What Kinemetrics, Inc. does

Kinemetrics, Inc., founded in 1969 in Pasadena, California, is a private seismic monitoring instrumentation and structural health monitoring company operating as a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate OYO Corporation. The company designs and manufactures a comprehensive product portfolio spanning digitizers and recorders (Obsidian, Pebble, Quanterra Q8/Q330S+, Dolomite+), accelerographs and force balance accelerometers (EpiSensor, ETNA 2, FBA-3, HypoSensor), broadband seismometers (MBB-2, STS-2.5, STS-5A) manufactured at its Swiss facility, and specialized platforms for critical infrastructure (Condor2 for nuclear, KMIDam for dams, KMIBridge for bridges, KMI-LNG for LNG terminals, Aspen for environmental monitoring). Its proprietary patented MEMS-based seismometer technology, originally developed for NASA's Apollo program lineage, was deployed on NASA's InSight Mars mission and selected for the Farside Seismic Suite lunar mission. The ETNA accelerograph alone has 6,000+ installations globally.

The company's revenue model combines hardware sales, software licensing (Antelope real-time seismic data acquisition software, Rockhound, PSD analysis, OasisPlus cloud-based business continuity platform), recurring subscriptions, and professional services including custom deployments through its Open Systems & Services division. Kinemetrics sells through direct enterprise field sales with regional managers covering North America, Europe, APAC, LATAM, and MEA, supplemented by an authorized representative network in 30+ countries. Customer concentration is heavily institutional, spanning government geological surveys (California Geological Survey $25M CSMIP contract covering 947+ strong motion recorders, USGS), academic and research institutions (Caltech earthquake early warning, UCSD shake table program), nuclear operators (TVA Watts Bar, X-Energy Xe-100 SMR), critical infrastructure owners (Burj Khalifa, Dubai Municipality, Slovenian Environment Agency, GeoSphere Austria), and emerging commercial buyers in healthcare and smart cities (Seattle Children's Hospital).

Recent strategic activity includes the April 2023 CEO succession to Mauricio Ciudad-Real, the August 2023 $25M CSMIP contract award, the February 2024 USGS ShakeAlert commercial license integration into OasisPlus, the September 2022 X-Energy SMR contract, and continued product launches (Pebble datalogger, Q8 ultra-high resolution data acquisition). Pricing is quote-based with multi-year contract cadence; no public revenue disclosure exists. The company is recognized as the de facto world standard in earthquake monitoring instrumentation, supported by NASA/JPL, Imperial College London, and Oxford University collaboration for space-qualified seismometers.

Name

Kinemetrics, Inc.

Legal name

Kinemetrics Inc.

Website

https://kinemetrics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kinemetrics is a Pasadena-based seismic monitoring instrumentation and structural health monitoring company serving government agencies, critical infrastructure operators, research institutions, and enterprises globally with sensors, data acquisition systems, and business continuity software since 1969.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seismic Monitoring Instrumentation

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (81121), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Oil & Gas Field Exploration Services (1382), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Condition Monitoring (Sensors, Edge Devices, IIoT Gateways) (EUAEAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Noise & Vibration Monitoring (Environmental/Community/Construction) (EUAHACAG), Emergency Communications, Alerting & Public Warning Systems (HLAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Seismic monitoring instrumentation
• Earthquake early warning systems
• Structural health monitoring
• Strong motion recording
• Broadband seismometer sensors

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Seismic Instrumentation Hardware: Sale of seismic sensors, accelerometers, digitizers, recorders, and specialized monitoring devices including MEMS-based seismometers, broadband sensors, force balance accelerometers, and data acquisition systems.
2. Software Licenses and Subscriptions: Software products including Antelope data acquisition software, Rockhound, PSD analysis tools, and OasisPlus cloud-based monitoring platforms.
3. Professional Services: Installation, integration, training, maintenance, and consulting services for seismic monitoring systems. Includes the Open Systems & Services division providing custom deployments worldwide.
4. Government Contracts: Major contracts with government agencies including California Geological Survey ($25M CSMIP contracts), Caltech partnerships for earthquake early warning systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kinemetrics designs, manufactures, and integrates seismic monitoring hardware (digitizers, accelerographs, broadband and MEMS sensors) and software platforms (Antelope, Aspen, Condor2, KMIDam, KMIBridge, KMI-LNG, OasisPlus) used by governments, research institutions, and operators of critical infrastructure to detect, record, and respond to earthquakes. Offerings span structural health monitoring, earthquake early warning, business continuity, and post-event assessment for nuclear, LNG, dams, bridges, hospitals, and buildings.

Product overview

Kinemetrics delivers a comprehensive portfolio of seismic monitoring products and platforms for earthquake monitoring, structural health monitoring, and emergency response. The product architecture includes: (1) Seismic Instrumentation - digitizers and recorders (Obsidian, Pebble, Quanterra Q8/Q330S+, Dolomite+), accelerographs and accelerometers (EpiSensor, ETNA 2, FBA-3, HypoSensor, iCOBI, Omnisensor, SBEPI), and broadband sensors (MBB-2, STS-2.5, STS-5A); (2) Specialized Systems including Condor2 for nuclear applications and KMIDam/KMIBridge/KMI-LNG for infrastructure management; (3) Software Platforms - Antelope for real-time seismic network data acquisition and processing, Aspen as an open seismic and environmental monitoring platform, Rockhound and PSD for data analysis; (4) Business Continuity Platform - OasisPlus for earthquake early warning and emergency response. The company also supplies MEMS-based seismometers for space applications including NASA's InSight Mars mission and the Farside Seismic Suite for lunar exploration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OasisPlus: Earthquake business continuity technology platform and performance-based engineering services for buildings and smart cities.
• Aspen
• KMIDam
• KMIBridge
• KMI-LNG
• Quanterra
• Antelope
• Condor
• EpiSensor
• Pebble

Products and services

• OasisPlus Earthquake business continuity technology platform and performance-based engineering services for buildings, smart cities, hospitals, and critical facilities; combines smart sensing, real-time processing, ShakeAlert-powered early warning, and post-event response tools.
• Aspen Comprehensive open seismic and environmental monitoring platform designed for the world's most critical applications, combining seismology, strong motion, geodetic GPS, and infrasound monitoring.
• Antelope Real-time seismic network data acquisition and processing software with deep roots in the academic seismology community, offering high reliability, functionality, and flexibility (commercial BRTT software marketed by Kinemetrics).
• KMIDam Dam management technology platform designed to manage portfolios of dams with real-time information for long-term monitoring, routine operations, and emergency response before, during, and post-seismic event.
• KMIBridge Bridge management technology platform designed to manage portfolios of bridges with real-time information before, during, and post-seismic event for seismic response.
• KMI-LNG LNG earthquake response platform designed to remove the guesswork from emergency response decisions in LNG facilities.
• Condor2 Seismic monitoring platform for nuclear power plant and critical infrastructure applications, providing operators with real-time safety and integrity information during seismic events.
• Pebble Seismic Datalogger Latest seismic datalogger offering improved functionality and ease of use with Ethernet, WiFi, and USB interfaces for stand-alone recording or continuous telemetry applications across earthquake and infrastructure monitoring projects.
• Quanterra Qantix Q8 Newest member of the Quanterra Qantix family of ultra-high resolution data acquisition systems at ultra-low power consumption; designed to plug-n-play into existing Q330-based networks or portable deployments.
• Quanterra Q330S+ High-performance seismic data acquisition system used in permanent and portable seismic networks.
• ETNA 2 Accelerograph Next generation ETNA-class accelerograph with web-based monitoring capabilities paired with the EpiSensor accelerometer; established the world standard for strong motion recording and now exceeds 6,000 global installations.
• STS-5A-360 Borehole Seismometer Streckeisen borehole broadband seismometer with response extended from 120 seconds to 360 seconds; selected by USGS as the secondary seismometer for the Global Seismographic Network (GSN) and used in 70% of USArray Alaska stations.
• SEIS-SP MEMS Seismometer Short period seismometer using patented silicon micro-machined (MEMS) sensor technology developed for NASA's InSight Mars mission; higher frequency response for local seismic events and successfully operating on Mars.
• EpiSensor Force Balance Accelerometer family Force balance accelerometer sensors (ES-T, ES-U2, ES-DH HypoSensor, SBEPI shallow borehole variant) for precision strong motion measurement across field, borehole, and USB-interface deployments.
• MBB-2 Broadband Sensor Broadband seismic sensor manufactured at the Kinemetrics Swiss Office (Préverenges).
• iCOBI 3 Instrument for strong motion monitoring applications.
• Force Balance Accelerometer (FBA-3) High-performance force balance accelerometer for seismic monitoring applications.
• Omnisensor Multi-function seismic sensor for comprehensive monitoring.
• Rockhound Software Software tool for seismic data processing and analysis.
• PSD (Power Spectral Density) Software Power Spectral Density software for seismic data analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• ETNA accelerograph with 6000+ global installations establishing world standard for strong motion recording
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability5 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• USGScoreTechnology or Integration · 15 February 2024Kinemetrics entered into agreement with USGS as a partner commercially licensed to deliver ShakeAlert®-powered earthquake early warning alerts via the OasisPlus Earthquake Response Platform. USGS ShakeAlert system detects significant earthquakes quickly enough to deliver alerts before shaking arrives.
• California Geological Survey (CGS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2023California Geological Survey awarded Kinemetrics $25MM in contracts as part of the California Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (CSMIP). Includes hardware and services to update and upgrade 947+ strong motion recorders across California.
• X-EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2022X-Energy awarded Kinemetrics a contract for the design, supply, and implementation of the Seismic Monitoring System for the Xe-100 Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project. Multi-year partnership advancing Generation IV nuclear energy.
• NASA / JPLflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKinemetrics provides MEMS-based seismometers for NASA's InSight Mars mission (SEIS-SP instrument) and selected for Farside Seismic Suite on the Moon. Company was founded by members of team that developed original Apollo seismometers.
• Imperial College London / Oxford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for development of MEMS-based seismometers. Team includes personnel responsible for delivery of InSight SP seismometer successfully operating on Mars.
• Dam Safety GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKinemetrics is a Founding Member of the Dam Safety Group. Member companies offer proven solutions for evaluation and monitoring of safety and subsurface ground characterization for dams and related hydrological projects.
• University of California San Diego (UCSD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKinemetrics donated custom products and services to support the NEHRI Large High Performance Outdoor Shake Table at UCSD, investing in structural resilience research and academic testing capabilities.
• Boulder Real Time Technology (BRTT)coreTechnology or IntegrationBRTT is the commercial vendor for Antelope real-time seismic network data acquisition and processing software. Kinemetrics incorporates Antelope as a core component of its Aspen Platform for seismic monitoring.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nanometrics Inc. Canadian-headquartered designer and manufacturer of seismic instruments, data acquisition systems, and monitoring solutions serving the same seismology, earthquake early warning, and critical-infrastructure markets as Kinemetrics. Direct overlap on broadband seismometers, digitizers, and network software.
• Güralp Systems Ltd. UK-based specialist in broadband seismometers and ocean-bottom seismometers used in global seismic networks, including deployments for EarthScope/USArray. Directly comparable to Kinemetrics in the seismology and earthquake research customer segments.
• Geospace Technologies Corporation: Houston-based supplier of seismic instruments, sensors, and cable-based data acquisition systems for energy exploration and monitoring. Comparable to Kinemetrics on hardware-based seismic acquisition for O&G and infrastructure customers.
• REF TEK (a Trimble company): Manufacturer of portable and permanent seismic recorders and digitizers widely deployed in global seismic networks. Sold by Trimble, REF TEK overlaps with Kinemetrics' Obsidian and Quanterra recorder families in portable seismic networks.
• GEOKON, Inc. US-based manufacturer of geotechnical and structural monitoring instrumentation (strain gauges, load cells, in-place inclinometers). Comparable to Kinemetrics in dam and bridge structural health monitoring, though focused on geotechnical rather than seismic-only use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Campbell Scientific, Inc. US-based manufacturer of dataloggers, sensors, and measurement systems used across geophysical, structural, and environmental monitoring. Adjacent to Kinemetrics in seismic/acquisition hardware, though it spans many more applications including weather and hydrology.
• Trimble Inc. Large diversified positioning and monitoring company whose structural monitoring solutions (including REF TEK) overlap with Kinemetrics' structural health monitoring offerings for bridges, dams, and buildings at a much larger scale.
• HBK (Hottinger Brüel & Kjær): Global test and measurement leader providing accelerometers, vibration sensors, and condition monitoring solutions. Overlaps with Kinemetrics on industrial vibration monitoring for LNG, oil & gas, and rotating-equipment diagnostics, though HBK's portfolio is much broader.
• Sutron Corporation: US-based provider of environmental monitoring stations, telemetry, and data acquisition for hydrology, meteorology, and critical infrastructure. Comparable to Kinemetrics on remote monitoring hardware and SCADA-style data acquisition, though without a primary focus on seismic events.

Emerging players

• ESG Solutions: Canadian specialist in microseismic and induced-seismicity monitoring for mining, oil & gas, and geotechnical applications. Adjacent competitor in seismic instrumentation and monitoring services, with overlap on the O&G / critical infrastructure side of Kinemetrics' portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kinemetrics
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OSSKinemetricsTV/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/kinemetrics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kinemetrics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kinemetrics, Inc.