When Sergey Antonovich, an embedded systems engineer, reignited his childhood passion for music, he transformed his skills into a unique venture: crafting bespoke digital accordions. Originally chosen by his mother at the age of 8, the accordion was not Antonovich’s first love. However, after years of working on advanced technologies, he found a way to blend his engineering background with music, leading to innovative designs that reflect both artistry and technical precision.
Growing up in Chekhov, a small town near Moscow, Antonovich faced personal challenges early in life, including the loss of his father at just 1 year old. Raised by his mother, who worked in the printing industry, and his grandmother, a school principal, he was introduced to music through formal lessons. Despite his initial training, his teenage interests shifted towards electronics, where he discovered a passion for tinkering with gadgets during after-school classes.
After enrolling at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute in 2004, Antonovich focused on a program that combined hardware, software, and digital-signal processing. He initially aspired to be a software developer but soon shifted to hardware, appreciating the tangible nature of electronic systems. His career began in 2009 with Ecosfera, a company specializing in environmental and labor-safety measurement devices. Here, he designed hardware to monitor conditions such as temperature and humidity, navigating rigorous certification processes, which marked his first significant professional achievement.
Antonovich’s career progressed through various roles, including work on medical devices, sensors for commercial drones, and digital price tags. In 2021, he joined Yandex, Russia’s leading internet company, to contribute to its autonomous vehicle program. His fascination with the technology deepened when he witnessed a self-driving car in action, an experience that sparked excitement beyond what online videos could convey.
Following a corporate restructuring, the autonomous vehicle division transitioned into a new company named Avride. Antonovich relocated to Austin, Texas, in 2024, where he currently focuses on developing vehicle sensor systems. His role involves building diagnostic systems that ensure the seamless functioning of radar and lidar sensors, essential for the vehicle’s perception algorithms. This technical expertise parallels his musical endeavors, as both domains require precise real-time processing of digital signals.
In the United States, Antonovich finds a supportive environment for his creative pursuits. “As a maker, I would say [the United States] is a paradise,” he remarks, highlighting the accessibility of electronic components that facilitate his projects.
In 2017, Antonovich noticed a surge of interest in digital accordions and decided to revisit his childhood instrument. He discovered that he still possessed the ability to play and read music. Inspired, he sought to address common issues with existing digital accordions, such as size and mobility restrictions. By integrating a synthesizer, internal microphones, and wireless transmitters into a modified acoustic accordion, he created a self-contained device that allows musicians to perform without being tethered by wires.
“Your main task as a developer is to keep latency as low as possible,” Antonovich explains, noting that a quality system should produce sound in under 10 milliseconds to ensure a comfortable playing experience. He has since expanded his collection to include both hybrid acoustic-digital and fully digital accordions.
Despite his growing expertise and passion, Antonovich is cautious about commercializing his creations. He believes that turning his hobby into a business would shift his focus from curiosity-driven exploration to necessity-driven production. “When you do something for a living, you do it because you have to and not because you choose to,” he says, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the joy in his craft.
Through the intersection of music and technology, Sergey Antonovich exemplifies how personal passion can lead to innovative solutions, enriching both his professional life and creative pursuits. His journey serves as an inspiration to those who seek to blend distinct fields into meaningful contributions.