A hybrid CycleGAN–Pix2Pix deblurring pipeline designed from the physics up. Rather than treating the neural network as a black box, this project started with the optics: constructing physically accurate point spread functions for each degradation condition, then using those PSFs to inform both the training data generation and the evaluation framework.

CycleGAN handles unpaired domain translation between blurred and sharp image spaces, while a Pix2Pix refinement stage sharpens paired outputs. The two-stage approach was chosen specifically to handle real-world conditions where ground-truth sharp images aren't always available during training.

The pipeline was ported to TensorFlow Lite and deployed on a Raspberry Pi 5 with a 3D-printed enclosure and PiCam module — a deliberate constraint to test whether the model could perform at inference speeds meaningful for real-world capture. It does.

A systematic robustness sweep evaluated performance across 12 optical degradation conditions: motion blur (multiple axes), defocus at varying depths, combined aberrations, and noise overlays. SSIM and PSNR were tracked across all conditions to produce a performance surface rather than a single benchmark number.

A palm-sized e-ink task companion built on one constraint: show only your top three tasks at a time. No feeds, no notifications, no infinite scroll — one physical button to mark a task complete. The device gets out of the way and lets the work speak.

Digital productivity tools keep adding features. Taskbuddy removes them. The Top-3 constraint is a forcing function — if something isn't in your top three, it isn't what you're doing right now. Physical haptic confirmation when a task is marked done provides a ritual that touchscreens can't replicate. Offline-first with sub-200ms wake-to-use means it's faster to use than to ignore.

RP2040 dual-core MCU drives a bistable e-ink display — always-on task visibility at zero idle power. An ERM haptic motor provides physical confirmation on task completion. BLE for wireless sync, USB-C for charging. The 8-layer internal stack is designed for manufacturability from prototype stage two onward: front housing, display module, main PCB, button assembly, haptic motor, magnet plate, rear housing, and dock plinth.

The dock isn't a charger. NFC identity detection changes operating mode the moment the device is placed — desk mode for focused work, travel mode when lifted, sleep mode at nightstand distance. No menus, no settings. Placement is the interface.

Two instrument-grade finishes, each a complete design statement. Graphite Instrument: dark charcoal face with satin metal hardware — built to sit on a desk like a tool, not a gadget. Light Heritage: warm off-white body with satin silver accents — Braun-lineage minimalism. Both share the same internal architecture; the aesthetic language is where they diverge.

P0 (1–2 wks): Breadboard validation of core feel and ritual — does the button feel right, does the haptic land correctly, is the e-ink refresh acceptable. P1 (2–4 wks): Custom PCB, dock integration, companion app skeleton. P2 (4–8 wks): Near-production enclosure, full firmware, NFC mode switching, polish pass. Each stage has its own BOM line items and sourcing rationale in the spec.

Modernized Hasselblad/Braun: instrument-grade, calm, strict hierarchy. Nothing decorative that isn't structural. The spec enforces this at the component level — if a part doesn't earn its presence on the BOM, it's cut.

End-to-end technical delivery across 40+ productions. TheDonFilms works at the intersection of creative vision and technical execution — major resorts, Nordic Ski and Olympic athletes, international brands, and documentary work requiring both cinematic discipline and logistical precision.

As Director of Photography and Technical Director, the role spans pre-production camera and lighting design through post-production color grading and delivery. On technical-heavy productions, this means building the pipeline from capture format through delivery codec — not just pointing cameras.

Built content management and delivery systems that were adopted as permanent production standards — asset naming conventions, proxy workflows, and client delivery pipelines that removed friction from the final stages of every project. Good systems are invisible. These ones stayed.

Snowbird Resort, Park City Mountain, Olympic-level Nordic Ski athletes, international lifestyle brands, documentary subjects. Productions ranging from single-day commercial shoots to multi-week documentary projects in remote mountain locations.