Kalogon hires first chief technology officer

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Kalogon has named Marty Evans, former Meta and Magic Leaf executive, as its first chief technology officer (CTO). Evans, who has a total of 25-plus years of experience designing and shipping consumer hardware, will lead the company’s engineering and product development teams. "Marty has built some of the most sophisticated consumer devices on the market, and he knows how to make advanced technology disappear into the background of someone's day," said Tim Balz, founder and CEO of Kalogon. "That's exactly what great seating should do. His experience will help us move faster as we take what we've learned from wheelchair users into new places people sit, including the airplane cabin." Evans began his career as a U.S. Air Force avionics technician, maintaining F-16 and F-117A stealth fighters. After earning his electrical engineering degree with top honors, he entered the consumer electronics industry in 1999. He most recently served as vice president of engineering at Magic Leap, and before that was director of electrical engineering at Meta's Reality Labs. He has also built hardware at Valve and on Microsoft's Surface product line. He holds more than 20 patents spanning pressure sensing, wireless charging, electromechanical actuation, power management and accessory usability. "Joining Kalogon feels like coming full circle, getting closer to the technology again while applying the same principles of empathy-driven design to a new sector," said Evans. "In AR, we explored ways technology could extend someone’s abilities, from helping someone follow a conversation in a noisy room to making visual information easier to see. Adaptive seating calls for the same mindset – understanding what each person needs, then using hardware and thoughtful design to improve their daily experience."

• Related reading: Kalogon secures additional funding, plans to increase hiring.