Diversified Technical Systems

DTS, Diversified Technical Systems

File:Diversified Technical Systems logo.png
DTS Headquarters, Seal Beach, CA
Industry	Technology
Founded	1990 (1990)
Founders	Mike Beckage, Steve Pruitt, Tim Kippen
Headquarters	Seal Beach, California , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Miniature Data Acquisition Systems, Sensors, Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) and related products
Owner	Vishay Precision Group, Inc. (NYSE: VPG)
Website	dtsweb.com

DTS (Diversified Technical Systems) is a U.S.-based producer specializing in compact, high-impact data acquisition systems and sensors designed for rigorous product and safety testing applications. The company’s headquarters are located in Seal Beach, California, with additional technical facilities spread throughout North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. DTS caters to sectors such as automotive, aerospace, defense and military, industrial applications, and sports biomechanics. Established in 1990 by crash test specialists Mike Beckage, Steve Pruitt, and Tim Kippen, DTS manufactures its products domestically while serving clients worldwide.

History

DTS initiated Roller Coaster Testing Services (RSTE) in 1994. By 1996, operating as an S-Corporation, the firm introduced a modular DAS created for KARCO Engineering (which was subsequently acquired by Applus+ IDIADA). A significant advancement occurred in 1998 with the launch of the TDAS PRO DAS product series.

In 1999, DTS won the Worldwide Side Impact Dummy contract to create integrated in-dummy DAS technology. The following year saw the debut of the first centralized in-dummy DAS system. The company also broadened its scope beyond automotive crash testing by supplying helmet sensor technology to U.S. Army and Marine Corps operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, new sensor innovations such as SLICE and TSR angular rate sensors were introduced.

In 2006, DTS received its initial Small Business Innovation Research Award (SBIR) from the Department of Defense to develop a self-powered Impact Event Recorder (IER) intended for head protection gear.

By 2009, Inc. Magazine recognized DTS as one of the fastest expanding privately held companies in the United States. The workforce had grown to 50 employees across six international offices with a customer base exceeding 350 by 2010. That year marked the delivery of HEADS (Headborne Energy Analysis and Diagnostic Systems), a helmet-mounted shock recording device designed to assist military personnel in evaluating mild traumatic brain injuries. The U.S. Army deployed the first production units in 2011.

In 2012, DTS’s TDAS G5 system was selected by NHTSA for deployment in Crash Barrier Load Walls featuring 640 channels. The U.S. Army honored the DTS helmet sensor as one of “The greatest inventions of 2011.” DTS’s data acquisition systems were prominently utilized in notable crash tests including the remote-controlled Boeing 727 crash experiment broadcast on Discovery Channel’s Curiosity. By this time, DTS had delivered its 40,000th helmet recorder unit to the U.S. Army.

The company relocated its headquarters to Seal Beach in 2013 while expanding its global workforce to over 80 employees. Continued growth was supported by contracts such as the U.S. Army’s WIAMan blast test dummy program awarded in 2015. By 2018, DTS had provided the comprehensive technical data package for WIAMan to the Army’s engineering division.

On June 1, 2021, Diversified Technical Systems became part of Vishay Precision Group, Inc. (NYSE: VPG), strengthening its organizational framework and market presence. In November 2022, DTS TSR PRO sensors were included on NASA’s Artemis I mission to capture essential data during lunar exploration preparations.