software / silicon / everything between

James Ridey.

Software engineer / hardware tinkerer

I’m a full-stack software engineer: five years at Canva, now the primary owner of Nullify’s rebuilt frontend. I also design and build hardware, from custom circuit boards and processors to robots and embedded systems.

Machine index

JRB8 computer An 8-bit computer designed in Logisim, ported to Verilog, and manufactured through Tiny Tapeout. Open project → The JRB8 computer running on a Tiny Tapeout demonstration boardWireless light gun An OpenFIRE-based light gun with ESP-NOW, a dedicated wireless dongle, on-device display, and printed enclosure. Open project → A white, purple, and black custom wireless light gunSingle-key keyboard A complete keyboard with one key, built around a tiny custom round circuit board. Open project → Two tiny round purple circuit boards, one fitted with a blue keycapBrother cartridge emulator A hardware and software investigation into the proprietary cartridges used by older Brother embroidery machines. Open project → A Brother embroidery cartridge connected to a hand-wired Arduino Mega readerSand table A kinetic coffee table that moves a hidden magnet to draw slow, geometric patterns through sand. Open project → A round glass coffee table with a drawing mechanism underneathMoon lamp A large illuminated lunar globe on a custom printed stand, because ordinary lamps were apparently solved already. Open project → A large illuminated moon globe on a yellow custom standEthereal ink frame A framed e-paper display for generated artwork: quiet, persistent, and a little uncanny. Open project → A white e-paper picture frame showing generative science-fiction artwork

Parts drawer

01 / Reverse engineering 4 pieces A Flare-On reverse engineering medal Flare-On

Four years of reverse-engineering challenges, suspicious binaries, and physical medals.

Open project →02 / FreeCAD 8 pieces A printed mechanical wallet Mechanical wallet

A printed card wallet whose thumb slider fans five cards out in a staggered cascade, with a rear door for notes and coins.

Open project →03 / 2019—2024 
        *
       /o\
      /@*o\
     /o**@*\
    /_*_o_*_\
       ||
  2019 — 2024
Advent of Code

Several years of puzzle solving across Python, Kotlin, Go, and Nim.

Open project →04 / AI inference 
PR #46 · src/sd.cpp
- int dim = sdxl_params ? 128 : 64;
+ int dim = turbo ? 64 : 128;
+ if (turbo) return denoised_cond;
- float delta = -999.f / (step - 1);
+ float delta = step > 1 ? -999.f / (step - 1) : 0.f;
OnnxStream / SDXL

Contributed Stable Diffusion XL and SDXL Turbo support to a tiny inference engine that runs on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2.

Open project →05 / CUDA 1 piece
The original Minecraft pack.png
3257840388504953787
Seed reversal GPU optimization

Split seed and tree computation into separate CUDA kernels, more than doubling performance and making the search practical.

Open project →06 / Blender 3 pieces A rendered printable model of the Kestrel from FTL FTL ship models

Printable Blender models of the Kestrel, Rebel Flagship, and Stealth Cruiser from FTL.

Open project →07 / Repair 4 pieces An opened Nintendo DS during repair Nintendo DS repair

Hot-air connector replacement followed by a full screen, touch, and audio test.

Open project →08 / Assorted 19 pieces A workbench covered in electronics and tools Side quests

Internet-controlled blinds, reactive TV lighting, infrared photography, clocks, kitchen assistants, and assorted bench experiments.

Open project →

Experience + credentials

Nullify

Rebuilt the frontend for Nullify's AI security platform (470 components, initial payload halved), and cut Go and Python service startup times.

Full-stack product engineering

Canva

Rendered Magic Design previews by adapting the editor's canvas renderer, built the frontend for a RAG prototype, and redesigned Marketplace search filters.

Software engineering / AI products

Google

Built an internal Google Maps feedback tool, then ported Neighbourly to KaiOS/JioPhone within a 512 MB memory ceiling and wrote the team's first porting specification.

Software engineering internships

ThoughtDesign

Built ASP.NET MVC and Angular applications, then took ownership of Angular projects and their Protractor test infrastructure.

Full-stack software engineering

FIRST Robotics

Led software for a 50 kg competition robot, built and tested under the traditional six-week deadline.

Lead software developer

End of website. Not of projects.

Follow the builds, browse the half-finished experiments, or open an issue when I have wired something backwards.

GitHub ↗ LinkedIn ↗ Email ↗ Resume ↗