ksr.Kishore Sundara-Rajan
Hardware leadership. From invention to market.

Invented.
Built.
Shipped.

I lead hardware organizations from product definition to launch - building teams, developing technologies, and delivering products

Phones & tablets · Connected wearables
Smart home · Medical devices

Kishore Sundara-Rajan, Ph.D.Head of Hardware · SabiFormer Head of Hardware · Google ATAP
Former Senior Director, Hardware R&D · Dexcom
Discuss a leadership role Career & education
Selected productsShipped
Levi’s Trucker jacket with Jacquard tag in the sleeve
Jacquard × Levi’sEnd-to-end hardware leadership.
Second-generation Google Nest Hub in four colors
Soli · Nest HubTechnology development & product integration.
Stelo biosensor and companion phone app
Dexcom · SteloHardware R&D leadership & accelerated delivery.
15+

Products launchedWhole-product leadership and owned technology or subsystem integrations.

Across my career
3 → 40+

Built the hardware organizationEngineers across four countries.

Google ATAP
77

Issued U.S. patentsA record of technical invention alongside product leadership.

Explore the patent index ↓
Leadership

Build the organization.
Own the outcome.

I bring product strategy, system architecture, engineering teams, and manufacturing together to turn ambitious ideas into products people use.

Kishore Sundara-Rajan
Kishore Sundara-Rajan
Engineer, inventor, and hardware leader.
Program leadership

Lead complex programs.

At Dexcom, I led 14 principals and directors, with cross-functional program responsibility spanning approximately 280 contributors and 25+ product commitments. I made technical leaders accountable for delivery.

EvidenceDexcom ↓
Architecture through launch

Own delivery.

I connect product architecture and technology strategy to engineering, verification, manufacturing partnerships, launch, and sustaining.

ATAP: four Jacquard collaborations launched across 35 countries.

EvidenceLeadership in practice ↓
Developing engineering leaders

I developed electrical and mechanical engineering leads to own cross-functional delivery, combining clear accountability with coaching. At Google, I also served on hardware hiring and promotion committees and mentored engineering leaders across the company.

01 / Google ATAP
2018–2023

Built the organization.
Shipped the portfolio.

As Head of Hardware Engineering at ATAP, I built the organization behind Jacquard’s consumer products and Soli’s integration into Pixel and Nest—leading engineering, manufacturing partnerships, and delivery across global programs.

3 → 40+Engineers · four countries
$10M+Annual budgets managed
4 launchesJacquard · 35 countries
3 integrationsSoli · Pixel and Nest devices
From advanced development to global consumer launches.

My scope covered electrical, mechanical, firmware, RF integration, test, reliability, manufacturing, and sustaining—connecting the technology roadmap to the work required for launch.

Two kinds of ownership
  • Jacquard: end-to-end product leadership as Head of Hardware.
  • Soli: technology development and integration into Pixel and Nest products.
Lead beyond the hardware

I aligned product, software, operations, and external partners around requirements, milestones, and resource priorities. In parallel, I led shared-platform architecture to support multiple product explorations.

Read the leadership case studies ↓

Jacquard.

Whole-product leadership across four collaborations, from hardware development and integration through manufacturing and launch.

Levi’s Trucker jacket with Jacquard tag in the sleeve

Levi’s Trucker & Sherpa

Connected gestures woven into the jacket cuff.

Shipped 2019
Gear Patrol feature ↗
Saint Laurent Cit-E backpack with Jacquard

Saint Laurent Cit-E

Jacquard integrated into a luxury backpack.

Shipped 2019
FashionUnited launch coverage ↗
adidas GMR tag and companion app, with football boots in the background

adidas GMR

Football activity connected to FIFA Mobile.

Shipped 2020
Shortlist hands-on review ↗
Samsonite Konnect-i backpack with Jacquard

Samsonite Konnect-i

Touch gestures in an everyday commuter backpack.

Shipped 2020
Android Authority review ↗

Soli.

I owned Soli technology development and product integration for Pixel phones and Nest home devices, bringing radar-based capabilities into shipped consumer products.

Shipped integrationsPixel 4 / 4 XL · Nest Hub (2nd gen) · Nest Thermostat (2020)
“the most accurate and intuitive gesture control I’ve ever used”
PhoneArena · Pixel 4 Motion Sense review · 2019 ↗
More reviewsTech Advisor · Nest Hub (2nd gen) · 2021 ↗9to5Google · Nest Thermostat · 2020 ↗
Leadership in practice

The organization behind the launches.

01Turn an R&D team into a product organization.Four Jacquard collaborations brought to market.
The challenge

Jacquard needed to move from advanced technology into consumer products, with different brand partners, form factors, and manufacturing environments.

My decisions

I strengthened the team’s product engineering experience, instituted design and build-readiness reviews, and established a staged path to mass production followed by continuous improvement.

The result

My team delivered the hardware and partner integration behind four Jacquard collaborations: Saint Laurent, Levi’s, adidas, and Samsonite, launched in 2019–2020.

02Bring consumer electronics into apparel factories.Module and finished-product testing built into factory delivery.
The challenge

A working electronics module was only part of the product. It had to be integrated, tested, and produced in partners’ apparel and accessory factories.

My decisions

I established reliability tests for both modules and finished products, built partner engineering capability, and put quality plans and test equipment into the factories. I worked on site with engineering and operations to resolve production blockers.

The result

We established a repeatable path from module qualification to integrated-product manufacturing and sustaining across the Jacquard portfolio.

03Build leaders who can own delivery.Engineering leads accountable for cross-functional execution.
The challenge

A growing portfolio required engineering leadership across disciplines and locations, alongside the ability to keep exploring new technologies.

My decisions

I established ATAP’s engineering presence in Taipei, developed electrical and mechanical engineering leads, and gave them cross-functional ownership. Coaching, shared planning, and regular engineering reviews supported that accountability.

The result

Engineering leads took responsibility for cross-functional execution, expanding the organization’s leadership capacity as its product and technology responsibilities grew.

Public product recordsGoogle · the four Jacquard collaborations ↗adidas · GMR launch ↗
02 / Dexcom
2024–2026

Changed how the work ran.
Accelerated delivery.

As Senior Director of Hardware R&D, I led development of glucose-monitoring products, including Stelo and G7 15 Day, alongside next-generation programs. My responsibility spanned architecture, verification, and production readiness.

56%Shorter development timelinesBroader product portfolio
60%Lower unit cost demonstratedNext-generation development builds
7 monthsEarly concept to clinical readinessNext-generation CGM program
Technical leaders accountable for delivery.

I shifted program accountability to technical leaders and introduced concurrent, iterative builds. Hardware, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory worked toward verification and production readiness together.

Leadership scope
  • 14 principals and directors across Hardware Engineering and Program Management.
  • Approximately 280 contributors in cross-functional program leadership, spanning 25+ product commitments.
Dexcom G7 15 Day sensor and packaging
03 / Sabi
2026–now

Building a consumer product.
And the team to deliver it.

Head of Hardware · Product in development
From the first hardware hire to an integrated team.

At Sabi, I’m building the hardware organization and product architecture for a noninvasive neural wearable, connecting product definition, engineering, and manufacturing to the work required for launch.

First hire → 17Internal hardware organization
Concept → NPISystem ownership and execution toward launch

I own product definition with the CEO and commercial leadership, the technology roadmap, and development and manufacturing partnerships.

A person wearing Sabi’s beanie-form neural wearable, photographed for public press materials
Beanie-form prototype shown in WIRED · Photograph courtesy of Sabi
WIRED / April 2026
“This Beanie Is Designed to Read Your Thoughts”
Read the coverage ↗
Reporting on work in development.
Forbes / October 2026
“Vinod Khosla Backs An AI Startup Building A Mind-Reading Baseball Cap”
Read the coverage ↗
04 / Google Consumer Hardware
2015–2018

Built a team.
Delivered across Google devices.

As Manager, Sensors, Consumer Products, I founded Google’s consumer sensor systems organization and led technology strategy and integration across phones, computers, and home devices: Pixel, Pixelbook/Chromebooks, and Google Home/Nest.

Pixel Active Edge
A new interaction, launched in under eight months.

I invented and launched Pixel’s edge-squeeze interaction through concurrent engineering. Active Edge shipped on Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, bringing up Google Assistant with a squeeze of the phone.

Behind the hardware: Active EdgeGoogle · Product development filmWatch the development story ↗
Selected patent · Co-inventorForce-sensitive user input interface · US10514797B2 ↗
Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones
Pixel 2 & Pixel 2 XL · Active Edge · Google
“Active Edge has changed the way I use my phone.”
Fast Company · review · 2017 ↗
Earlier
2011–2015

Product leadership.
Grounded in engineering.

At Amazon, I led teams and subsystem delivery across tablets, e-readers, and phones. At Atmel, I took a new stylus technology from invention to commercial adoption.

Amazon Lab126 · 2013–2015

Led teams across device generations.

I managed sensors and display-stack work across Kindle tablets, Kindle e-readers, and Amazon’s phone, while also leading product architecture for several unreleased programs. I led and mentored the touch-solutions development team and coordinated supplier and product-engineering execution.

4 generationsKindle display & touch delivery

“one of the best displays we’ve ever seen”
Ars Technica · Kindle Fire HDX display review · 2013 ↗
More reviewsEngadget · Kindle Paperwhite · 2015 ↗PhoneArena · Fire Phone display · 2014 ↗
Atmel · 2011–2013

Invented the technology. Took it to market.

I invented Atmel’s capacitive stylus technology and led its productization into commercial launches with HP and Lenovo, with Microsoft engagement on pen and touch specifications.

My ownershipInvention · technology development · productization · customer launches
The original maXStylus demoAtmel · Launch demonstrationWatch the technology in action ↗
Selected patent · InventorDynamic reconfiguration of stylus electrodes · US9086745B2 ↗
Launch coverageNew Atlas · maXStylus · 2011 ↗
Career & education

A career built
around delivery.

A career spanning phones, tablets, e-readers, connected wearables, smart home products, and glucose-monitoring devices.

SabiHead of Hardware DexcomSenior Director, Hardware R&D Google ATAPHead of Hardware Engineering Google Consumer HardwareManager, Sensors, Consumer Products Amazon Lab126Engineering & team leadership · Sensors and displays AtmelSenior Applications Engineer
Education
Ph.D. & M.S., Electrical EngineeringUniversity of Washington, Seattle
B.E., Electrical & Electronics EngineeringUniversity of Madras, India

Outside work, I spend much of my time with my dogs.

Invention & research

The invention
behind the products.

My career began in sensing research and grew into leadership of consumer electronics and medical-device programs. Patents and publications show the technical foundation I bring to product strategy and engineering decisions.

Patents

77 issued U.S. patents.

Explore the patent portfolioTechnology areas and grant years · Interactive filters
By technology areaSelect an area to filter the index
By year grantedSelect a year to filter the index
510

2026 counts grants through November 11.

Patent index77 issued U.S. patents · Inventorship checked against USPTO records

Inventor or co-inventor on the patents below. This count covers individual issued U.S. patents, including one design patent; distinct continuation grants count separately, so the 77 grants carry 41 distinct titles. The original and reissued versions of US9,557,833 are counted once. Applications and foreign counterparts are excluded. Reviewed November 11, 2026.

77 of 77 records
Recent published applications5 selected records · Separate from the issued-patent count

Published applications are listed separately from grants. Publication does not establish current prosecution status.

Publications

21 publications, 2004–2020.

Publication archive21 publications: papers, proceedings, and a book chapter · Reviewed November 2026

Selected research above is part of a broader body of work. This archive retains distinct journal and conference versions and links to publisher or author records.

  • 2020
    Conference paper
    ZebraSense: A Double-sided Textile Touch Sensor for Smart Clothing
    Tony Wu; Shiho Fukuhara; Nicholas Gillian; Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Ivan Poupyrev
    ACM UIST 2020 · 662–674
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2013
    Journal article
    Transfer Function of Interfacial Stress Sensor for Artificial Skin Applications
    Xiaozhou Lu; Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Wenke Lu; Alexander V. Mamishev
    IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices 60(8) · 2640–2647
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2012
    Journal article
    An interfacial stress sensor for biomechanical applications
    K. Sundara-Rajan; A. Bestick; G. I. Rowe; G. K. Klute; W. R. Ledoux; H. C. Wang; A. V. Mamishev
    Measurement Science and Technology 23(8) · 085701
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2011
    Conference paper
    A pervasive Dietary Data Recording System
    Junqing Shang; Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Levi Lindsey; Alexander V. Mamishev; Eric Johnson; Ankur Teredesai; Alan Kristal
    IEEE PerCom Workshops 2011 · 307–309
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2011
    Conference paper
    A mobile structured light system for food volume estimation
    Junqing Shang; Michael Duong; Eric Pepin; Xing Zhang; Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Alexander Mamishev; Alan Kristal
    IEEE ICCV Workshops 2011 · 100–101
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2010
    Conference paper
    Capacitive sensing of interfacial stresses
    Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Aaron Bestick; Gabriel I. Rowe; Glenn K. Klute; William R. Ledoux; Alexander V. Mamishev
    IEEE SENSORS 2010 · 2569–2572
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2010
    Conference paper
    Capacitive sensing of interfacial forces in prosthesis
    Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Gabriel I. Rowe; Aaron Bestick; Alexander V. Mamishev; Glenn K. Klute; William R. Ledoux
    IEEE MeMeA 2010 · 73–76
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2009
    Conference paper
    Shear sensor for lower limb prosthetic applications
    Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Gabriel I. Rowe; Anthony J. Simon; Glenn K. Klute; William R. Ledoux; Alexander V. Mamishev
    First Annual ORNL Biomedical Science & Engineering Conference (BSEC) · 1–4
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2008
    Journal article
    Dielectric Spectroscopy: Choosing the Right Approach
    A. Mathur; K. Sundara-Rajan; G. Rowe; A. V. Mamishev
    Pharmaceutical Technology 32(9) · 82–93
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2008
    Conference proceedings article
    Characterization of Plastic Packaging with Fringing Electric Field Sensors
    Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Abhinav Mathur; Alexander Mamishev
    ECS Transactions 14(1) · 641–650
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2007
    Journal article
    Energy Scavenging for Inductively Coupled Passive RFID Systems
    Bing Jiang; Joshua R. Smith; Matthai Philipose; Sumit Roy; Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Alexander V. Mamishev
    IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement 56(1) · 118–125
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2006
    Book chapter
    Fringing Electric and Magnetic Field Sensors
    K. Sundara-Rajan; A. V. Mamishev; M. Zahn
    Encyclopedia of Sensors, vol. 4 · American Scientific Publishers · 89–100
    Research lab bibliography ↗
  • 2005
    Conference paper
    Energy Scavenging for Inductively Coupled Passive RFID Systems
    Bing Jiang; J. R. Smith; M. Philipose; S. Roy; K. Sundara-Rajan; A. V. Mamishev
    IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (IMTC), vol. 2 · 984–989
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2005
    Conference paper
    ID Modulation: Embedding Sensor Data in an RFID Timeseries
    Joshua R. Smith; Bing Jiang; Sumit Roy; Matthai Philipose; Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Alexander Mamishev
    Information Hiding (IH 2005) · LNCS 3727 · 234–246
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2005
    Journal article
    RFID-based techniques for human-activity detection
    Joshua R. Smith; Kenneth P. Fishkin; Bing Jiang; Alexander Mamishev; Matthai Philipose; Adam D. Rea; Sumit Roy; Kishore Sundara-Rajan
    Communications of the ACM 48(9) · 39–44
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2005
    Journal article
    Measuring moisture, fiber, and titanium dioxide in pulp with impedance spectroscopy
    Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Leslie Byrd II; Alexander V. Mamishev
    TAPPI Journal 4(2) · 23–27
    Author’s paper · PDF ↗
  • 2005
    Journal article
    Battery-free Wireless Identification and Sensing
    Matthai Philipose; Joshua R. Smith; Bing Jiang; Alexander Mamishev; Sumit Roy; Kishore Sundara-Rajan
    IEEE Pervasive Computing 4(1) · 37–45
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2004
    Journal article
    Interdigital sensors and transducers
    A. V. Mamishev; K. Sundara-Rajan; Fumin Yang; Yanqing Du; M. Zahn
    Proceedings of the IEEE 92(5) · 808–845
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2004
    Journal article
    Moisture Content Estimation in Paper Pulp Using Fringing Field Impedance Spectroscopy
    Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Leslie Byrd II; Alexander V. Mamishev
    IEEE Sensors Journal 4(3) · 378–383
    Publisher record ↗
  • 2004
    Conference paper
    Estimation of Moisture Content in Paper Pulp Containing Calcium Carbonate Using Fringing Field Impedance Spectroscopy
    K. Sundara-Rajan; L. Byrd; A. V. Mamishev
    58th Appita Annual Conference, vol. 2 · 413–419
    Research lab bibliography ↗
  • 2004
    Conference paper
    On-chip characterization of fluids using microsurface plasmon resonance sensors
    Anna L. Pyayt; Kishore Sundara-Rajan; Gabriel I. Rowe; Matilda A. L. Enlund
    Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation · Proceedings of SPIE 5514 · 586–594
    Publisher record ↗

Bring the next
product to market.

I build and lead hardware organizations for consumer electronics and medical devices—from zero-to-one development through product launch and portfolio delivery.

Discuss a leadership role

Also open to consulting and advisory conversations.

hello@ksrajan.com LinkedIn