Mission

The AI team at Smiths Forge develops bespoke algorithms and user interfaces to Smiths product offerings either through new digital products or as enhancements to existing products. For the last two years the team has been almost exclusively devoted to John Crane Sense^TM^, which is a monitoring solution for critical industrial assets with mechanical seals such as pumps and compressors. From all the sensor data continuously arriving in the cloud we aim to re-create the industrial context for the data via a digital twin-like UI, continuously analyzing the streams of data to detect averse conditions before they cause damage to assets or operations, and alert operators via email and SMS.

People

Sondre Skatter - Chief AI Scientist

In his current role as Chief Algorithm Scientist in Smiths Digital Forge Sondre Skatter is responsible for introducing cutting-edge algorithms into Smiths Group product offerings and in driving Smiths’ digitization initiative. Whether based on Machine Learning, or physics and models, the algorithms seek to squeeze more performance and functionality out of existing Smiths products, as well as imagine new product ideas. Sondre Skatter got his master's in physics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 1994 and a PhD in at Norwegian University of Life Sciences in 1998. He has mainly worked in the field of explosive detection across multiple technologies applying physics and algorithms to improve performance of these systems.

Sondre has 15+ patents issued and 11 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Sondre has three daughters, a ridgeback, and loves rock climbing, trail running and playing music in various bands and jam sessions.

Skills

• Multidisciplinary technology leadership
• Algorithm system design and architecture
• Physics, modeling, statistics
• Machine Learning
• Advanced, representative user interfaces and data displays
• Detection algorithms and systems
• Software development (C++/Python)

Ryan Quadri - AI Scientist

As an AI scientist at the Smiths Digital Forge, Ryan focuses on algorithm development — including machine learning and physics-based modeling — and diving deeply into complex datasets. In addition to his work on John Crane Sense, Ryan has developed software and algorithms to extract information from engineering diagrams and to statistically optimize the inventory holdings of spare parts. He has also worked with John Crane manufacturing to measure the efficiency of their manufacturing capabilities and to produce forecasts of how customer demand varies across geographical region, season, product line.

Ryan’s background is in astrophysics, with a specialty in the field of galaxy evolution. After completing his Ph.D. he held a number of research fellowships before joining the faculty at Texas A&M University where he taught, supervised Ph.D. students, and helped lead the extragalactic research group.

Xiao Han - AI Scientist

Xiao joined the Forge in 2019 after receiving her master’s degree in Data Science from the University of San Francisco and has grown into the AI team’s own full stack scientist/engineer in the past 3 years. She’s worked on projects ranging from architecting and building an end-to-end data processing tool with Python and PostgreSQL, developing algorithms combining classical methods and machine learning algorithms for highly regulated industries, building REST APIs, and creating customized user interfaces for the Sense product using React and Typescript. She’s particularly passionate for conquering challenges and discovering innovative ways to convey the beauty of data science to more people. When not at work, she enjoys challenging herself both mentally and physically in CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting, as well as exploring the nature with her dog Relu, our part-time office therapist.

Laurel Haskins - AI Scientist

Samuel Heppelmann - AI Scientist

Spencer Harrison - Data Engineer

Spencer is a data engineer at the Digital Forge, developing and maintaining business tools hosted in the cloud. He focuses on pipelines and monitors, specializing in manufacturing, shipping, and industry. He works closely with the data science team at the Forge, providing standalone tools that integrate with the existing infrastructure. He extended the functionality of a watchdog system to track and report uptime and failure modes for edge devices, cloud service lapses, and faults in applications. In the past he has worked on tools for shipping and order fulfillment, providing the digital infrastructure to provide fulfillment costs competing with major companies.

Spencer has a BA in Mathematics from UC Davis, an MS in Applied Mathematics from SDSU, and he is working on an MS in Data Science from UT Austin. Spencer is currently interviewing for data engineer positions, but he would like to remain a part of the Digital Forge.

Events

The AI/Data Science team has organized events and challenges across the Smiths organization to foster creativity, builder culture, competition, and collaboration across business units. We also like to get together every few months for a hike. Here is a picture from one of them in the Oakland hills.