Company
Who we are
We are first and foremost passionate engineers and builders, connected by the belief that precision and imagination can coexist. We bring deep technical rigor and genuine curiosity to every project, guided by a shared conviction that innovation is not just progress, it’s responsibility.
We live in the world of engineering, bound by the laws of physics but liberated from the constraints of conventional thinking. At Silicon Audio, we begin where others accept limitations. We examine decades-old technologies that work, but don’t work well enough. In seismic sensing. In precision measurement. In instruments that must perform when failure isn’t an option.
Then we ask the questions that matter: Why has it always been done this way? What if we could shatter the noise floor that’s defined an entire industry? How do we engineer sensors that perform on the ocean floor, the lunar surface, and on land, with equal precision?
Our answers have taken us from DOE-funded nuclear monitoring research to NASA’s Artemis IV mission. We’ve transformed optical interferometry from a laboratory curiosity into ruggedized sensors deployed in the harshest environments on, and soon off, Earth. Where traditional geophones have long reached their limits, our optical seismometers and accelerometers reveal new possibilities.
We don’t just improve existing technology. We reimagine what’s possible when you refuse to accept that “good enough” is actually good enough. Because in our world, whether monitoring seismic activity or exploring planetary interiors, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary performance can mean the difference between discovery and silence.
“Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesn’t matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough.”
Richard Feynman
Leadership
At Silicon Audio, leadership is defined by precision, curiosity, and the disciplined pursuit of performance at the limits of physics. Our team unites engineers, physicists, and designers whose work bridges seismology, optical science, acoustics, and embedded systems, transforming proven principles into breakthrough instruments that redefine what’s measurable.
Dr. Neal A. HallChief Technology Officer at Silicon Audio, and Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Hall leads the company’s research in optical and MEMS-based sensing. His laboratory has produced pioneering advances in opto-acoustic transduction, yielding the architectures that underpin Silicon Audio’s low-noise and space-qualified sensors.
Coe SchlicherStrategic Advisor and Board Member, Chief Executive Officer of Kong Capital, Schlicher brings extensive leadership experience in high-tech manufacturing and strategic investment to Silicon Audio. His operational expertise in healthcare technology, sensor systems, and fund management provides critical business acumen for scaling across markets.
Brad AvensonChief Engineer at Silicon Audio, Avenson integrates acoustic design with precision manufacturing to translate complex optical systems into reliable field instruments. A veteran audio engineer and inventor, his experience spans analog circuit design, optical microphone architecture, and mechanical packaging for ultra-low-noise transducers.
Dr. Andrea AlùScientific Advisor, Distinguished Professor and Founding Director of the Photonics Initiative at the Advanced Science Research Center (CUNY), Dr. Alù provides theoretical and strategic guidance on photonics and metamaterials. His expertise in wave–matter interaction and electromagnetic design informs Silicon Audio’s broader R&D roadmap in optical and non-magnetic signal control.
Jon UlriggEmbedded Systems Engineer at Silicon Audio, Ulrigg brings a background spanning large-scale software infrastructure and embedded hardware design, Ulrigg develops the digital control, data acquisition, and firmware systems that form the intelligence layer of Silicon Audio’s instruments. His codebase supports deployments from deep-borehole systems to subsea SMART Cables to planetary data acquisition.