Biography » Resume

A focused professional summary if you’re considering hiring me.

Contact

Dr. Michael “Mickey” Lauer

Rhein/Main area, Germany

Contact details: Legal Notice (Impressum)

Professional profile

I’m a freelance software architect specializing in automotive diagnostics, embedded systems, and Apple-platform software. My work combines protocol-level implementation, product architecture, and hands-on delivery, with a bias towards tools that interact with hardware and need to stay reliable over years.

Current focus areas

• Automotive diagnostics: CAN, CAN-FD, ISO-TP, UDS, KWP2000, OBD-II, DoIP, HSFZ, K-Line, CCP, XCP, J2534.
• Apple platforms: Swift, Objective-C, UIKit, SwiftUI, AppKit, CoreBluetooth, Network.framework, iOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS.
• Embedded systems: ESP32/ESP32-S3, ESP-IDF, C/C++, BLE via NimBLE, USB devices, CAN-FD controller drivers, production test systems.
• Systems tooling: Rust, Python, Vala, protocol analysis, automation, test tooling, cross-platform command-line utilities.
• Product skills: architecture, library design, refactoring, technical writing, presentations, and training.

Availability

• Remote-first, based in the Rhein/Main area.
• Available for consulting, architecture, prototyping, implementation, and production hardening.
• Best suited for small to mid-size engagements with clear technical ownership.
• Not available for full-time positions or Java-focused projects.

Selected work experience

• 2015 – present: Freelance software architecture and development for selected clients, including Bosch, TPE-Europe, and iCOGNIZE, plus proprietary automotive diagnostics and embedded systems work.
• 2008/09 – 2014/12: CTO at Lauer, Teuber GbR, focusing on mobile applications and client/product architecture.
• 2007/04 – 2009/03: Freelance work for Openmoko, Inc.: middleware and framework development for the Openmoko mobile phone platform.
• 2007/03 – 2007/04: Freelance work for Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH: application development with Qt.
• 2006/06 – 2007/02: Freelance work for FIC, Inc.: design and development of the Linux-based OpenMoko mobile phone platform.
• 2001/06 – 2006/06: Full-time researcher at the Institute of Telematics, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main: software architectures, adaptive middleware, e-learning, and mobile embedded systems.
• 1984 – 2001: Early professional work in C64, Amiga, PC, infrastructure, teaching assistance, embedded handhelds, and GUI/toolkit development. The long version is in my IT history story.

Selected products and tools

• CANcorder — cross-platform CAN bus logger and analyzer for automotive diagnostics.
• ECUmulator Studio — virtual ECU emulation for automotive diagnostics development.
• Network Lab — professional network discovery and diagnostics toolkit for iOS.
• BLE Laboratory Pro — BLE scanner, inspector, and peripheral simulator for iOS.
• OBD2 Expert — vehicle diagnostics and monitoring app for iOS.
• core-bluetooth-tool and ImpossiBLE — BLE tooling for macOS and iOS Simulator workflows.

Education

• Dr. phil. nat. (Ph.D.), University of Frankfurt, Germany (February 2007) — Thesis: Component-based adaptive Middleware for Mobile Distributed Systems.
• Diplom-Informatiker (M.Sc. Computer Science), University of Frankfurt, Germany (May 2001) — Thesis: Development and Evaluation of a Quality-of-Service Catalogue for a CORBA-based framework.

Languages

• German — native.
• English — professional working proficiency.

Selected publications

• Introducing Vala Programming, ISBN 978-1-4842-5379-3, Apress / Springer Nature, 2019. Apress | Amazon
• Introduction to Vala Programming, ISBN 978-1983202346, independently published, 2018. LeanPub | Amazon
• Développement Embarqué sous GTA01/GTA02, with Jérome Blondon and Julien Cassignol, in “GNU/Linux Magazine France HS43”, Editions Diamond, 2009.
• OpenMoko — Free Software for Mobile Phones, in Open Source Jahrbuch 2008, Lehmanns Media, Germany, 2008.
• Component-based adaptive Middleware for mobile distributed systems, ISBN 978-3-8322-6071-2, Shaker Verlag, Germany, 2007.
• Python and GUI-Toolkits, ISBN 978-3826608445, MITP Verlag, Germany, 2002.

Selected presentations

• “Typographie in Apps” — Macoun 2018, Frankfurt/Main, Germany (Slides).
• “Zeroconf: Automatische Erkennung & Konfiguration” — Macoun 2017, Frankfurt/Main, Germany (Slides).
• “OBD2-Fahrzeugdiagnose via BTLE” — Macoun 2016, Frankfurt/Main, Germany (Slides).
• “Börse Frankfurt 3.0” — Macoun 2013, Frankfurt/Main, Germany (Video).
• “Blick in den Werkzeugkasten” — Macoun 2012, Frankfurt/Main, Germany (Video).
• “OpenMoko – What’s left behind” — FrOSCon 2011, St. Augustin, Germany (Video).
• “Building Embedded Linux Distributions with BitBake and OpenEmbedded” — FOSDEM 2005, Brussels, Belgium (Slides).

Open source

• 2008 – present: freesmartphone.org — Founder, Core Developer.
• 2008 – present: Vala Programming Language — Contributor.
• 2006 – 2008: OpenMoko Project — Core Developer.
• 2005 – 2007: Ångström Distribution — Founder, Developer, Maintainer.
• 2003 – 2011: OpenEmbedded — Founder, Core Developer.
• 2002 – 2006: Opie — Core Developer, Maintainer.

Personal interests

Music, technical writing, typography, table tennis, and volunteer youth work in the Protestant Church.