Supercon 2024: From Consultant to Prototyper On A Shoestring Budget
1 min read
Summary
Dave Rowntree took the leap from employed engineer to self-employed consultant, and in the process built up an exciting and varied portfolio of work, including some very special shoes.
After starting his career at Phillips Semiconductors, Rowntree’s journey has taken him through several jobs in the industry and eventually led him to set up his own consulting company, which he runs alongside his partner, who is also an engineer.
One of his most exciting projects was designing a shoe with an airbag inside the sole, which deploys if it detects the wearer is prone to excessive ankle roll, to protect their ankles.
He was attracted to the project as it would enable him to stretch his abilities, and he enjoys that he is able to talk openly about the project, as there is no NDA involved.
The talk at Supercon 2024, which he gave alongside his partner, detailed how he developed an enjoyable and satisfying engineering career without strictly following the conventional path.
