Founded in 1999, FpTek is based in Cupertino, CA with offices in Maryland and Kelowna, BC Canada. FpTek has formed a strategic alliance with Optimum Design Associates, a high-end PC board design and development company. Together with this company, and the many other contractors with which we have formed key working relationships, FpTek works hard to provide top-notch support services, and hardware and software design solutions focused on video and imaging applications.
 

FPTek Key Team Members 

Max J. Allen,
Chief Technology Officer

Max earned his Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Physics at the University of Toronto. He then relocated to Stanford California to earn his Ph.D. in Physics in 1994 at Stanford University. His thesis research included an in-depth study of the magnetic and thermal structure of solar polar plumes.

Max then took a position with Varian Associates, Inc. as a senior engineer where he developed medical imaging products and ASICs, to name a few. He then moved to another division of the company and became a lead hardware engineer. In 1998, Max became involved with the development of a high-speed cost-efficient memory tester at Crimble Micro Test Inc. A year later, he took the initiative to start a spin-off company from CMT and helped form First Principles Technology, Inc..

Max has two issued patents to his name, which are for a pipelined sample and hold circuit with correlated double sampling and for a current mode analog signal multiplexor. A third patent is pending for a charge sensitive amplifier with high common mode signal rejection. Max has been referred to as an extremely bright guy and has a great sense of humor to match. His enthusiasm and high standards are reflected in his career objective, which is to create excellence in electronic design. When Max has free time, he enjoys hiking, biking and sailing.

Neil W. Fried,
Principal Design Engineer

Neil earned his Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of British Columbia in 1986 and his Masters of Applied Science from Simon Fraser University in 1992. His thesis included the study of non-linear acoustics and the development of a parametric sonar for use in sub-bottom profiling applications.

Prior to graduate studies, Neil was employed at Simon Fraser University as a research associate developing and analyzing new techniques for mobile communications. After leaving the university, he went on to work at Simrad Mesotech, Ltd. designing sonar systems. In 1996, Neil took a position as senior design engineer with Crimble Micro Test, Ltd., a company specializing in the development of leading edge, low cost test systems. In 1999, he became a major contributor to the work force at FpTek.

Neil enjoys the challenges of solving the difficult problems that clients bring to FpTek. He is known for his work ethic, sensible approach to problem solving and his realistic perspective on managing projects. When he is not hard at work, Neil enjoys spending his time with family in the pursuit of outdoor activities.

Martin Regehr,
Principal Design Engineer

Martin went to the University of Toronto to earn his Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Science with honors, in 1988. He then moved on to Caltech to get his Masters of Science in Physics in 1990 and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 1995. His doctoral thesis was Signal Extraction and Control of a Recycled Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Detector.

Ortel Corporation hired Martin in 1994 as a staff scientist to continue working with lasers, among other things. In 1998, he joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of Pasadena as a real-time control system programmer. Martin is now one of the major contributors to the success of FpTek. He holds one patent for an evaporation control adaptor for a vaporizer, another for an in-line predistorter for linearization of electronic and optical signals and has a third application in process. Martin shows his dedication to the success of FpTek by putting in many long nights and sacrificing hours of personal time. As far as we know, Martin has no hobbies or interests outside of work.

Contractors

Through extensive travel and work with many of the top firms in North America, FpTek has formed key working relationships with some of the most talented engineers and software developers in North America. From coast to coast, FpTek's engineers have access to personnel with extensive experience in Graphical User Interface (GUI) design, DSP code development and advanced IC design, to name a few. We even have contacts with cutting-edge electronics firms in the emerging 'Silicon Valley' of British Columbia, Canada. With all these resources available to us, an appropriate team of engineers can be formed to meet the requirements of a wide variety of types and sizes of projects.