easy path," Vincent recalls, "because our product was still so new that no one knew it existed."
He compares it to buying a vacuum cleaner: "Anyone who needs a vacuum cleaner looks for it on the Internet and buys one. But in our case, you could say that many companies were convinced that the broom at their disposal was all they needed, simply because they didn't know our products. Once they knew they existed, though, there was curiosity. Now that stricter standards are being imposed, rental companies are looking more at each other and switching more quickly to digital monitoring."
Computing power wanted!
Because of their curiosity and drive for innovation, Calculus is already very far along in this. The searching company of yesteryear has grown up. But if more and more organizations want to bet on accurate monitoring, that also requires additional computing power.
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