Sound Metrics
Sound Metrics designs and manufactures high-resolution imaging sonars (ARIS and DIDSON product lines) for HD underwater video in zero-visibility conditions, serving fisheries agencies, military, law enforcement, oil and gas, and engineering inspection customers globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersBellevue, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sound Metrics does
Sound Metrics Corp, founded in 2002 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, designs and manufactures high-resolution imaging sonar systems used to capture HD video in turbid, zero-visibility underwater environments. Its product portfolio centers on two proprietary technology families: DIDSON (Dual-frequency Identification Sonar), the legacy multibeam imaging platform, and ARIS (Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar), the next-generation compact dual-frequency line comprising the ARIS Explorer 3000, ARIS Explorer 1800, and a Long Range configuration with a Large Lens Set capable of detection up to 60 meters. Supporting software includes a proprietary clustergram analysis tool that compresses days of stored sonar data into hours for fish enumeration and behavioral studies, plus integration with third-party platforms such as Echoview, SoundTiles, and SAMM for hydroacoustic processing and acoustic mosaicking. The company's hardware is also integrated into AUV/ROV platforms from Bluefin Robotics, Hydroid, Deep Ocean Engineering, Seamor, ECA Hytec, and Teledyne Benthos.
The business model is built on direct capital-equipment sales to government, research, and commercial end users, complemented by a global distributor and rental channel (Ocean Marine Industries in North America, Ashtead Technology in the UK, ESCORT TECHNOLOGY in Poland, OceanTech in South Korea) and a service-partner ecosystem of fisheries and underwater inspection consultants. Customers include state and federal fisheries agencies (California DFW, Alaska DFG, USGS), military and coast guard units (US Military-approved systems used in the MV Sewol recovery in South Korea), law enforcement (Dutch National Police), universities (Florida International University's Mission 31 expedition), conservation NGOs (Wild Salmon Center), and engineering firms (S.T. Hudson Engineers). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; transactions are quote-based with multi-year support contracts for direct purchasers and usage-based rentals through certified partners, while software integrations generate licensing and royalty streams. Marketing is driven by a content-led image gallery, the ARIS in Action newsletter, social channels, and a small set of named integration and distribution partners.
Sound Metrics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sound Metrics
- Legal name
- Sound Metrics Corp
- Website
- https://soundmetrics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sound Metrics designs and manufactures high-resolution imaging sonars (ARIS and DIDSON product lines) for HD underwater video in zero-visibility conditions, serving fisheries agencies, military, law enforcement, oil and gas, and engineering inspection customers globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sound Metrics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Underwater Imaging Sonar Systems
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sonar, Undersea Sensors & Acoustic Detection Systems (IMABAGAD)
Keywords
Where Sound Metrics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bellevue
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sound Metrics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Sonar Hardware Sales: Sound Metrics generates revenue primarily from selling imaging sonar systems including ARIS Explorer models and DIDSON units. These are capital equipment purchases for underwater imaging applications.
- Equipment Rentals: Through partners like Ocean Marine Industries, FISHBIO, Ashtead Technology, and ESCORT TECHNOLOGY, the company offers rental options for ARIS sonars for short-term projects and trials.
- Third-Party Software Integration: Revenue from integration with third-party software partners including Echoview, SoundTiles, and SAMM for data processing, acoustic mosaicking, and hydroacoustic analysis.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Direct Purchase - Enterprise |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Rental |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sound Metrics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sound Metrics designs, manufactures, and sells high-resolution multibeam imaging sonar systems, including the ARIS Explorer 3000 and ARIS Explorer 1800, alongside the legacy DIDSON product line, for capturing HD underwater video in turbid, zero-visibility waters. The hardware is paired with proprietary Clustergram analysis software and integrates with third-party data processing tools (Echoview, SoundTiles, SAMM) to support fish enumeration, structural inspection, search and rescue, evidence recovery, and surveillance missions for government, military, research, and commercial customers.
Product overview
Sound Metrics is a provider of imaging sonar technology for underwater observation and inspection. The core product line consists of ARIS Sonars (including ARIS Explorer 3000 and ARIS Explorer 1800 models) offering next-generation dual-frequency HD imaging, supplemented by legacy DIDSON Sonars (including DIDSON Diver Held and DIDSON 1800). The company also offers Long Range sonar configurations with Large Lens Sets for extended detection. Supporting software includes customized clustergram software for fish enumeration analysis. These products serve industries including fisheries, construction, oil & gas, military, and law enforcement for applications such as fish counting, pipeline inspection, hull sweeps, evidence recovery, and search and rescue operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ARIS: Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar product line including ARIS Explorer 3000 and ARIS Explorer 1800
- DIDSON
- ARIS in Action
Products and services
- ARIS Sonars Next-generation dual-frequency imaging sonar product line providing HD underwater imaging with unprecedented resolution and detail for underwater observation, inspection, and fish counting applications across fisheries, military, law enforcement, oil & gas, and construction.
- ARIS Explorer 3000 Flagship dual-frequency imaging sonar delivering HD underwater imaging with unparalleled clarity in turbid waters, used by fisheries researchers, police search teams, naval units, and inspection professionals.
- ARIS Explorer 1800 Dual-frequency imaging sonar model providing high-definition underwater imaging for inspection, fish monitoring, and observation applications in zero-visibility conditions.
- DIDSON Sonars Original multibeam imaging sonar product line that pioneered HD underwater imaging, still offered in multiple configurations for search, rescue, and underwater inspection applications.
- DIDSON Diver Held Handheld multibeam imaging sonar designed for diver operation, providing real-time underwater imaging for search and rescue, evidence recovery, and inspection tasks in turbid water.
- DIDSON 1800 Multibeam imaging sonar model within the DIDSON family used for underwater observation, inspection, and search-and-rescue operations.
- Long Range Sonar with Large Lens Set Extended-range sonar configuration with specialized lens set capable of assessing fish sizes at 22 meters and detecting salmon at 60 meters depth for long-range monitoring applications.
- Clustergram Software Customized proprietary analysis software that processes days of stored ARIS and DIDSON sonar data in hours, supporting fish enumeration, species classification, and behavioral analysis for fisheries researchers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 425 Sakhalin Taimen salmon counted in Sarufutsu River study, up from 335 the prior year
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sound Metrics
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sound Metrics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Sound Metrics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- OceanTech (South Korea)minorLocal sales contractor in South Korea that assisted with MV Sewol recovery efforts, facilitating equipment transport and providing on-site support with translator services.
- Ocean Marine Industries Inc.corePrimary North American sales representative and distributor for Sound Metrics sonars. Contact Jeanne Dorsey handles sales inquiries. Located in Chesapeake, Virginia. Also provides ARIS rental equipment.
- Aquacoustics LLCminorConsulting company specializing in fisheries acoustics, offering semi-automated analysis of ARIS and DIDSON data for fish enumeration, classification, and 3D visualization. Based in Sterling, Alaska.
- CARAVELminorEnvironmental, ocean and coastal consulting firm providing services including marine archaeological reconstruction, habitat characterization, and fisheries monitoring. Headquarters in Campbell, CA.
- FISHBIOcoreFisheries consulting firm offering rental equipment, custom mount fabrication, project design, technical support, and quantitative analysis using ARIS/DIDSON. Headquartered in Oakdale, CA with satellite offices in Chico, CA and Vientiane, Lao PDR.
- Bluefin RoboticscoreAUV manufacturer whose vehicles integrate Sound Metrics sonars for hull inspection and underwater survey applications. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their HAUV system designed for ship hull inspection uses DIDSON sonar technology.
- EchoviewcoreThird-party software partner providing hydroacoustic processing software with Multibeam Fish Tracking module for ARIS data analysis. Based in Australia with US office.
- SAMM (Oceanic Imaging Consultants)coreStand-Alone Mosaicking Module capable of mosaicking ARIS data in real-time or post-processing. Leading seafloor mapping software provider. Based in Honolulu, HI.
- Ashtead TechnologyminorUK-based equipment rental partner for ARIS sonars. Contact Ross MacLeod.
- ESCORT TECHNOLOGY Sp. z o. o.minorPoland-based equipment rental partner for ARIS sonars. Contact Arek Markowski.
- K. Denton and Associates LLCminorConsulting firm focused on salmon enumeration and monitoring in rivers and lakes, with over a decade of DIDSON/ARIS experience. Based in Sequim, Washington.
- Land and Harbor Associates LLCminorProvides underwater inspection consulting and training to power industry clients using sonar imaging. Focuses on challenging zero-visibility environments. Contact Mark Klein.
- oQuayminorDutch firm specializing in underwater inspections of quay walls, bridges, locks, and marine structures using ARIS technology. Based in Netherlands.
- Johnson FishSci (Peter Johnson)minorPrincipal scientist with 17 years of imaging sonar experience, providing services including fish passage assessment, escapement estimation, and 316(b) monitoring studies. Based in Stevenson, Washington.
- VitechminorContract research and software development services for fisheries sonar applications, including DIDSON in riverine and oceanic environments. Based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
- ZLA Environmental ConsultantsminorConsulting services and training for ARIS and DIDSON in freshwater and marine applications, offering mobile and stationary deployment solutions. Based in Crescent City, California.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sound Metrics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sonardyne: Sonardyne is a UK-based underwater acoustics company providing positioning, navigation, imaging, and monitoring sonars for defense, offshore energy, and science. It overlaps with Sound Metrics in imaging and acoustic sensing for defense and offshore markets.
- Kongsberg Maritime: Kongsberg Maritime supplies sonars, multibeam echosounders, and underwater positioning systems for naval, offshore, and scientific markets. It competes with Sound Metrics in defense and offshore-energy underwater imaging and is a benchmark incumbent in marine acoustics.
- Teledyne Marine (incl. BlueView): Teledyne Marine is a broad underwater instrumentation incumbent whose portfolio (including BlueView imaging sonars) overlaps directly with Sound Metrics' imaging sonar offering, while also spanning multibeam echosounders, side-scan sonar, and subsea positioning.
Emerging players
- BlueRobotics: BlueRobotics builds low-cost underwater ROVs and sonar components for inspection, research, and education. It is an emerging player in low-cost underwater imaging that partially overlaps with Sound Metrics' use cases in inspection and research.
- WASSP Multibeam (Furuno): WASSP produces multibeam sonars for fishing, hydrography, and subsea imaging. It is an emerging player with partial overlap to Sound Metrics in fisheries and survey imaging applications.
- Hydroid (Kongsberg): Hydroid manufactures REMUS AUVs for military, survey, and harbor security operations. As a Sound Metrics technology/integration partner, it is an adjacent peer shaping the AUV platforms that often carry imaging sonar payloads.
Direct peers
- Imagenex Technology: Imagenex designs and manufactures multibeam and imaging sonars used for underwater survey, obstacle avoidance, and profiling. It is a direct competitor to Sound Metrics in compact imaging sonar hardware for ROVs/AUVs and infrastructure inspection.
- Norbit Subsea: Norbit Subsea produces compact multibeam echosounders and imaging sonars used on small vessels, USVs, and AUVs. It is a direct peer in compact high-resolution underwater sonar hardware for survey and inspection.
- Tritech International (Moog Inc.): Tritech designs sonars, sonars for ROVs, and underwater sensors used in defense, offshore, and hydrographic markets. It competes with Sound Metrics in compact imaging and obstacle-avoidance sonars integrated into subsea vehicles.
- EdgeTech: EdgeTech manufactures side-scan sonars, sub-bottom profilers, and bathymetric systems used in survey, defense, and infrastructure inspection. It is a direct peer in underwater acoustic imaging hardware for similar customer segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sound Metrics social profiles
Digital presenceSound Metrics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sound Metrics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Sound Metrics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sound Metrics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sound Metrics
What does Sound Metrics do?
Sound Metrics designs, manufactures, and sells high-resolution multibeam imaging sonar systems, including the ARIS Explorer 3000 and ARIS Explorer 1800, alongside the legacy DIDSON product line, for capturing HD underwater video in turbid, zero-visibility waters. The hardware is paired with proprietary Clustergram analysis software and integrates with third-party data processing tools (Echoview, SoundTiles, SAMM) to support fish enumeration, structural inspection, search and rescue, evidence recovery, and surveillance missions for government, military, research, and commercial customers.
Is Sound Metrics a public or private company?
Sound Metrics is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Sound Metrics founded?
Sound Metrics was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sound Metrics based?
Sound Metrics is headquartered in Bellevue, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sound Metrics make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Sonar Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rentals and third-Party Software Integration.
Who are Sound Metrics's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sonardyne, Kongsberg Maritime and Teledyne Marine (incl. BlueView). Emerging players are BlueRobotics, WASSP Multibeam (Furuno) and Hydroid (Kongsberg). Direct peers are Imagenex Technology, Norbit Subsea, Tritech International (Moog Inc.) and EdgeTech.
Does Sound Metrics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sound Metrics.
What industry is Sound Metrics in?
Sound Metrics's product category is Underwater Imaging Sonar Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAGAD, Sonar, Undersea Sensors & Acoustic Detection Systems. Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3823.