Getting different systems to communicate efficiently with each other: it's a challenging adventure. Fortunately, Calculus can count on a lot of determined 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. Geert Pieters is the first to appear.
As a co-founder of Calculus, Geert knows the organization like no other. From the very beginning, he was closely involved in the development of the monitoring systems it can offer today. "Before Calculus came into being, I had a small company together with Vincent and Pieter where we built custom websites and software. When Bram and Rob joined after a project in collaboration with Tomorrowland, we founded Calculus together. We focused on the hardware and software, while they dealt with sales."
Creating from scratch
In the meantime, Geert has already seen the company evolve significantly, but even now though the foundations are firmly in place, he remains constantly busy. "I mainly deal with the technical part of our company: the software," he says. "That ranges from the software on the measuring devices - the so-called gateways - to the software in the cloud, to the various separate tools and our apps. So my days are mostly filled with programming."
Computers don't always cooperate; it's no different for us.
In his job, therefore, Geert's expertise as a graduated computer scientist comes in handy every day. "Analyzing problems to turn them into code was already central to my studies," he states. It is also what he enjoys most: "You create something from scratch. That is always satisfying, especially since the road to the result is often bumpy. Computers don't always cooperate, it's no different for us. That challenge is fun and the idea that we manage to build something powerful that has impact in the field motivates me greatly."
The bar is set high
From the very beginning, Geert and his co-founders dreamed big. "When we started, it was immediately with hardware as well as software. From the beginning, we set the bar high for ourselves." This is what he is most proud of. "Because all the components work together and are well tuned to each other, we can unburden the end client. We also try to fix a lot of small malfunctions and problems for them. Those are extra headaches for us, but it's very valuable for them."
The biggest advantage of the measurement systems, according to Geert, is that a total package is ready for whoever wants it, but its separate components can also be easily linked to external devices or systems. "Actually, we created an ecosystem in which everything is combined. Our strength is that we can pour all data sources together into one clear system, but at the same time it is very open. It remains possible to link external devices or platforms to our systems. That's pretty rare."
Our strength is that we can pour all data sources together into one clear system.
Furthermore we test our own creations extensively. For example, we use our own devices to measure temperature and air quality in the office. A relic of the covid pandemic. "In addition, we also monitor our own system with our own platform," laughs Geert. "Of course there is a backup, so we can continue if something should happen. But so far we have never experienced that."
Continuous innovation
That everything is running smoothly, however, does not mean Geert is sitting idle. "Our system is already working well, but we would like to keep it that way. We want to keep making improvements behind the scenes, especially to increase the user-friendliness of our systems even further," he says adamantly.
"There are still more than enough features that we have in our heads, but for which no code has been written yet," Geert continues. "I have a whole list of features we would like to add. One of the short-term plans is to adapt the billing engine so that our customers only pay for their effective use of our systems instead of with a subscription formula. This is especially interesting for the rental companies we support, as they are often much busier in the summer than in the winter."
Computing power wanted!
"There is a whole list of plans, but it will never be finished," he concludes. "New things are constantly being added, and technology also continues to evolve. By the way, even now many ideas remain on the drawing board , that's why we are looking to strengthen our team." Would you like to get started as a frontend developer, backend developer or multi-deployable enthusiast?
If so, take a look at onze jobpagina!
