Joseph Dattilo — engineer-founder in Lansing, Michigan. Radar, semiconductor test, embedded hardware, software; shipping with AI since 2018. FleetHarbor suite.https://josephdattilo.com/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/claim-locks-humans-and-agents-one-queue/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/claim-locks-humans-and-agents-one-queue/Two agents grab the same ticket and both succeed — that's the failure. Joseph Dattilo on atomic claims, claim limits, and the human gates around them.Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/the-first-job-i-automated-was-my-own/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/the-first-job-i-automated-was-my-own/In 2007 an E-4 space console operator got tired of five beeping timers and wrote a C# app that put every upcoming satellite pass on one live board. The brass liked it. It never got adopted. Joseph Dattilo on what that taught him.Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/your-agents-dont-need-your-credentials/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/your-agents-dont-need-your-credentials/Prompts are not security boundaries. Joseph Dattilo on the gateway pattern: scoped tokens, short-lived credentials, and a blast radius you can live with.Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/running-a-fleet-of-ai-coding-agents/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/running-a-fleet-of-ai-coding-agents/The operating discipline behind a working AI development fleet: queues, scoped credentials, and git transport enforcement — by Joseph Dattilo.Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/shipping-with-ai-since-2018/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/shipping-with-ai-since-2018/From production NLP before LLMs to operating agent fleets — Joseph Dattilo on what actually changed and what never did.Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/the-management-system-an-industry-standardizes-on/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/the-management-system-an-industry-standardizes-on/Rotomolding, painting contractors, and AI dev teams: how walking the floor first keeps producing the software a whole industry ends up running on — by Joseph Dattilo.Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/writing-fiction-made-my-ai-agents-better/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/writing-fiction-made-my-ai-agents-better/A published sci-fi author on why agent personas are a character problem before they're an engineering problem — by Joseph Dattilo.Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/density-experiment-oil-water-food-coloring/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/density-experiment-oil-water-food-coloring/A hands-on density experiment with salt, water, oil, and food coloring, restored from Joseph Dattilo's 2016 kitchen-science video series.Fri, 08 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-boogers-preparing-examining-boogers-microscope/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-boogers-preparing-examining-boogers-microscope/How to prep a booger slide for the microscope: food coloring, a slide cover, immersion oil, and a look at 40x, 100x, 400x, and 1000x.Thu, 07 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-bouyancy-experiments-kids/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-bouyancy-experiments-kids/A no-equipment buoyancy experiment with a bowl of water, tinfoil, and clay, restored from Joseph Dattilo's 2016 kitchen-science video series.Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-fire-extinguishers-putting-fire/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-fire-extinguishers-putting-fire/A hands-on lesson on how to use a fire extinguisher safely, restored from Joseph Dattilo's 2016 fire-safety science video series.Tue, 05 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/water-bears-400x-part-2/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/water-bears-400x-part-2/SCIENCE with water bears! Another look at Red the water bear at 400x magnification, with a bit on how tardigrades make a living.Tue, 05 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/water-bears-400x-parts-1-2-3-released/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/water-bears-400x-parts-1-2-3-released/All three Water Bears at 400x videos are out. A recap of the tardigrade footage from parts 1 through 3, and a promise of a full documentary cut.Tue, 05 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/water-bears-at-400x-part-3/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/water-bears-at-400x-part-3/SCIENCE with water bears! The last of three looks at Red the tardigrade at 400x magnification — watching him move, eat, and swim across the slide.Tue, 05 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-fireworks-smother-fire/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-fireworks-smother-fire/A fire-safety experiment on smothering flames with two different techniques, restored from Joseph Dattilo's 2016 science video series.Mon, 04 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/water-bear-hunting-part-2-finding-tardigrade/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/water-bear-hunting-part-2-finding-tardigrade/How to squeeze moss water into a petri dish, spot a tardigrade under the microscope, and mount a slide to watch a water bear come back to life.Tue, 28 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/hunting-bears-science-water-bears-part-1/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/hunting-bears-science-water-bears-part-1/How to hunt for water bears (tardigrades): find wet moss, soak it, and wait out the hibernation state before the real hunt begins.Mon, 27 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-baking-soda-vinegar-volcano/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-baking-soda-vinegar-volcano/A classic acid-base reaction experiment, restored from Joseph Dattilo's 2016 kitchen-science video series: baking soda, vinegar, and a homemade volcano.Sat, 25 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-immersion-oil-microscopy/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/science-immersion-oil-microscopy/The one step I kept forgetting at 1000x: immersion oil. What it's for, when your lens needs it, and what a banana peel looks like once you use it right.Sat, 25 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/galaxy-s5-glass-replacement-teardown/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/galaxy-s5-glass-replacement-teardown/A cautionary teardown: attempting a ten-dollar DIY glass-only replacement on a cracked Galaxy S5 and destroying the LCD in the process.Wed, 22 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/grape-died-science/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/grape-died-science/Dissecting a grape and looking at it under the microscope — plus a ridiculous meme to prove it.Mon, 20 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/pcduino3-lamp-server/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/pcduino3-lamp-server/Joseph Dattilo's three-part Virtuabotix guide, consolidated: install Apache, PHP, and an FTP daemon on a pcDuino 3 single-board computer to build a LAMP server.Sun, 14 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-uno-resources/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-uno-resources/One hub for every Versalino Uno resource: quickstart guides, compatible boards and sensors, and the libraries and software you need to get building.Fri, 25 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/arduino-gamepad-versalino-control/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/arduino-gamepad-versalino-control/Pin-out and usage guide for the Versalino Control 1.0 Arduino gamepad loadboard: RGB LED, push buttons, and joystick/DPAD ports.Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/on-chip-aluminum-resistor-trace-length/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/on-chip-aluminum-resistor-trace-length/How long a 1-micron-thick, 10-micron-wide aluminum trace must be to form a 100-ohm on-chip resistor, with scaling math and high-frequency cautions.Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/dht11-dht22-temperature-humidity-control-relay-fan-heater/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/dht11-dht22-temperature-humidity-control-relay-fan-heater/Arduino/Versalino sketch that reads a DHT11 or DHT22 and switches relay-driven fan and heater to hold humidity and temperature thresholds.Tue, 18 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/bt2s-bluetooth-serial-arduino/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/bt2s-bluetooth-serial-arduino/Pinout, pairing, and AT command configuration for the Virtuabotix BT2S Bluetooth-to-Serial Master and Slave modules, with an auto-config Arduino sketch.Thu, 16 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/tcs3200-color-sensor-arduino/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/tcs3200-color-sensor-arduino/Pinout and a working high-resolution Arduino sketch for the Virtuabotix TCS3200 color sensor, reading 10-bit ARGB values over serial.Thu, 16 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-inventors-kit-quickstart/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-inventors-kit-quickstart/Assemble the Versalino Inventors Kit, mount the Versalino Uno on the laser-cut board, install the software, and finish your first LED project.Sun, 03 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-nano-quickstart/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-nano-quickstart/The official Versalino Nano quickstart: install the Arduino IDE, FTDI drivers, and the Versalino library, then blink the Nano's built-in LED.Fri, 01 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-uno-quickstart/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-uno-quickstart/The official Versalino Uno quickstart: install the Arduino IDE, FTDI drivers, and the Versalino library, then upload your first blinking-LED sketch.Thu, 31 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/accelerometer-g-forces-to-degrees-arduino/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/accelerometer-g-forces-to-degrees-arduino/Turning Virtuabotix Accelerometer G-force readings into 0-360 degree angles with arctangent and quadrant corrections on the Arduino or Versalino.Tue, 29 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/pan-tilt-servo-control-arduino/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/pan-tilt-servo-control-arduino/Sweeping the Virtuabotix Pan & Tilt with calibrated degrees on an Arduino or Versalino: servo calibration arrays and a degrees-to-servo mapping function.Thu, 03 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/ultrasonic-triggered-gallery-audio-arduino/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/ultrasonic-triggered-gallery-audio-arduino/Arduino/Versalino sketch that fires a Sparkfun MP3 trigger when gallery visitors come within six feet of a Virtuabotix Ultrasonic sensor.Sun, 29 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/bluetooth-packet-protocol-arduino-controller/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/bluetooth-packet-protocol-arduino-controller/Building the joystick-to-rover control sketch for the Versalino Control: analog mapping, dead zones, and VirtuabotixPacket commands over a BT2S link.Mon, 02 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/ascii-to-integer-arduino-c/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/ascii-to-integer-arduino-c/Using atoi and a null-terminated buffer to turn ASCII packet bytes into integers on an Arduino, and why the null character matters.Sun, 01 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/arduino-serial-packet-protocol-part-3/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/arduino-serial-packet-protocol-part-3/How to grow the VirtuabotixPacket from 3 to 4 message bytes — the struct, parser, and processing changes needed on the receive side.Sat, 31 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/giant-robot-arena-part-2/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/giant-robot-arena-part-2/Part 2 of the giant robot arena build: acrylic side bumpers mounted with heavy-duty Velcro to keep battling Arduino robots from falling to their doom.Thu, 29 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/giant-robot-arena-part-1/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/giant-robot-arena-part-1/Build log for an 8-foot by 5.25-foot portable robot battle arena for the Versalino Rove — framing, legs, and whiteboard tabletop from a weekend build.Mon, 26 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/arduino-serial-packet-protocol-part-2/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/arduino-serial-packet-protocol-part-2/Building sendPacket() with sprintf formatting and function overloads to transmit fixed-length serial packets from an Arduino or Versalino.Sun, 25 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/arduino-serial-packet-protocol-part-1/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/arduino-serial-packet-protocol-part-1/A small struct and parser for receiving pipe-delimited command packets on an Arduino or Versalino serial port, with a working LED-control example.Thu, 22 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-loadboard-on-arduino/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-loadboard-on-arduino/Wire up BUSA and BUSB from a stock Arduino Uno/Mega so you can run Versalino loadboards before you own a Versalino.Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-uno-technical-specs-pinout-guide/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-uno-technical-specs-pinout-guide/Full pinout tables (BUSA, BUSB, COM1, PGM) and specs for the Versalino Uno, the open-source Arduino Uno-compatible board with a dual-BUS design.Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-library-guide/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/versalino-library-guide/Joseph Dattilo's original guide to the Versalino pin-out library for the Arduino IDE — write code once against BUSA/BUSB instead of hard-coding pin numbers for each bus.Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMThttps://josephdattilo.com/writing/bareduino-barebones-arduino/https://josephdattilo.com/writing/bareduino-barebones-arduino/How to wire a bare ATmega328 into a working Arduino-compatible microcontroller on a breadboard, plus how to add power regulation with the Bareduino328 Plus.Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT