Gerald Rigdon

I'm a R&D Engineer, Software Developer, Entrepreneur, Author, and a former Minister (no doubt a surprise to post Y2K associates).

My computer science education was non-traditional. I did a 2-year program in computer science, spent a decade in industry, then returned to get a bachelors, and subsequently two more graduate degrees.

After several decades in engineering I've covered a lot of bases: Electronics, Embedded Safety Critical Systems, SQL and Databases, Test Systems, Manufacturing Stations, Desktop, Mobile, Web, Blockchain, and AI/ML Applications.

My entrepreneurial endeavors started circa 1986 when I wrote a cutting edge Bible Translation PC Application pre-Microsoft Windows. Ten years later I had built my first commercial product which I did from A-Z...the electronics, mechanical & assembly, firmware, desktop application, sales & marketing. More recent endeavors have included building an e-commerce air purifier store.

As an author I've published a novel and penned an award winning screenplay. I've also written a few technical White Papers, and published a training course on the Medical Device Software Process.

I have a keen interest in various technology subject matter and actively work on personal hobby projects.

During my time in the ministry I spent many years immersed in biblical studies including New Testament Greek. I preached numerous sermons to audiences ranging in size from hundreds to thousands but stepped aside from the public ministry in 1998.

Finally, I'm the proud father of 2 wonderful boys.


Training Course

Medical Device Software Process Blackbelt


Education

Marymount University (Ongoing)
  • Pursuing Doctor of Science - Cybersecurity


Northeastern University (2014)
  • Master of Science - Regulatory Affairs


Regis University (2002)
  • Master of Arts - MBA


Regents College (1998)
  • Bachelor of Science - Computer Systems


Cleveland Institute of Electronics (1993)
  • Diploma - Analog and Digital Electronics


Lake Sumter College (1984)
  • Associate of Science - Computer Science

Corporate Experience

Medical Devices

Fellow - Boston Scientic Software Engineering

Advisory and development role that includes Class III implantable design, solving difficult technical issues across multiple projects, oversight of safety critical software design patterns and static analysis techniques.

Pacemakers, Defibrillators, Diagnostic Recorders, Research Controls

2007 - Present

Dynamically Stabilized Balancing Machines

Software Engineer - Segway Product Development

Original member of the product development team of a highly visible startup company that created the world’s first commercially available dynamically stabilized balancing machine, namely, the Segway Personal Transporter. Enjoyed a wide variety of work experiences from upstream prototype concept creation, to product development and release, to downstream manufacturing and serviceability tools, as well as leading investigations for issues in fielded products and subsequent software maintenance releases.

Below are a couple of photos of the original "Project Ginger" firmware team taken a few months before the Good Morning America reveal. I'm the tall, bearded one in black shorts. The center photo is the Gen2 production machine.

2001 - 2007

HVAC Systems

Senior Engineer - United Technologies/Carrier Electronics

Designed and implemented HVAC furnace control firmware.

1999 - 2001

Gas Burner Controls

Project Lead - Robertshaw/Invensys Engineering

Project Leader for the successful submission of a micro-controller-based gas ignition product line in compliance with the UL 1998 software safety requirements.

1998 - 1999

Industrial Instrumentation & Control Systems

Software Lead - Electron Machine Corporation

Designed and implemented real-time software applications for use in embedded systems to provide feedback for process control instrumentation in safety critical areas of industrial environments.

Refractometers, X-Ray Gauges, CO2 Analyzers, Black Liquor Recovery Boiler Monitors

1987 - 1998

Entrepreneurial

E-Commerce
  • In 2020 my partner and I built and launched an online air purifier store. -> View Store

  • This project required learning not only new web technologies but also various air purification technologies. Much of the work has included writing technical content and numerous ongoing blogs about air purifiers.



Educational
  • In 1995-1996 I designed and built a PID Control Loop Product for teaching control theory.

It was a tutorial built around a real physical system that housed a feedback loop using a custom circuit board with an 8051 micro that drove a DC motor and potentiometer. It connected to a PC Windows Application via an RS-232 serial port.

With the PC interface the system doubled as a real PID controller with an input port and both a 0-10v and 4-20ma output signal for complete closed loop control of a process.



Religious Studies
  • During the years from 1986-1987 I created a Bible Translation software product built on MS-DOS.

Below is a small sample of the original text, in the Roman alphabet in ASCII codes, created by a UBS/Academic research project. It’s the Gospel of John chapter 1 verse 1:
_1.1 *)EN A)RXH=| H)=N O( LO/GOJ , KAI\ O( LO/GOJ H)=N PRO\J TO\N QEO/N , KAI\ QEO\J H)=N O( LO/GOJ .

Word for word English would be: "In beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was toward the God, and God was the Logos."

My translation software coverted that text and displayed the output in Biblical Greek using custom digitized fonts and had full interlinear capability. That was groundbreaking at the time.

In native Greek it would be: Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. – Westcott/Hort

It’s amazing how easy it is to display it in Greek today. The above is a quick copy and paste. Not so in 1986!


Cybersecurity Corner

Recognition

  • Certified Cybersecurity Expert - Global Tech Council


Cyber Security Experience

Standards

  • Secure Coding Standards, TIR 57 & 97, SW 96, IEC 81001-5-1, JSP, NIST SSDF, FDA Cybersecurity Guidance


Class III Medical Devices R&D

  • Security Protocols, Cryptography


Frameworks & Tools

  • Kali Linux, Nmap, Traceroute, OWASP Juice Shop, Metasploit
  • Netcat, WInSCP, Social-Engineering Toolkit (SET)
  • Cyberwar Simulations – Denial of Service, Water Hole, Ransomware, Endpoint Detection, Honeypots


Cyber Security Writings & Presentations

Risk Management

Analyses


Case Studies
  • "Home Depot and Target", 2023 -> Read Now
  • "Ransomware and Business Continuity Planning", 2023 -> Read Now
  • "Insider Threats and Personnel Security", 2023 -> Read Now


Evolving Infrastructure

Analyses
  • "Emerging AI Technology Meets Medical Device Policy", 2024 -> Read Now


Blockchain




Conference Papers

  • "FDA Cybersecurity Guidance For Medical Devices - A Brief On The Law, SPDF, JSP, And NIST SSDF", 2024 -> Read Now


Conference Presentations

  • Speaker Profile


  • "Understanding the FDA Cybersecurity Guidance", Medical Device Software Summit, 2024 -> Read Now

  • NIST Publications

    Medical Device Manufacturer Profile
    • "Work in Progress........."


    Business Briefs

    Business Plan - MBA Paper


    My S Corporation Product Review


    My S Corporation Product Copyright


    My LLC Air Purifier Store Tech Content & Blogs


    Analyses

    Regulatory Region

    Papers


    Projects

    Static Analysis

    Technical Papers & Case Studies


    Conference Presentations

    Culture Critiques





    Published Fiction Books and Screenplays


    Software Engineering Skills

    Core


    Embedded Systems


    Embedded Programming Languages


    General Purpose Programming Languages & Tools


    Mobile Development


    Web Development


    Testing & Analysis


    Workflows


    Lifecyle & Quality Monitoring

    Blockchain Portfolio

    Programming Languages


    Programming Frameworks & Tools


    Recognition


    Blockchain Project #1

    Cryptocurrency Exchange
    Project Description: This Ethereum App is a cryptocurrency exchange. -> See Github

    Blockchain Project #2

    Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) Fundraiser
    Project Description: This Ethereum App manages a DAO used for fundraising. -> See Github

    Blockchain Project #3

    Meme Coin
    Project Description: This Ethereum App is for a MemeCoin. -> See Github

    Blockchain Project #4

    Decentralized Application (DApp) Staking
    Project Description: This Ethereum App lets you stake tokens and earn rewards. -> See Github

    Learning & Certs

    Specialized Learning


    Software Certifications


    Multi-Disciplinary

    Interests

    Personal Fitness


    Sports


    Hobbies


    Recreational


    Music

    Fun Stuff

    Pac-Man World Record 1982

    A few months after this photo was taken I scored 3,213,170 points in another tournament :)