Richard Olson
8322 27th AVE NW
Seattle, WA 98117
(206)706-6208
E-mail: rich@nothinglabs.com
Profile: iPhone / iPad Developer, Electronics Dabbler / "Popularizer"
iPhone App Portfolio and other Projects at: http://www.nothinglabs.com
iPhone application development, Xcode / Objective C - 3 years experience
Microcontroller / embedded development (Atmel / WinAVR, PIC, Arduino)
Robotics, basic electronics design, product prototyping
Projects under Nothing Labs (Sole Proprietor) - October 2002 to Present
iPhone / iPad Developement
- Author of over two dozen applications currently for sale in the Apple App Store resulting in over 50 thousand paid downloads and 1.3 million free downloads
- See http://www.nothinglabs.com/iphone for full application portfolio with screenshots
- Manic Marble
Fast-paced 3D marble maze game with realistic physics engine
Native iPhone and iPad versions
Free version reached #2 most popular App Store download
Accelerometer-based control system
- Toy Box Physics
3D play space with realistic physics
Create anything you like using dozens of different toys and blocks
Uses In App Purchase to let users add more toys and enable load / save functions
- LOLcatMaker
Allows users to create their own subtitled "LOLcat" images
Interfaces with icanhascheezburger.com - letting users upload their "LOLZ" online
Utilizes XML-based API set for authentication, metadata and image transfer
- Zombie Trade Wars
Classic turn-based trading game set in the impending zombie apocalypse
Six different cities and ten different commodities with fluctuating prices
- Resistor Photo ID
Uses iPhone camera to help identify resistor color bands
Highly useful for colorblind electronics hobbyists
Electronic Cloud Chamber
- Designed cloud chamber product to visualize trails left by radioactive particles
- Uses electronic cooling to super-cool alcohol vapor - creating a supersaturated environment in which ionization trails appear
- Low volume production using laser cutter and hand tools - available for purchase at nothinglabs.com
- Utilized by New York Hall of Science and several universities for teaching purposes
- Published main research online - over a dozen hobbyists, students and teachers have used information to create their own cloud chambers
- Video footage and full documentation at nothinglabs.com
Open Melt Robot Control System
- Developed embedded software and hardware (Atmel AVR / C) for "translational drift" robot control system
- Allows a robot to simultaneous spin at over 2000rpm and have directional control by quickly modulating power to its wheels
- Uses accelerometer sensor data to determine precise spin rate
- Released source code, schematics and documentation as open source under the "Open Melt" project
- Utilized by several builders of combat robots ("Battlebots") in their designs
- Featured in March 2008 and June 2010 "Servo" Magazine
- Full project details and video at nothinglabs.com
Robotics / Electronics
- Designed and constructed dozens of combat robots for competition
- Created first "autonomous" (computer controlled) combat robot to defeat a human controlled opponent
- Designed laser show capable of rendering text using only an Arduino microcontroller and $35 in parts. Project documented on instructables.com and won first-place in "Wicked Lasers" contest.
- More projects at nothinglabs.com!
SpamButcher
- Developed and marketed anti-spam software written in Visual Basic
- Uses "fuzzy logic" technology to eliminate 95-98% of spam email
- Available for trial and purchase at http://www.spambutcher.com
- Implemented search engine optimization and online advertising campaigns yielding approximately 30,000 visitors per month to spambutcher.com
- Created sales tracking system using PHP and JavaScript to optimize advertising expenditures
- Related "Blacklist Patrol" service (http://www.blacklistpatrol.com/) monitors anti-spam DNS blacklists and notifies clients if their servers have been listed
Kiha Software / Seattle, WA
iPhone Developer (Contract) - Sept 2010 to January 2011
- Implemented search client for server-based Kiha PIM suite on iPhone utilizing JSON, SQLite, Objective C and Interface Builder
The LUX Group / Seattle, WA
IT Director - April 2003 to November 2007
Senior IT Consultant (Contract) - November 2007 to November 2008
- Implemented and supported new development environments using Windows Server and Linux platforms
- Supported development and project management in the creation and deployment of websites for organizations such as Boeing Museum of Flight, Cray Inc., World Vision, Tommy Bahama, Valley Medical and Microsoft
- Provided all desktop support for over 25 Windows, Macintosh and Linux workstations
- Designed and deployed topology for internal and DMZ networks
- Coordinated off-site hosting for internal and client needs
- Migrated email system to Exchange Server 2003
- Attracted major clients via online marketing campaign utilizing Google Adwords
- Handled all IT aspects of multiple office moves
Microsoft Corporation / Issaquah, WA
Systems Engineer (Contract via Excell Data) - January 2003 to April 2003
- Analyzed and documented existing Windows 2000 Server environment for http://support.msn.com
- Re-deployed servers and content on new hardware utilizing Windows Server 2003
- Implemented Windows Load Balancing for improved redundancy and performance
- Provided ongoing support for http://support.msn.com development and production groups
Fisher Communications / Seattle, WA
Web Administrator (Contract via Excell Data) - March 2001 to March 2002
- Supported Windows NT / Internet Information Server based hosting and development of over twenty television and radio station web sites including KOMOTV.COM, STAR1015.COM and KOMORADIO.COM
- Appeared on KOMO 4 News as an expert on Internet security for multiple stories including an exposé on the State of Washington mishandling Social Security Numbers online
- Audited existing server configurations for security, performance and reliability issues
- Developed Wireless Web (WAP) content for KOMOTV.COM for viewing of live traffic and weather reports from cellular phones using Active Server Pages (ASP)
Saltmine LLC. / Seattle, WA
MIS Manager - April 1996 to August 2000
Senior Systems Administrator (Contract) - October 2000 to February 2001
- Deployed and supported over thirty-five web hosting and development servers utilizing Windows NT, Internet Information Server and Microsoft SQL Server for major web sites including PGATOUR.COM, SEATTLESBESTCOFFEE.COM and PIKEPLACEMARKET.ORG
- Provided development team support by evaluating new technologies and assistance with troubleshooting
- Managed MIS team to provide support for over 70 end-users
- Coordinated Y2K compliance effort
- Relocated web hosting operations to new office with minimal downtime
- Developed server monitoring and maintenance software, capable of automatically detecting and correcting many problems
Walt Disney Internet Group / Seattle, WA
MIS Lead - August 2000 to September 2000
- Supported Windows NT / Internet Information Server based hosting of Disney’s sports related sites such as NFL.COM and ESPN.COM
Microsoft Corporation / Redmond, WA
Technical Coordinator (Contract via Rho) - March 1994 to June 1995
Technical Assistant Intern - June 1991 to August 1993
- Responsible for design and deployment of Windows demonstrations for major industry events such as COMDEX and the Windows 3.1 launch
- Provided general hardware and software technical expertise to Personal Systems Group (Windows) Marketing
- Developed and documented process for performing "push" installations of Windows 95 from Novell Netware and Windows NT servers for inclusion in the "Windows 95 Resource Kit"
- Created scripted test system to determine optimum memory configurations for Windows 3.1
- Performed performance testing for and wrote technical comparison of OS/2 and Windows platforms
Secondary Skills
Windows platform servers, Linux servers
PC server and desktop hardware
Network planning / deployment, firewall / router configuration
Server monitoring software
Internet Information Server, Apache
Exchange Server, ARCserve, BackupExec
Desktop support (Windows, Mac OS, Linux)
Visual Basic software development
Active Server Pages (ASP), PHP, Windows Scripting Host, Batch
Search engine optimization / online advertising
Education
Edmonds Community College - September 1991 to February 1994 (part-time)
University of Texas (Austin) - September 1993 to December 1993
Western Washington University - June 1995 to April 1996