20 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • AUGUST 2020
SOTER TECHNOLOGIES CEO DEREK PETERSON
SAFE AND SOUND
BY CLAUDE SOLNIK
As CEO of Ronkonkoma-based Soter
Technologies, Derek Peterson is an
engineer and entrepreneur. He talked
with the Press about the tech sector,
going from Symbol Technologies to his
own company, developing sensors and
new products for COVID-19, and being
a Black CEO.
Can you tell us about the device you
created to screen for COVID-19? We
created a device called SymptomSense,
a screening evaluation gateway. It
screens for vital signs such as blood
oxidation level, temperature, respiration
and heart rate. It’s in the same
format as a metal detector. You walk
through it and it will scan you and give
you a pass or not. We’ve learned that
blood oxidation level is a better indicator
than temperature. We’re shipping
to sporting teams, NFL teams, Major
League Baseball.
How did you get involved in sensors?
We invented and designed the world’s
first sensor to detect vaping. My background
is in engineering. I’ve been
creating sensors my whole career. It’s
been part of my DNA to design sensors
that keep people safe. The name Soter
is inspired by the Greek god of safety,
Soterus.
When did you start Soter? Soter was
founded in 2017. It was born out of
another entity called Digital Fly. We
created Digital Fly with a product
called FlySights, which was a social
media monitoring tool. If you posted
a threat against somebody, like a student,
teacher or principal, we could
identify that threat and alert authorities.
We were focused on bullying.
How did that lead to Soter? Schools
were asking, “Can you help with
physical bullying? Kids are fighting
in bathrooms.” We went back to the
drawing board. You can’t put a camera
or microphone in a bathroom. However
we can put a decibel level sensor in
a bathroom. We created our first device
in 2016 that picked up on sound
anomalies. And we branched into
becoming a hardware company. We
rebranded ourselves to become Soter
Technologies.
How did you develop vaping sensors?
Schools asked us if we could
help them with the vaping problem.
Kids were vaping in the bathrooms.
We added sensors that could detect if
kids are vaping. And we created the
world’s first vaping detector. We’re in
21 countries and about 8,000 devices
deployed. All of Europe, the Middle
East, Latin America, Japan, Singapore.
Everywhere. Australia, New Zealand,
Canada.
Do you have to be an engineer and
an entrepreneur? I’m an engineer
first and a business person second.
I like to invent and solve problems.
However, I’m also on the business
side. I view everything as a sport.
I like to win. Building a business
and winning deals, it’s sport to me,
gamesmanship. And I enjoy the win.
It’s satisfaction to invent and create
technology. Can I sell this? Can I make
a change in the world?
As a Black engineer and businessman,
have you faced additional challenges?
Now I’m 30-plus years into
my career. I built a brand for myself
so people understand and recognize
who I am. I’ve gotten past a lot of the
systemic issues in the engineering
world earlier in my career.
What issues? Early in my career,
working for other people, I was not
paid equally compared to an engineer
at the same level, same grade, sitting
in the cube next to me. That has been
documented. I had to get salary adjustments
to catch up with my peers.
In the engineering world, there are
few minorities, African Americans
and Latinos. Typically when I travel,
one or two or three engineers at a
conference. They’re just not there.
Why? That’s a good question.
They’re just not given the same
opportunities. Maybe they’re
not given the same awareness
that these roles and jobs are
available. It starts at the high
school level.
Have you been able to make
a difference as a mentor? I
work with local universities
in regard to mentoring. I
speak often at high schools
and universities and bring
awareness to what’s going
on and job opportunities. I
sit on boards like Timothy
Hill, the children’s ranch
in Riverhead, to help young
adults.
How diverse is your
company? My company
on a percentage basis is
probably one of the most
diverse on the island. It’s
the United Nations, men,
women, Black, white, Latino.
All mixed races. Everybody
plays happily in the same
sandbox. Everybody brings
their own talents to the table.
People come into the office
and see the diversification.
I look for good, talented
people.
What new products are you
developing? The next thing
we’re working on is sensors to
open up the schools due to the
pandemic. Those will be in the
marketplace in August. It’s different
technology we’re doing
for schools. They can purchase
what we currently have, but
we’re releasing technology
to go a little further
to ensure safety.
CORNER OFFICE
Derek Peterson named
his company after the
Greek god of safety,
Soterus.
"The next thing we’re working on is sensors to open up
the schools due to the pandemic."
/LONGISLANDPRESS.COM
