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IMMR upgraded to a "BUY"
http://reports.finance.yahoo.com/w0?r=61595509:1
Come on Folks, join the converation.
I know there are people invested in this stock.
How did it get to $15 Bucks at one time?
Somebody had to be buying.
A lot of Somebody's.
"IMMERSION" will benefit from this:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1516322-fed-saying-it-may-remove-training-wheels-is-no-reason-to-panic?source=email_investing_income&ifp=0
JMO
I believe this is a Good Sign for IMMR:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/06/23/apple-to-support-video-game-controllers/?partner=yahootix
Touch is mentioned foremost in this Article above.
I firmly believe that this stock is finally destined for Stardom.
Every manufacturer of Google's Android and other Smartphone manufacturer's will eventually sign up with Immersion[Google and Samsung were the Key motivators].
I bought more shares this week..and watched the stock go down and also observed the resiliency in the share price.
Onward and Upward.
http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=IMMR+Interactive#symbol=immr;range=5d;compare=;indicator=volume;charttype=area;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=off;source=undefined;
JMHO
PowerA and Immersion Team Up to Bring Console Gaming Experience to Mobile with Next Generation MOGA Controllers:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/powera-immersion-team-bring-console-131500378.html
I appeared on Various IMMR message boards when Immersion was $7 Bucks a share.
I actually held shares.
I got tired of Sony not signing up for their playstation 2 or 3[can't remember which one]and moved on.
I should have bought the day IMMR settled with Samsung.
Oh well.
Thank You Wolfer.
Immersion Expands Haptic SDK with New Plug-Ins and Integrations with Top Game Development Platforms:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/immersion-expands-haptic-sdk-plug-120000904.html
Immr has a long way to go still. Today's dip is a great opportunity for you to buy. It is headed straight for $20/sh. in the next 3 months. They still haven't settled a lawsuit with HTC. Also, the revenue from automobiles and medical equipment hasn't even been tapped into. I've held since $7 and saw it go below that and now upward to $15 plus. Its in a long term uptrend. Buy the dips if you can. Good luck.
Immersion Corporation: The Best Is Yet To Come:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1463691-immersion-corporation-the-best-is-yet-to-come?source=yahoo
Looks like another Giant stock is in the making with Google,Motorola,Nokia and Sammy signed up.
http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=IMMR+Interactive#symbol=immr;range=3m;compare=;indicator=volume;charttype=area;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=off;source=undefined;
JMO
I am thinking about buying some IMMR..
Looks like it is definitely in an uptrend.
http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=IMMR+Interactive#symbol=immr;range=5d;compare=;indicator=volume;charttype=area;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=off;source=undefined;
The last quarterly Earnings was great and it is a couple of months before they report again.
Should I buy now?
very nice my buddy from CA is playing this deep the past 2 months and making a killing
3 Very strong reasons to Buy IMMR
The huge positive looming over IMMR's near-term future earnings:
Lest current stockholders and potential longs forget the following:
1.)Update: In an update to the note, Liu states that for touch-feedback technology maker Immersion (IMMR), “For Immersion, this may be a positive for the company. The Apple-Samsung verdict sends a strong message about patent infringement.”
Liu maintains a Neutral rating on IMMR.
Immersion stock is up 34 cents, or 6.2%, at $5.86.
source: http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2012/08/27/panl-drops-11-on-samsung-jury-defeat-national-sees-little-impact/?mod=yahoobarrons
Also don't forget:
2.)Immersion Corp. said Tuesday it has signed a licensing deal with Sanyo Automedia Sdn. Bhd., which supplies factory-installed automotive systems.
source: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2012/02/21/sanyo-automotive-immersion-sign.html?ana=yfcpc
Also:
3.)During the conference call, we also learned that the inclusion of Immersion's Reverb technology into Samsung's new flagship Galaxy S III phone should generate higher royalties per unit for the company. Reverb monitors audio applications and translates them into haptic effects in real time, allowing for a more intense experience, for example in gaming, etc.
Several new Android apps incorporating Immersion's haptics were announced during the conference call, a sign that the technology is appreciated by game developers, although this new market will not be generating any revenue to the company until 2013.
source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/784861-immersion-disappoints-hints-at-potential-settlements-for-basic-haptics?source=yahoo
You'd be a fool to sell or just hold. You have to accumulate here in my opinion for the above reasons. In addition they hired a new CFO so I think a tighter ship financially should be seen in the near future. This stock is going to $20/sh. in 2 years time, just watch. Get long before the next qtr. where we should see the Galaxy S3 effects and possibly get a settlement for patent infringement.
Good luck and remember Scared money doesn't make money.
Sentiment: Strong Buy
Are YOU forgetting IMMR technology is in the Samsung Galaxy IIIS???
[url][/url][tag]http://finance.yahoo.com/news/immersion-reverb-technology-available-samsung-130000053.html[/tag]
Best selling smart phone in the world right now and the company that sells the most phones in the world is Samsung. Why do you think Apple is suing them right now?
You'd be an idiot to not accumulate this stock.
This stock has been undervalued for a long time. Motorola should ask sony and msft what happened when immr went after them for the rumble effect. Gooooo haptics!
>>> Immersion Hits New 52 Week High, Achieves New Product Wins
by: Paolo Gorgo
July 15, 2011
http://seekingalpha.com/article/279684-immersion-hits-new-52-week-high-achieves-new-product-wins?source=yahoo
Time for an update, since our last article on Immersion Corporation (IMMR).
The stock recently hit a new 52 week high, and has been trading within a nice uptrend since the beginning of the year, as you can see from the following chart:
If success can also be judged by the fact that your customers keep promoting your technology on behalf of you, we could probably say that Immersion has finally reached an inflection point and is being recognized as a “must have” partner in the fast growing touchscreen market.
Densitron, one of the largest European manufacturers of display technology excelling in both off the shelf and custom specified solutions for the Telecom, medical, marine and industrial markets, and publicly traded on AIM, the London Stock Exchange’s international market for growing companies, recently announced a 7" Projected Capacitive touchscreen solution incorporating haptics:
TouchSense to differentiate Densitron displays in medical equipment, scientific instruments, industrial controls solutions and gaming.
Integration of Immersion’s haptic technology will offer the feel of traditional mechanical buttons , sliders and dials resulting in a solution that provides OEMs design flexibility and greater panel control durability while offering a more satisfying user experience.
"Immersion’s haptics technology is an excellent complement to our touch panels,” said Greg Hayes, President, Densitron America. “By leveraging touch feedback, we’re able to provide manufacturers and designers with cost effective solutions that will differentiate their products and are intuitive to use.”
AdvanPOS, a relatively young company offering a range of POS products and headquartered in New Taipei City, Taiwan, recently won two Computex Taipei Design & Innovation Awards. This is how AdvanPOS describes its Force Feedback Monitor, winner of one of the awards:
Force Feedback Monitor features the patented Force Feedback design which enhances the interest and easiness for human-machine interaction. When users press a specific key, a force feedback effect will be delivered to the user’s finger for unmistakable confirmation. It expands usability when audio and visual feedback is limited by giving the user certainty that the system is keeping up with their selections. The small footprint makes it suitable for limited workspace while the cable-less modular design enables simple peripheral connection and maintenance. The front panel is constructed of robust and recyclable aluminum with IP65 certified.
Artificial Muscle Inc., a Bayer (BAYZF.PK) MaterialScience LLC company, engaged in the commercialization of Electroactive Polymer Artificial Muscle (EPAM) technology, and an announced Immersion's partner, recently issued a press release about ViviTouch, a next-generation technology that allows device makers to create a mobile gaming experience that can rival console gaming.
The press release clearly indicates that Immersion's technology is needed for achieving the full spectrum of high-fidelity effects that EPAM technology can help deliver:
The jump from traditional rumble to ViviTouch is like the leap from black-and-white to color TV.
Currently, there are several integrations of the ViviTouch actuator that are available. For example, the Device Shaker Design uses ViviTouch to precisely move an inertial mass to provide an incredible level of feedback that can be felt in a user’s hand. The Moving Touch Screen Design also uses the same actuator to provide a direct tactile response to the user by moving the touch surface, such as a smartphone screen. A technology license to Immersion’s TouchSense® can be bundled with ViviTouch.
The Mophie Pulse case is an interesting device that will bring the ViviTouch technology to our iPhone or iPod touch. According to Slashgear, “the new case promises to bring “bone-shaking” vibrations and “pulse pounding” stereo sound that transfers what’s happening in your games into a more immersive experience.”
The Densitron 7" inertial demo, and the Mophie Pulse gaming case with ViviTouch technology were also shown by Immersion at Display Week 2011 as an example of products that can prove what adding haptics to a touch screen surface can mean for consumers.
It is also interesting to note that the latest iOS5 update to the Apple's (AAPL) operating system felt the need to add some kind of differentiated custom alerts to the iPhone device:
With custom vibrations, we can change the standard vibration and assign vibrations to individual contacts — just like we’ve been able to do with ringtones all along. Apple is providing a handful of pre-made vibrations, but it also provides a custom vibration recorder which has you tap in a pattern. It’s more fun than it sounds.
This means that we can now identify who is calling us in a loud nightclub or when our phones are on silent. It’s a small gain, but if you’re used to deciding whether to take your phone out of your pocket based on which ringtone is playing you’ll probably quite like this new feature.
While Apple (AAPL) is not an Immersion's licensee, there is no doubt that seeing this great company interested in adding vibrations to its touchscreen range of products and working on patents covering haptic feedback is a strong testament that this kind of technology is headed from being almost unknown to be part of most people's daily habits (think mobile phones, ATMs, car interiors, gaming consoles, etc.). Immersion's strong IP can only benefit from more demand/research for haptics.
As Touch Panel demand is predicted to soar to $23.9 billion by 2017, Immersion remains positioned to take full advantage of this trend, now with a solid royalty based business model that should allow the company to deliver very positive financial results in the next few years.
<<<
>>> Haptics, Smart Phones, And Why Immersion Corp Stands to Benefit
June 29, 2011
By Justin Dove
http://seekingalpha.com/article/277309-haptics-smart-phones-and-why-immersion-corp-stands-to-benefit?source=yahoo
There’s a word you may want to get to know – Haptics.
If you’ve ever used a video game controller that rumbled or a touchscreen that vibrated when you hit a key, than you’re familiar with the concept behind the word.
Haptics is a term for the technology of electronics that take advantage of a user’s sense of touch. While there are numerous startups, one company is leading the field with implementing this technology, Immersion Corporation (Nadsdaq: IMMR).
Immersion’s technology is already found in smartphones and other electronics made by Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Samsung (SSNLF.PK), and LG (LGCIF.PK). There are applications for it in computers, mobile devices, video games and even medicine. Automobiles are also likely to use the technology in the near future as touchscreens are already being put in new Ford and Lincoln models.
Haptics Receives Global Acceptance
From Immersion’s website:
Haptics is receiving broad, global acceptance. Over 300 million devices using Immersion’s haptic systems have been shipped around the world. That number is growing rapidly.
So haptics is a pretty interesting concept. However, is Immersion, founded in 1993, a company worth investing in?
Take a look at the numbers. According to the latest filing by Immersion:
“Royalty and license revenues totaled a record $8.4 million for the first quarter of 2011, an increase of 30% over $6.4 million in the same period last year.” Immersion also launched a new development platform for Android developers in the first quarter. As Android phones and other smartphones continue to saturate the market, these numbers are likely to continue to grow.
“Net income for the first quarter of 2011 was $1.4 million, or $0.05 per share. This compares to net loss of $(2.7) million or $(0.09) per share, for the first quarter of 2010.” It’s a good sign Immersion has already monetized its innovations in haptics.
Immersion has over 1,000 patents pending in the United States and abroad. By being a market innovator, it has a serious advantage over startups and other competitors.
Immersion’s Growing Tech History
Immersion went public back in 1999 during the first tech boom. Its stock has had an interesting history of highs and lows. The IPO was valued at $12 per share and grew to as high as $72.88 per share by March of 2000. After the bubble burst that month, the stock fell as low as $1.11 by 2002. In 2007, the value approached $18 per share, but was leveled to just over a dollar during the recession. Since 2008, Immersion’s stock has been growing slowly and steadily and is floating around $8 per share currently.
With these new developments in haptics and other breakthrough technologies, it’s likely that Immersion will at least maintain its current level of productivity. It’s even more likely that this company will grow along with smartphones and other devices. As these products increasingly incorporate haptics, Immersion stands to benefit.
<<<
More on haptics/touch technology -
>>> Investing In Tactile Feedback: Haptics and Groundbreaking Touch Technologies Rumble With Investor Interest
By Karim Rahemtulla, Advisory Panelist
Friday, February 16, 2007: Issue #396
http://www.investmentu.com/2007/February/investing-in-tactile-feedback.html
When it comes to new technological revolutions, some fizzle and some catch fire. I believe this fast-growing industry is poised to become one of the latter. In fact, it’s already making its presence felt in many different applications – from cellphones, to bank ATMs, to car-navigation systems.
And when you talk about new technology, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) at the forefront. But it isn’t. Yes, Steve Jobs and Co. are preparing to release the iPhone this summer. And yes, it’s unique in that it doesn’t have a conventional keyboard or keypad – something we’re all used to when using a phone or computer.
But there’s a flaw – one that will be evident when the iPhone hits the stores… The iPhone lacks what is known as tactile feedback.
Grumble About No Rumble
Tactile feedback is the sensation that you get when you touch a button or a screen, and it touches back to let you know that it accepted your command and is functioning. And it’s this fast-growing touchback application that is upgrading the way we conduct our business and pleasure.
Take video games, for example. Until pretty recently, most gamers were used to playing games that made a lot of noise and gave visual cues and satisfaction. If you were playing a car racing game, you had to look at the screen to know if you were going to hit a barrier or slide on an oil patch.
But that changed in the mid 1990s when a new technology sprung onto the gaming market. It was called “force feedback,” which is better known as “haptics.” This technology basically allows gamers to feel what is happening on the screen.
For example, if you shot a bazooka in a war game, you can feel the vibrations through the controller that affirm a shot. For racing games like Gran Turismo, you can feel the effect when you bounce over a bump or smash into a barrier. The feeling is transmitted through actuators in the hand-held controllers, which are sent signals by software embedded in the game and the console.
Power Up The Tactile Feedback
Fast forward to today, where the science of applying touch (tactile) sensation and control to computer interaction has moved ahead by leaps and bounds. But the potential is still untapped.
The next generation of haptics and tactile feedback allows for actual feeling of degrees of touch.
For example, whereas in the old days, if you were playing a game and used a haptics-enabled controller, you’d feel a distinct vibration when you did something that caused it.
But today, you can feel a stronger response depending on the strength of the application. So if you’re energizing a light saber in a “Star Wars” game, the actual sensation that you feel will increase, based on the increase in the power of the light saber.
But while it may be fun to experience the feeling of tactile feedback in a game, there are many more important applications that are already in the market.
100% Phone Feedback
Given the “cool factor” of this new technology, it’s perhaps surprising that Apple hasn’t incorporated it into its iPhone. You see, when using a regular touchscreen phone, you have to look at the screen at all times to make sure that the button you pressed was actually pressed.
And while you might get an audible response, wouldn’t it be great if you could experience the full range of sensory stimulation through visual, audible and also tactile feedback cues?
You can. And one cutting-edge company holds the key and the patents to make this happen.
In fact, while Apple is still readying the iPhone for release, the firm has already incorporated its tactile technology into Samsung’s line of touchscreen phones that will be released prior to the iPhone.
Haptics Plays Doctor: Sensory Stimulation In Surgery
Another critical area where tactile feedback is breaking ground is in the medical field – specifically in surgery.
In this case, trainee surgeons are able to “feel” their way through surgical procedures – a cutting-edge experience that allows them to gauge how they’d perform an actual operation in reality. Again, this advanced tactile feedback technology enhances the user’s visual cues.
Investing In Tactile Feedback: The Ground Floor Of An Explosive Industry
Tactile feedback and haptics are still in their infancy. But the applications that can use this technology are beginning to explode, and the possibilities for this technology are almost endless. In addition to cellphones, video games, ATMs, cars, casinos, and medical applications, it can also be used in the military field.
Imagine being in military combat. Would you want your equipment to give you audible cues, or haptic ones? This is the future of haptics – the ability to provide you with extremely accurate tactile feedback that has been unavailable to date.
But right now, few are aware of the potential power that this technology has. And even fewer are aware of the major players in the field. That means savvy investors who get in early will be the ones who will claim the bulk of the gains.
The companies that will benefit from this new sensory feedback are those in the technology field that are quick to adapt haptics to their product portfolio. Make no mistake: Touch technology, like tactile feedback and haptics, is here – and it’s here to stay.
<<<
Interesting company - Immersion (IMMR), a leader in the haptic touch technology used in many digital devices. Interesting chart also -
http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/quickchart/quickchart.asp?symb=immr&insttype=&freq=2&show=&time=13
>>> Getting Good Feelings About Immersion
Jul 6 2011
by Matt Cavallaro
Forbes
http://blogs.forbes.com/greatspeculations/2011/07/06/getting-good-feelings-about-immersion/?partner=yahootix
Clearly, Sony Computer Entertainment’s (SCE) PlayStation Move and Microsoft’s (MSFT) Kinect have been life savers in the gaming segment. A component of that success is haptic technology – touch feedback technology that applies force, vibration, and motion through digital devices to the user – and the predominant company behind haptics is Immersion Corporation (IMMR).
Look for the leader in haptic technology to benefit as the gaming industry keeps moving toward touch and virtual technology.
The shift in gaming preferences is evident in the Xbox 360 being the best-selling system in the U.S. for 11 out of the last 12 months, thanks primarily to the Kinect. Sensing this shift, Nintendo is gearing up for their newest installment, the Wii U due out next year, which has a touch screen motion-sensitive controller. Embedded haptic technology seems a logic feature for the Wii U and all subsequent eighth generation consoles.
Although gaming sales have been volatile this year (total U.S. sales of hardware, games and accessories decreased 14 percent during May in brick and mortar stores, following a strong April and relatively soft March), growth has been, for the most part, consistently strong in digital distribution, handheld device gaming applications, and peripherals. That is good news for Immersion.
Gamers playing on consoles, laptops, and tablet PCs are hardly the lone market for Immersive. Smartphone makers like Nokia (NOK), Samsung, and LG are big users, and haptic technology is increasingly found in automobiles. In addition, Immersion’s MOTIV Development Platform providing haptic integrating services for Google’s (GOOG) Android operating system demonstrates the firm’s ability to secure strong partnerships.
Immersion had been dead money for most of the last decade, excluding a sharp spike leading into the broad market top in 2007. Immersion is now one of the most dynamic investing stories, having risen 125 percent since the March 2009 bottom.
Up 32 percent year-to-date, Immersion is sustaining that momentum, easily outpacing the S&P’s 6 percent gain. Using a 3-month chart, Immersion is trading in a defined uptrend and a rising relative strength index (20-period setting) with a reading of 59 suggests the stock isn’t overvalued. In fact, during the most recent rally, Immersion has been walking the upper bollinger band (10-period setting) for the most part, affirming that the trend may continue.
Look for Immersion to move toward the technically significant $9.64 level, a price the stock hasn’t traded at since June of 2008. A stop loss on a market order to buy near the current $8.80 price may be placed at $8.41 where the stock made two recent lows and then bounced higher.
Haptic technology helped Immersion swing to a profit of $0.05 per share during the first quarter, sustaining a sequential trend of excellent earnings growth. The lack of a dividend doesn’t give a sense of comfort to income investors, but the growth story for Immersion is tangible.
<<<
I just am reading up on the company and am finding it a pretty attractive stockk but am still waiting for the right buying opportunity to come since i missed it when it was a steal. Hoping to get in at around 3.20 next week.
IMMR board appears to be dead...but latest news from Nokia is great.
Anybody still read this?
Support/Resistance
Type Value Conf.
resist. 13.87 2
resist. 11.29 2
resist. 10.50 2
resist. 10.07 8
resist. 9.44 5
resist. 8.96 6
supp 8.24 9
supp 7.30 2
supp 6.68 4
Short Interest (Shares Short) 5,052,900
Days To Cover (Short Interest Ratio) 5.1
Short Percent of Float 16.67 %
Short Interest - Prior 3,857,800
Short % Increase / Decrease 30.98 %
Short Squeeze Ranking™ -21
No one home that I can see.
Knock knock anyone home?
Big bull move here, checking up on it, digging deep.
Wish I was in earlier for that move.
i just got dis-interested in it,...
N----How come this board has gone belly-up??????
Ten Things That Will Change The Way We Live
Breckinridge Ely
Feb. 17. 06
(Immersion Technology featured in Forbes Magazine)
Ten Things That Will Change The Way We Live
There are inventions that people can all benefit from, and then there are inventions that have truly altered the course of history.
(to continue article click link:)
http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/16/sony-sun-cisco-cx_cd_0217feat_ls.html
"Rumble Into The Next-Generation
Posted: 07/27/06 03:05am
By Author: Hang Lauv
Last month Immersion announced their latest rumble technology to the world. Most of you probably recognize the name from news reports in regards to their lawsuit against Sony for patent infringement over their current rumble technology. That didn’t turn out so well for Sony leading up to a decision in Immersion’s favor to the tune of $91 Million. This is also the suspected reason why Sony has decided to drop rumble from their PS3 controller. But while Sony is trying to clean up their past in appeals, Immersion has moved forward to the future.
The Game Feed recently paid Immersion a visit to their San Jose office to feel for ourselves if their new TouchSense technology can do what their announcement said it can do. What got gamers drooling was Immersion’s claim that TouchSense would allow you to fell the “accelerating surge of powering up a light saber, followed by the transition to a subtle hum, then the jolt of clashing with their opponent’s light saber.”
Most of you, as I did, didn’t think there was a next-generation rumble. You’re probably asking yourself, “How can rumble be any better?” Fortunately for us, Immersion has shown us how. They have convinced us next-generation rumble is real and ready today.
Our visit began not with TouchSense but with no sense. Before you can look toward the future, sometimes it’s necessary to remember the past. In this case, two console generations ago when rumble didn’t even exist. For most gamers today, you know, 18-34 year old males, playing games without rumble was a distant memory. For young’ens, you probably never even touched a controller without rumble, just like you’ve never touched a VHS tape.
Sony doesn’t think we’ll miss rumble by removing it from the PS3 controller. Immersion let us make that decision for ourselves with Gran Turismo 4 for the PS2. Using a modified PS2 controller with a bypass switch for the controller’s rumble motors, Immersion was able to turn on and off the rumble feature during gameplay. I realized something very important the moment I rallied a turn without a shaking controller. I’ve been taking rumble for granted. Sure it’s not why we play games, but it enhances the games for a more realistic feel drawing us into the game.
Those gamers saying they won’t miss rumble when the PS3 comes out might be surprised after all. Playing Resistance: Fall of Man will be a shock the first time you fire that machine gun. Sure, you may get use to the fact the controller doesn’t shake, but do you really want to? You just may realize like I did, it isn’t the same without it.
But it’s time to get to the real reason why we came to Immersion, to feel their new TouchSense technology. Rumble the way we know it today uses two motors that spin in a single direction to create the vibration we’ve all grown accustomed to. TouchSense changes that configuration to a single motor rotating and oscillating in either direction. What does this mean? It means stronger vibrations, faster starting and stopping, more distinct pulsing and a wider range of vibrations.
Our first chance at feeling it in action was with Medal of Honor. Immersion was able to modify the game’s code for the Normandy Beach invasion to take full advantage of their technology. With all the explosions and barrages of gunfire surrounding you while you make your way up the beach, it was surprising to feel each and every blast. A big initial surge followed by light sensations for falling debris.
However, what we were really looking forward to was to feel the power of a light saber in our hands. We were able to do just that with Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast on the PC. I’m pleased to say that Immersion’s initial press release is true to its word. Reading this article doesn’t do it justice.
The range of vibrations you feel when you power on a light saber to striking down enemies around you are varied yet distinct. The vibration of the controller increasingly grows as the light saber surges on screen only to subside to a gentle hum. Each swing and strike of your blade rumbles in your hands as well.
The range in Immersion’s TouchSense technology becomes even more noticeable when we went through all the available weapons in the title. Imagine being able to feel the burst of each bullet in a rapidly firing machine gun or the growing hum and recoil of pulse weapon. If you saw it on-screen, you felt it in your hands. Only TouchSense can make this possible.
To ease the transition to next-generation rumble, Immersion has also created an easy to use graphical SDK (Software Development Kit) for developers. The SDK allows your favorite programmer to hold the rumbling controller in one hand while adjusting everything from frequency, to strength and acceleration with the click of a mouse in the other. Your favorite programmers can also easily sink these uniquely developed vibrations with audio files and animations so your gameplay won’t loose a beat.
The realism and impressiveness created by Immersion’s new TouchSense technology is unlike anything you’ll ever feel. In fact, you have probably never even imagined how precise and advanced rumble can be. The only problem with Immersion’s next-generation rumble technology is neither Microsoft, Nintendo, nor Sony have signed with them to license the technology. It could be awhile before you get to feel this on the market. Whoever does decide to lead new era or rumbling first will certainly leave a long lasting impression in gamers’ hands.
For more on Immersion’s next-generation TouchSense rumble technology, stay tuned for our interview with Immersion President and CEO, Victor Viegas."
SK Telecom Launches Multimedia Phone Service with Immersion's VibeTonz(R) System and New Samsung SCH-B450 Mobile Phone
Tuesday July 25, 8:33 am ET
Leading Wireless Operator in Korea Continues to Innovate with Vibration-Enhanced Music
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 25, 2006--Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR - News), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced that Korea's leading mobile phone operator, SK Telecom, has launched a new multimedia phone personalization service based on Immersion's VibeTonz® System. Offered to its 20 million subscribers, SK Telecom will use the VibeBell service to provide music and video clips synchronized with VibeTonz dynamic, high-fidelity vibrations.
"LiveBell, a site for downloadable content, is one of our most popular services because our customers really appreciate being able to personalize their phones with audio and video ringers and wallpapers that make a statement about who they are," said Sang Kyung Jo, manager of the product development team at SK Telecom. "But our new VibeBell media with VibeTonz touch effects is going to make these phone customizations even more exciting and personal."
SK Telecom's first handset with support for VibeBell touch-enabled media, the newly released Samsung SCH-B450 with Immersion's VibeTonz System, is an advanced multimedia phone. Using it, subscribers can browse a catalog of over 1,000 VibeBell titles including Korean and Western music clips that can be used as custom ringtones.
VibeBell media files are produced for SK Telecom by MobileSound.com (Seoul, Korea), one of the world's top suppliers of ringtones and mobile music technologies. "SK Telecom is a leader in adopting key multimedia technology standards like MPEG-4 for delivering high-quality music and video to mobile device users," said Joe Young-Hoon, CEO of MobileSound.com. "Now with the tools in Immersion's VibeTonz SDK, it's quick and easy for us to enrich our MPEG-4 media with compelling vibration tracks. The results have to be felt to be believed."
Beyond its support for touch-enhanced multimedia, the SCH-B450 lets users download and play VibeTonz-enabled WIPI 2.0 games from SK Telecom's GXG service. SK Telecom introduced the first VibeTonz-enabled games in October 2005 and now over 20 games from publishers like Blue Mobile, Gamevil, and Mcres use VibeTonz touch effects to make gameplay more fun and realistic. Flying an F-18 fighter jet in Sinjisoft's ID4 -- Independence Day, an SCH-B450 user can feel the powerful forces of missiles launching and exploding, for example.
"Korea is one of the most advanced wireless marketplaces in the world, and SK Telecom, its number one operator, continues to embrace VibeTonz technology and use it to create innovative new services," said Victor Viegas, Immersion CEO. "The VibeTonz System has been a natural and exciting enhancement in SK Telecom's mobile gaming platform, and we're very pleased that it's now being used to differentiate mobile multimedia applications and bring a new level of sophistication and fun to this service."
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Using Immersion's advanced touch feedback technology, electronic user interfaces can be made more productive, compelling, entertaining, or safer. Immersion's technology is deployed across automotive, entertainment, industrial controls, medical training, mobility, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 600 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the breadth of and timeline to implement force feedback technology into handset models or into games or other content, release of VibeTonz-enabled handsets, release of content by service providers, or any change in revenue that may occur from such implementation; any statements regarding consumer response that may occur as a result of having touch feedback in handsets or content, or consumer and market acceptance of force feedback products in general; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with Immersion's business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for Immersion's products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause Immersion's actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in Immersion's most current Form 10-Q, which are on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect Immersion's beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. Immersion disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.
Immersion, the Immersion Logo, and VibeTonz are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
A&R Partners
Becki Fowler, 650-762-2865
bfowler@arpartners.com
Source: Immersion Corporation
LG Electronics Licenses Immersion's VibeTonz(R) Technology
Tuesday July 25, 8:30 am ET
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 25, 2006--Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR - News), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced that LG Electronics (KSE:06657) has obtained a worldwide license for Immersion VibeTonz® technology. Under the license, LG Electronics may integrate Immersion's VibeTonz Mobile Player into its mobile phone handsets to enable the playback of sophisticated vibro-tactile effects and use the VibeTonz SDK suite of tools and APIs to develop touch-enabled applications and media.
LG is the world's top manufacturer of CDMA mobile handsets and fourth in the number of handsets sold worldwide. (IDC, Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Q1 2006, June 2006)
"Our goal is to rank among the top three electronics and telecommunication firms in the world by 2010 by pursuing two strategies, 'fast innovation' and 'fast growth,'" an executive at LG Electronics said. "We believe the VibeTonz system can help us move toward our goal by providing a rich platform for enabling the sense of touch in our mobile device line."
VibeTonz vibro-tactile sensations, in combination with sight and sound cues on mobile handsets, make content more realistic and fun and operation more intuitive. The VibeTonz system can improve the mobile device user experience in a number of ways, including:
* Synchronized vibrations in music and ringtones that underscore the beat or melody
* Vibration-enabled ringtones for caller identification that provide information on who's calling even in noisy environments or when sound is turned off
* Touch feedback effects for mobile games similar to those found in console games
* Vibro-tactile alerts for call dropped, key press, messages, and ringing and busy signals to make phone operation easier and more intuitive
* Unmistakable tactile confirmations in response to touchscreen presses
"With two of the top five mobile handset manufacturers now licensees, VibeTonz technology can be more widely deployed by various operators serving different geographies and market segments," said Vic Viegas, Immersion CEO. "The VibeTonz system has really become an enabling platform for cost-effectively improving the mobile-device user experience. For example, VibeTonz technology can be used to supply tactile confirmations for PDA and smartphone touchscreens, energize mobile gaming, enhance usability, and support additional applications still to come."
VibeTonz technology has been deployed in a number of phone models offered by operators in countries throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States, including Orange, SK Telecom, Sprint-Nextel, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. Over 20 mobile content publishers are using the system to add realism and fun to mobile games and to enliven music and ringtones.
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Using Immersion's advanced touch feedback technology, electronic user interfaces can be made more productive, compelling, entertaining, or safer. Immersion's technology is deployed across automotive, entertainment, medical training, mobility, personal computing, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 600 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.
About LG Electronics, Inc. (www.lgusa.com)
LG Electronics, Inc., (KSE:06657) is a leader in consumer electronics and mobile communications. The company has more than 72,000 employees working in 77 subsidiaries and marketing units around the world. LG Electronics is the world's largest producer of CDMA handsets, optical storage devices, residential air conditioners and home theater system. With total revenue of more than USD 35 billion (consolidated USD 45 billion), LG Electronics is comprised of four business units: Mobile Communications, Digital Appliance, Digital Display and Digital Media.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, return on investment or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning adoption and market acceptance of touch-enabled mobile phones or consumer and market acceptance of force feedback products in general, future development of force feedback products; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with Immersion's business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for Immersion's products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause Immersion's actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in Immersion's most current Form 10-Q, which are on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect Immersion's beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. Immersion disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.
Immersion, the Immersion logo, and VibeTonz are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
A&R Partners
Becki Fowler, 650-762-2865
bfowler@arpartners.com
Source: Immersion Corporation
Immersion TouchSense(R) Components Available for Adding Tactile Feedback to the Touchscreen Interface
Monday July 24, 8:30 am ET
Make Onscreen Buttons Feel Real for a More Familiar, Engaging, Satisfying User Experience
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 24, 2006--Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR - News), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, is now shipping its TouchSense® System consisting of actuators, control boards, and software development kit (SDK). The TouchSense System supplies tactile feedback for a touchscreen user interface, making on-screen buttons feel like they press and release. With the TouchSense System, traditionally passive touch interfaces "come alive" to provide a greater connection with the user. Benefits can include increased efficiency, understanding, and user satisfaction for a broad range of consumer, commercial, industrial, and medical applications.
Source: Immersion Corporation
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"It is important that device manufacturers offer the maximum possible amount of sensory feedback for their input devices, as users often can't confirm their input selection and become frustrated," says Jack Gold, President of J. Gold Associates. "In many cases existing touch displays offer only audio feedback which is useless in the often noisy environments in which touchscreens are used. Tactile feedback will add a substantially improved user experience with more surety of confirming each touch point selection regardless of the surrounding environment."
Benefits for Users and Businesses
The TouchSense System can help make touchscreens a more acceptable choice where the lack of tactile feedback has been a barrier to their adoption. In these cases, TouchSense feedback can be used to create the desired mechanical feel while bringing the flexibility of configurable software interfaces.
Synchronizing touch feedback with sound and graphics can supply a fresh new dimension to current touchscreen systems. The heightened interactivity gives users a greater sense of control and emulates the tactile qualities they like about mechanical controls, but that have been missing in purely digital systems. Further, the latency problem, where users are left wondering if their selection was accepted by the system, can be solved with fast, affirming tactile responses.
"Our ready-to-integrate TouchSense System delivers user benefits that can translate into business benefits," states Michael D. Levin, Immersion vice president and general manager, Touch Interface Products. "These include unmistakable confirmation that can lead to faster and more accurate transactions, improved interactivity that can create a more engaging and friendlier user experience, and powerful differentiation that reflects a quality brand. TouchSense tactile feedback may also improve user accuracy and speed and increase confidence in performing tasks, especially in distracting environments, such as vehicles and manufacturing and medical environments."
Immersion first implemented its TouchSense force feedback technology in 1996 in gaming system peripherals from Logitech and others. It has since been incorporated into numerous computer and video console systems, including the Microsoft Sidewinder products and Xbox System; medical training systems used by hospitals and medical schools worldwide; interior controls in cars from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen; and in mobile phones from Samsung. TouchSense technology for touchscreens is Immersion's latest innovation.
How TouchSense Feedback Works
When the user touches the screen, a signal is sent to the touchscreen controller, which sends the precise location where contact was made to the host application. The application commands the TouchSense control board to play a pre-defined tactile effect through the actuators. TouchSense effects vary in frequency, magnitude, duration, and waveshape, resulting in a wide range of clearly distinguishable and intuitive cues that can guide users, including those with visual or hearing disabilities.
System Components
Patented, proprietary TouchSense components can be used with most touchscreen sensing technologies. The components are RoHS-compliant and include:
# Actuators
TouchSense A100 and A300 actuators for 5- to 23-inch touchscreens are designed to provide high acceleration with very small displacements. Immersion's Integration Guide outlines several mounting configurations to accommodate a range of touchscreen packaging requirements.
# Control boards
TouchSense serial or USB control boards contain a highly integrated microprocessor and power amplifier. The controllers' proprietary algorithms drive the actuators to produce a wide variety of touch effects stored in a preloaded library. Custom effects may also be downloaded. An optional USB-hub supplies a convenient way to connect up to three additional components, such as the touchscreen controller, card scanner, or other devices.
# Software Development Kit
The TouchSense SDK enables integrators to program tactile effects into touchscreen applications. Immersion provides options to help make programming fast and easy including a Windows ActiveX control, a cross-platform API in source code form, and support for custom interfaces. The SDK allows designers to focus on choosing the best tactile effect for the application rather than on the mechanics of programming.
Immersion offers an integration kit, including TouchSense components and detailed guidelines, to support efficient integration into production-ready designs. A touch monitor demonstration unit with sample applications allows out-of-the-box evaluations of the TouchSense System.
For more information, visit www.immersion.com/touchscreen or contact Immersion at touchscreen@immersion.com.
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Using Immersion's advanced touch feedback technology, electronic user interfaces can be made more productive, compelling, entertaining, or safer. Immersion's technology is deployed across automotive, entertainment, industrial controls, medical training, mobility, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 600 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation (the "Company") and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the benefits of TouchSense technology for consumers, operators, manufacturers, and suppliers of touchscreens, or consumer and market acceptance of tactile feedback products in general; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with Immersion's business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for Immersion's products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in the Company's most current Form 10-Q, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the Company's beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.
Immersion, the Immersion logo, and TouchSense are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5190768
Contact:
A&R Partners
Becki Fowler, 650-762-2865
bfowler@arpartners.com
Source: Immersion Corporation
Immersion's VibeTonz(R) System Supplies Tactile Cues for Mobile Phone and PDA Touchscreens
Tuesday June 27, 8:30 am ET
Solves the Problem of a Lack of Tactile Feedback for Touchscreen User Interfaces
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 27, 2006--Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR - News), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, has expanded its VibeTonz® tactile feedback system to now provide an inexpensive and robust way of improving the usability of mobile-device touchscreens. This new VibeTonz application can provide an unmistakable tactile confirmation to the user that their finger or stylus press on the device touchscreen was accepted as input. The VibeTonz System is currently used in a number of mobile phones worldwide for supplying tactile cues in ringers, alerts, games, and other usability features.
"Immersion's VibeTonz system is the most exciting opportunity to improve the usability of touchscreens that I have ever experienced," said Scott Weiss, author of Handheld Usability and president of Usable Products, an ease-of-use agency focused on usability research and design of handheld products. "It has to be felt to be believed."
According to a Gartner Dataquest forecast, smartphones that depend on larger screens to integrate the functionality of a mobile phone and a personal digital assistant comprise the fastest-growing portion of the mobile terminal market, with sales expected to double year-over-year in 2006, reaching 200 million by 2008. (Forecast: Mobile Terminals, Worldwide, 2005-2009, 4Q05 Update, 12 January 2006).
"Touch screen technology in phones is primarily aimed at high-end smart phones and PDAs at present. Touch screen cost reductions and the emergence of applications designed for touch screens will be critical for market growth. Also, the integration of any technology that enhances the user experience and improves ease of use will be important for market adoption," said Stuart Robinson, director of the Handset Component Technologies service at global research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics. "We believe that market conditions are almost ripe for an explosion in touch screen phones and that by 2012 as many as 40% of mobile phones could be using some form of touch sensitive technology."
Touchscreens offer significant benefits to designers and users as mobile devices become a primary messaging, calendaring, and multimedia terminal. With screens needing to be larger to accommodate richer data and more complex applications, there is less device real estate available for dedicated mechanical keys. Touchscreens can provide virtual keypads adaptable to different operating modes through software control. For example, they can display a standard numeric keypad for voice dialing, then switch to a menu system optimized for e-mail. Directly touching an onscreen object to operate a device or manipulate data comes very naturally to users.
Traditional, passive touchscreen implementations, however, have been associated with higher input-error rates than mechanical key systems. Immersion's VibeTonz system heightens interactivity, letting touchscreens respond more like mechanical keys, which are known to support more efficient user navigation, typing speed, and accuracy because of their tactile qualities. With the VibeTonz System, at relatively low cost, PDA and smartphone makers may be able to achieve the large usability gains of providing tactile responses for touchscreen presses. Immersion's solution uses lightweight VibeTonz control software and commonly used touchscreens and mobile-handset vibration actuators.
"The use of touchscreens in mobile devices is increasing as devices get smarter and need to convey more information, while at the same time still fitting into your pocket," states Avi Greengart, principal analyst, mobile devices, at Current Analysis, a competitive intelligence and analysis company. "To manage that paradox, we are seeing more 'all-screen, no keypad' devices where a virtual keypad is used. The problem is that people are not virtual -- they need the physical feedback of real buttons. Applying tactile feedback technology to a touchscreen is an elegant step towards providing a solution to this problem."
The field-proven VibeTonz System, comprised of VibeTonz Mobile Player and VibeTonz SDK, delivers a broad range of touch feedback effects to make phone use more intuitive and engaging. Designed to be embedded in any mobile device, VibeTonz Mobile Player exerts precise, high-speed control over the device's vibration actuator to produce tactile effects with unprecedented subtlety and dynamics. VibeTonz SDK provides cross-platform APIs and a suite of authoring tools for making development and customization of touch feedback effects fast and easy. The VibeTonz System has been implemented in mobile phones offered by leading operators worldwide to enhance the user experience in diverse applications:
* VibeTonz synchronized vibrations in ringtones underscore the beat or melody, supplying the feeling that you've turned up the subwoofers.
* VibeTonz-enabled ringtones have also been used for caller identification, where they provide information on who's calling even in noisy environments or when sound is turned off.
* Mobile game play is more fun and exciting with touch feedback similar to that found in console games.
* VibeTonz tactile cues in user interface features, like call dropped, key press, and ringing and busy signals, make phone operation easier.
* VibeTonz cues can also be added to navigation features, helping users find unread or important messages, friends in the address book, and particular menu items quickly.
* Alerts using VibeTonz effects can be made more distinguishable from each other and also more memorable. Users are more likely to remember the reason for the particular alert if it is distinct and discernible -- a subtle tapping, a reverberation like Big Ben's clock tower, or the rhythm of ocean waves, for example.
"All of the capabilities we've described today, and others for enriching music, video, and messaging, can be enabled with a single VibeTonz implementation," said Vic Viegas, Immersion CEO. "Our VibeTonz system can act as an enabling platform for cost-effectively improving the mobile-device user experience in a number of ways."
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Bringing value to markets where man-machine interaction needs to be made more compelling, safer, or productive, Immersion helps its partners broaden market reach by making the use of touch feedback as critical a user experience as sight and sound. Immersion's technology is deployed across automotive, entertainment, medical training, mobility, personal computing, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 600 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the breadth of and timeline to implement force feedback technology into handset models or touchscreens or into games or other content, release of VibeTonz-enabled handsets, release of content by service providers, or any change in revenue that may occur from such implementation; any statements regarding consumer response that may occur as a result of having touch feedback in handsets or content, or consumer and market acceptance of force feedback products in general; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with Immersion's business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for Immersion's products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause the Immersion's actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in the Immersion's most current Form 10-Q, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the Immersion's beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. The Immersion disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.
Immersion, the Immersion logo, and VibeTonz are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
A&R Partners
Erin Freeley, +1-650-762-2863
efreeley@arpartners.com
Source: Immersion Corporation
Immersion Corporation Introduces Next-Generation Vibration Technology for Video Console Gaming Systems
Monday June 19, 8:30 am ET
Greater Realism and Fun to Match High-Definition Graphics and High-Fidelity Sound
Backward Compatibility Without Cost or Power Consumption Increases
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2006--Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR - News), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, introduces its next-generation TouchSense® vibration technology to match the realism expected of next-generation video console gaming systems. The new technology supplies a wider range of vibration effects that come even closer to simulating the physical world than existing console gaming systems. The new TouchSense technology also supplies improved synchronization with audio and onscreen graphic events, backward compatibility for vibration effects in current games, powerful and intuitive authoring tools that allow developers to create a much wider range of effects in less time, and the ability to work alongside motion control and tilt sensing -- all without cost, power consumption, weight, or space increases for most systems.
"Next-generation realistic sound and graphics are very impressive and help extend the illusion of the game," said Vic Viegas, Immersion CEO. "But to more closely emulate the real world and provide an even more immersive experience, you also need to engage the sense of touch. Gamers like vibration feedback in their console games today and have definitely come to expect it. Our new technology supplies a dramatic improvement in the action that gamers feel. We believe it is an innovation the market deserves to have in next-generation consoles."
With the new technology, vibrations can be crisper, shorter in duration, more closely spaced, more in sync with onscreen events, simultaneous, and both stronger and more subtle to supply a new level of realism. Shorter, crisper effects allow the feel of machine gun fire to be more staccato-like and also more closely synchronized with the sounds and appearance of realistic gun fire. New levels of strength and variation allow gamers to feel the accelerating surge of powering up a light saber, followed by the transition to a subtle hum, then the jolt of clashing with their opponent's light saber. A more subtle capability allows the springy sensation of hitting a tennis ball or the fast, crisp connective feel of catching a long pass, supplying a far more immersive experience. Multiple, simultaneous game effects can be separately rendered to increase engagement and excitement. For example, distinctly different vehicle vibrations caused by driving over gravel, rocks, and mud could be felt along with the sharp pop of shifting gears or the force of acceleration or deceleration.
Immersion's next-generation technology is designed to provide all-around better performance without system tradeoffs, as well as dramatic advancements in developer tools:
* The new TouchSense technology is compatible with motion control and tilt sensing that allow players to control certain game actions by moving or tilting a handheld controller. Because the speed at which a user moves the controller is much slower than the frequencies generated by TouchSense technology, the two signals can be differentiated using filtering and other techniques. Immersion also offers engineering services to implement the technology within a particular console system.
* Power consumption will not be greater than existing dual-motor systems, and in many cases will be less. Next-generation vibration tends to include a wider range of effects, from subtle to full strength. So, unlike dual-motor systems, full voltage will likely be used less and may result in reduced power consumption.
* Space and weight will be less for vibration components because the new technology employs only one actuator as opposed to two motors, an advantage when using motion or tilt control.
* Backward compatibility to supply very similar tactile sensations for games designed for present-day dual-motor systems will be possible using Immersion's emulator on the console or inside the peripheral, providing a transparent process requiring no action by the user.
* The technology can work in a wireless controller and employs a compact communications protocol that speeds the transmission of control functions to better synchronize tactile effects with onscreen action.
* Depending on the quality of the dual-motor system under comparison, the new vibration system can cost less because elimination of the cost of one motor in a great many cases will offset a slightly more complex single actuator.
* To take advantage of the new capabilities, Immersion supplies effect creation and programming tools, Immersion Studio® for Gaming SDK, that let developers quickly mock up and edit a graphical representation of the effect, preview the effect on the controller, and store it as a file. Immersion's software in the console interprets the file and controls the actuator to faithfully play it.
"Programming vibration effects with existing console toolsets is akin to the punch-card era of computing," explains Christophe Ramstein, Immersion senior vice president, research and engineering. "Immersion Studio allows developers to deal in objects and inter-relationships like any modern programming language, freeing them from tedious low-level mechanics and letting them concentrate on integrating the vibration effects with graphics and sound. They can finally focus on the art of creating even more compelling vibrations."
Console and peripheral manufacturers and developers all will be involved in bringing next-generation vibration technology to market. Available now, next-generation vibration technology is comprised of three main components: (1) Immersion's sophisticated control algorithms, APIs, and drivers designed for the gaming console, (2) easy-to-use, high-level developer tools for creating rich and realistic tactile effects for console games, and (3) innovative actuator designs for enabling next-generation vibrations in gaming peripherals.
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Bringing value to markets where man-machine interaction needs to be made more compelling, safer, or productive, Immersion helps its partners broaden market reach by making the use of touch feedback as critical a user experience as sight and sound. Immersion's technology is deployed across automotive, entertainment, medical training, mobility, personal computing, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 600 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the breadth and timeline to implement next-generation vibration technology into gaming consoles, peripherals, or games, release of gaming consoles, peripherals, or games supporting next-generation vibration technology, or any change in revenue that may occur from such implementation, or consumer and market acceptance of next-generation vibration technology in particular, and force feedback products in general; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with Immersion's business which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for Immersion's products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause Immersion's actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in Immersion's most current Form 10-Q, which are on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect Immersion's beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. Immersion disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.
Immersion, the Immersion logo, Immersion Studio, and TouchSense are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the United States and other countries.
Contact:
A&R Partners
Erin Freeley, 650-762-2863
efreeley@arpartners.com
Source: Immersion Corporation
Immersion Announces Court-Ordered Payment from Sony
Tuesday February 15, 6:46 pm ET
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 15, 2005--Immersion Corporation, (Nasdaq:IMMR - News), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced the receipt of a court-ordered payment from Sony for the period of July 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.
On September 21, 2004, the jury returned a verdict favorable to Immersion in our patent infringement suit against Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. and Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Inc. (Sony) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District Court of California. The jury awarded Immersion damages in the amount of $82 million based on sales of infringing products through June 30, 2004.
On January 10, 2005, the Court issued a ruling imposing a compulsory license on the sales of infringing products from July 1, 2004 until judgment is entered, in lieu of entering an injunction at that time. The order directed Sony to provide sales data and pay license fees directly to Immersion 10 days after the close of each quarter. Sony filed motions requesting reconsideration of the 10-day deadlines and the payment of fees directly to Immersion.
On February 9, 2005, the Court ruled that Sony must provide sales data to Immersion 15 days after the end of each quarter and pay compulsory license fees directly to Immersion within 45 days after the end of each quarter. Sony has made a payment to Immersion pursuant to the Court's January 10 and February 9, 2005 orders; however, Sony has filed a Notice of Appeal of these rulings to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Bringing value to markets where man-machine interaction needs to be made more compelling, safer, or productive, Immersion helps its partners broaden market reach by making the use of touch feedback as critical a user experience as sight and sound. Immersion's technology is deployed across personal computing, entertainment, medical training, automotive, mobility, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion and its wholly-owned subsidiaries hold more than 270 issued patents worldwide.
Forward-Looking Statements
Immersion's Haptic Workstation Installed at Leading ResearchInstitutions
SAN JOSE, Calif., May 4, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced the installation of its Haptic Workstation product at both Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Ecole de Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland. The first product of its kind, the Haptic Workstation is a three-dimensional simulation platform that includes right- and left-hand haptic feedback systems, immersive 3D viewing, and CAD model manipulation and interaction software.
"The Haptic Workstation has been purchased by EPFL and Sandia for the study of virtual environments," says Greg Belaus, Senior Director for Immersion's 3D and Professional Products Group. "We expect more government and corporate institutions will acquire it for sophisticated 3D research and prototyping. The Haptic Workstation will become an invaluable aide in various applications including medical training, manufacturing feasibility, product design, and body mechanics and rehabilitation."
Haptic Workstation supplies an immersive interactive experience involving sight, sound, and touch. The resulting realism helps designers evaluate ergonomics, ease of assembly, maintainability, and training methodologies. By providing real-time two-handed evaluation of CAD models, designers can rapidly iterate through virtual prototypes before building a reduced number of physical prototypes. For example, users can literally hang their hand on a virtual dashboard or steering wheel, with pressure being applied to each finger corresponding to the pressure necessary to hold their hand in place. Or they can reach into an engine and experience the effort needed to change an oil filter. Candidate designs can be evaluated and refined digitally thereby saving time and money.
Immersion SA (Bourdeaux, France), an independent reseller, completed the Haptic Workstation sale to EPFL. Founded in 1994, Immersion SA specializes in the import and distribution of human interface products and customized solutions for visual simulation and virtual reality applications.
About Immersion 3D and Professional Products Group
Immersion is a leading developer of 3D and force feedback products and technologies. Immersion's comprehensive family of hand-centric hardware solutions include Immersion's CyberForce(R), CyberTouch(TM), CyberGrasp(R), and CyberGlove(R) products that help reduce prototyping costs by allowing users to "reach in" and physically interact with digital 3D content. Immersion's cost-effective MicroScribe(R) digitizer allows users to quickly construct detailed computer models by tracing over an object's surface.
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Bringing value to markets where man-machine interaction needs to be made more compelling, safer, or productive, Immersion helps its partners broaden market reach by making the use of touch feedback as critical a user experience as sight and sound. Immersion's technology is deployed across personal computing, entertainment, medical training, automotive and 3D simulation markets. Immersion and its wholly-owned subsidiaries hold more than 230 issued patents worldwide.
Immersion Adds 23 Patents to Intellectual Property Portfolio in FirstQuarter; Expertise in Haptic-Based Controls, Simulation and Training, and 3DDesign and Interaction
SAN JOSE, Calif., Apr 28, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced that it has added 23 U.S. and international patents to its intellectual patent portfolio in its first quarter ending March 2004. The company now has more than 230 issued patents worldwide with more than an additional 250 patents pending.
Included in the new patents is U.S. Patent No. 6,707,443, "Haptic Trackball Device." This patent discloses, among other things, a haptic trackball device capable of, for example, providing haptic sensations to a person using a computer system.
Also included is U.S. Patent No. 6,697,086, "Designing Force Sensations for Force Feedback Computer Applications." This patent discloses, among other things, a design interface tool for designing force sensations for a force feedback device.
"Our revenue comes from a mix of royalties and license fees, product sales, and development contracts," explains Immersion CEO Vic Viegas. "We vary our business model in order to best address the customer need. That means that we sell hardware and software products to some customers; components to others; and in certain situations, we license our technology along with development tools. We're able to solve problems for our medical, automotive, mobile device, entertainment, industrial, and military customers because of the depth of our technology expertise and our ability to invent new solutions."
The complete list of Immersion patents awarded in the first quarter of this year:
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,697,048 - Computer Interface Apparatus
Including Linkage Having Flex
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,705,871 - Method and Apparatus for Providing
an Interface Mechanism for a Computer Simulation
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,697,086 - Designing Force Sensations for
Force Feedback Computer Applications
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,704,683 - Direct Velocity Estimation for
Encoders Using Nonlinear Period Measurement
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,704,002 - Position Sensing Methods for
Interface Devices
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,697,044 - Haptic Feedback Device with Button
Forces
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,686,911 - Control Knob with Control Modes
and Force Feedback
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,704,001 - Force Feedback Device Including
Actuator with Moving Magnet
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,715,045 - Memory and Force Output Management
for a Force Feedback System
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,693,622 - Vibrotactile Haptic Feedback
Devices
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,680,729 - Increasing Force Transmissability
for Tactile Feedback Interface Devices
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,697,043 - Haptic Interface Device and
Actuator Assembly Providing Linear Haptic Sensations
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,707,443 - Haptic Trackball Device
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,693,626 - Haptic Feedback Using a Keyboard
Device
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,686,901 - Enhancing Inertial Tactile
Feedback In Computer Interface Devices Having Increased Mass
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,683,437 - Current Controlled Motor Amplifier
System
-- U.S. Patent No. 6,703,550 - Sound Data Output and Manipulation
Using Haptic Feedback
-- Patent No. 0 803 114 (Europe) - Apparatus for Providing
Mechanical Input/Output for Computer Systems Interfaced with
Elongated Flexible Objects
-- Patent No. 0 804 786 (Europe) - Method and Apparatus for
Providing High Bandwidth, Low Noise Mechanical Input/Output
for Computer Systems
-- Patent No. 0 870 296 (Europe) - Apparatus for Providing Low
Cost Force Feedback and Mechanical Input/Output for Computer
Systems
-- Patent No. 770385 (Australia) - Implementation Force Feedback
Over the World Wide Web and Other Computer Networks
-- Patent No. GB2353116 (United Kingdom) - Memory and Force
Output Management For a Force Feedback System
-- Patent No. GB2387218 (United Kingdom) - Force Feedback
Joystick Device Including Single-Phase, Fixed-Coil Actuator
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing and marketing digital touch technology and products. Bringing value to markets where man-machine interaction needs to be made more compelling, safer or productive, Immersion helps its partners broaden market reach by making the use of touch feedback as critical a user experience as sight and sound. Immersion's technology is deployed across personal computing, entertainment, medical training, automotive, and 3D simulation markets. Immersion and its wholly-owned subsidiaries hold more than 230 issued patents worldwide.
Immersion Corporation vs. Sony Computer Entertainment Scheduling Update
SAN JOSE, Calif., Apr 16, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Immersion Corporation (Nasdaq:IMMR), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced that on April 13, 2004 the United States District Court, Northern District of California (Oakland Division) held a pre-trial conference in the case between Immersion Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment (Case No. C-02-0710 CW (WDB)). Judge Wilken indicated that due to a conflict with another case on the court's docket the trial would not commence on April 19, 2004 as previously scheduled. Judge Wilken tentatively rescheduled the trial date to May 24, 2004 with a tentative backup date of August 16, 2004. Both dates are subject to the court's calendar.
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Bringing value to markets where man-machine interaction needs to be made more compelling, safer, or productive, Immersion helps its partners broaden market reach by making the use of touch feedback as critical a user experience as sight and sound. Immersion's technology is deployed across personal computing, entertainment, medical training, automotive, and 3D simulation markets. Immersion and its wholly-owned subsidiaries hold more than 230 issued patents worldwide.
It’s All in the Touch…
The word haptic refers to the sensation of touch. When we touch something we receive feedback telling us what the thing feels like. For example, if you are drilling a hole, you feel the vibration from the drill in your hands. That feeling or sense of touch is the foundation of haptic technology.
The feedback we receive from simple things — like using a stick shift in a car or sawing a piece of wood — makes us react in certain ways. The primary sensory cortex in the brain is responsible for reacting to tactile sensations. All the feedback from touch sensations is received and processed by this central sensory receptor. Immersion Technologies (IMMR:NASDAQ) has developed, patented and licensed haptic technolo- gy for digital applications. This means they have figured out how to translate visual or aural sensations from, say, a computer monitor or speakers into sensations that you can feel.
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing and marketing haptic technology and products.The applications are endless, and so is the potential for profit. One aspect of their technology is used in a multibillion-dollar industry and the company is just beginning to get paid for it. A Modern-Day David and Goliath Story Video gaming is a US$12 billion dollar industry. The biggest players in the industry are Sony, with its wildly successful Playstation series, Microsoft with its Xbox, Sega and Nintendo. Sony and Microsoft are no doubt the most recognizable names in the video gaming field. Sales of their products continue to climb.
But what few people know about is the battle that s been brewing between these two giants in the industry and Immersion Technologies. It was tough enough for the Biblical character David to defeat Goliath. As you may recall, the story is about David, a diminutive boy who slew the giant warrior Goliath with a stone from his sling. For millennia this story has been used as the archetype of an underdog winning against all odds.
This is the story of Immersion Technologies and its struggles to defeat not just one Goliath, but two! Immersion has long maintained that its haptic technology is both unique and patented. The problem is that Immersion is a tiny company with a market capitalization of less than US$150 million and very little cash to defend its position. Going to court against a giant like Microsoft or Sony is an expensive proposition. Many companies just give up and go out of business long before a judge ever sees the evidence. But Immersion Technologies wasn t going to give up that easily. After all, they had created this technology and were not about to let Microsoft or Sony use it without paying for it.
So Immersion filed a lawsuit against both companies. First it sued Microsoft, the biggest and richest software company in the world. The claim: that Microsoft illegally used Immersions s haptic technology to provide the touch sensations in its Xbox gaming system. These sensations allow the game player to feel things through the game controllers. For example, if you hit a wall in a car race video game, you would have felt nothing in the past. You would just have seen the car hit and a graphic explosion on screen, and heard some noise. But with Immersion s haptic technology, you feel a shudder or strong vibration in the controller immediate sensory feedback that is so unmistakable that Microsoft decided it would add substantially to the realism of its games. But Microsoft decided to ignore Immersion s patents and use their technology without paying for it.
With its meager cash hoard, Immersion took on Microsoft in court. Remember, Microsoft has a market capitalization of US$250 billion and cash on hand of more than US$40 billion. It is the biggest gorilla in the world.For more than a year, Immersion kept pressing Microsoft with the lawsuit. Microsoft basically ignored Immersion, swatting it away as you would an annoying fly. Goliath Falls Then, in mid 2003, just as the case was about to go in front of a judge, Microsoft raised a white flag and settled the dispute with Immersion. As part of the settlement, Microsoft agreed to license Immersion s technology, pay the company more than US$20 million in cash and take a 10% stake in the company. Not bad for a small fry with nothing more than a few patented technologies and very little cash. Here s a little
briefing from Immersion about their settlement with Microsoft: During the quarter ended September 30, 2003, we entered into agreements with Microsoft providing
for certain license rights under our patents, the settling of our lawsuit against Microsoft and providing for
certain investments by Microsoft in our new Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock; as a
result, our cash position increased by $26.0 million. Pursuant to the license agreement, we granted
Microsoft a worldwide royalty-free, irrevocable license in exchange for $20.0 million. Under the terms of
the Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock purchase agreement, Microsoft purchased
2,185,792 shares of Preferred Stock for $2.745, an aggregate purchase price of $6.0 million. The
Preferred Stock accrues cumulative dividends at a rate of 7% per year, payable in cash or additional
shares of Preferred Stock and can be redeemed at the request of Microsoft for twice the original purchase
price plus any dividends in the form of additional shares that remain unpaid and any accrued but unpaid
cash dividends per share on or after July 25, 2006. In addition, and at our discretion, we may require
Microsoft to buy up to $9.0 million of our 7% Senior Redeemable Convertible Debentures, $3.0 million
in the first year plus $2.0 million per annum for the next three years. No debentures have been purchased
to date. (Immersion September 2003, 10Q)
This news was enough to spike the company s shares more than 100% overnight, to US$4 per share, about US$3.70 below its current price. Even at the current US$7.70 price, the shares are more than 80% below their all-time high and in our opinion very cheap. Microsoft Settles With the Microsoft settlement, Immersion has proved that its tech-
nology is real, effective and worth money. But there s another giant out there that is still illegally using
Immersions technology: Sony Corporation. This is a brief snippet from a lawsuit filed by Immersion Technologies: Immersion Corporation vs. Microsoft Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. and Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Inc. On February 11, 2002, we filed a complaint against Microsoft Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., and Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District Court of California
alleging infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,889,672 and 6,275,213. The case was assigned to United States
District Judge Claudia Wilken. On April 4, 2002, Sony Computer Entertainment and Microsoft answered the complaint by denying the material allegations and alleging counterclaims seeking a judicial declaration that the asserted patents were invalid, unenforceable, or not infringed. Under the counter-claims, the defendants are also seeking damages for attorneys fees. The process of discovery and exchanging information and documents on infringement, invalidity, and damages, is ongoing. On October 8, 2002, we filed an amended complaint, withdrawing the claim under the 672 patent and adding claims
under a new patent, U.S. Patent No. 6,424,333.
On October 10, 2002, the Court entered an Amended Case Management Order that set, among other dates in the case, April 25, 2003 for a hearing to construe the claims of the asserted patents and April 5, 2004 for the start of trial. On October 28, 2002, Sony Computer Entertainment and Microsoft answered the amended complaint and alleged similar counterclaims for declaratory relief that the asserted patents are invalid, unenforceable, or not infringed.
On March 21, 2003, Sony Computer Entertainment filed a
motion for summary judgment of non-infringement. At Immersion s request, the Court ordered this motion stricken, without prejudice to its being re-filed at a later date after the Court rules on claim construction. On April 25, 2003, the Court held the scheduled claim construction hearing. On July 9, 2003, the Court issued an Order Modifying Case Management Order that reset certain scheduled dates in the case, including setting April 12, 2004 as the start of trial. On October 2, 2003, the Court issued its Claim Construction Order construing certain terms of the patents asserted in the lawsuit.
In April 2004, Immersion s fortunes could change forever. That s when the company goes to court against Sony. Sony is the manufacturer of Playstation, the world s bestselling video game console. Just like Microsoft, Sony is a very large and wealthy company. Just like Microsoft, Immersion is claiming that Sony is using its patented haptic technology without payment.
Sony has been ignoring Immersion, just like Microsoft did for many months. After all, if Immersion failed muster the financial muscle to hold on until the case finally gets to court, then Sony would get off free and clear. And, of course, even if it did get to court Immersion might lose anyway. As far as Sony was concerned, this looked like the right plan that is, until the Microsoft settlement. One Down… One to Go What Sony did not count on was that Microsoft would settle the case. Keep in mind that Microsoft set- tled for about US$30 million in cash and investments. Microsoft attorneys, the best money can buy, obviously saw that they stood a good chance of losing in court, at which point they might have faced punitive
damages much higher than US$30 million.
Microsoft would not have settled unless they knew that that were using Immersion s technology witout proper compensation, and that it could be proved. Sony is in a worse situation than Microsoft. Here s why.
Sony has sold tens of millions of Playstations worldwide. They have outsold the Xbox by at least a factor of ten. That s because Xbox was released long after the Playstation line. Sony now has to face a company that has two things it did not have prior to the Microsoft settlement:
1. Immersion now has cash to fight Sony and it has Microsoft in its corner. But it also has something a lot scarier
2. It has precedent. If Microsoft saw that settlement was a win because it would have lost in court, then it is obvious that Sony s legal team is sweating bullets. If Microsoft settled for an amount that it most likely based on usage, then Sony s liability could be up to 10 times the Microsoft settlement. Of course, if Sony goes to court and wins it could be nothing at all — that is the risk Immersion takes.
We think that Sony will settle out of court before April 2004 or it risks a massive punitive judgment. If it does settle, or lose the court battle, and if the settlement or judgment is commensurate with the one Immersion reached with Microsoft, Immersion s shares could double or triple overnight. Consider that the company is currently trading at US$7.70 with US$20 million in sales projected for 2004. If the company wins a settlement in excess of the one with Microsoft, which is entirely possible, then it could be sitting on a huge pile of cash by the end of 2004. Of course, Sony could just buy Immersion and get it over with. But we think Microsoft would have a problem with that!
A Real Company with a Real Business
It is easy to get caught up in the Microsoft/Sony situation. But there is a lot more to Immersion than
that. The company is beginning to make waves in all sorts of places. For example, the new BMW 7 series has a driver control system called iDrive that allows drivers to control several car accessories by touch.
Immersion s haptic technology is used to provide the driver with touch feedback. This allows the driver to concentrate on the road while the accessory provides him with tactile as opposed to visual or audio feedback. The company s medical division, Immersion Medical, just introduced its AccuTouch Hysteroscopy Simulator, which allows physicians to perform virtual training operations with feedback. According to the company, the high-fidelity hardware and software enable a physician to sense changes in texture, resistance and density life-like cues that improve control, performance and results.
In October 2003, the company received two US Army and NIH research contracts to develop other training simulators to provide physicians with touch feedback. The company signed on a new gaming licensee from China in August. ShenZhen Futime is currently shipping its first Immersion-licensed product, a multi-platform force feedback wheel for Playstation2,GameCube, and Xbox. And Padix Co. Ltd is making a family of force feedback game pads, joysticks and racing wheels for PC gaming. And on January 7, 2004, Immersion announced a multi-year, worldwide license agreement with Samsung Electronics Co., a global leader in telecommunications, semiconductor, flat-panel display and digital convergence technology. This news alone caused Immersion s shares to jump more than 25%. The agreement grants Samsung rights to Immersion s TouchSense technology and haptic authoring tools to develop applications for mobile phones. Under the license, Samsung will use Immersion s patented TouchSense technology in its mobile phones to deliver a variety of new capabilities for messaging, games and alerts that create a more compelling product.
Immersions unique development and authoring tools could enable Samsung to create and enhance applications for a new class of products. Here s a line from their press release Immersion is delighted to have Samsung as our first cell phone licensee. Most cell phones vibrate today with single force and speed — like pagers. High fidelity haptics brings a wide range of frequencies, dynamics and crispness never before possible. Users can experience a new channel of information flow with touch, making the phones easier to use, more fun, and more personal through applications like alerts, caller ID, messaging and gaming. This deal is very positive for Immersion s fight against Sony, because the increased value associated with the company s technology puts even more pressure on Sony to settle.
Plus, you have another major company recognizing that haptic technology belongs to Immersion Technologies. Time Is Running Out… Its not the manufacturers and licensees that are going to be the future drivers of Immersion s sales and profits, it is the consumer. As technology becomes more widespread and exciting, consumers will demand more realistic features.
The next frontier for technology is touch feedback. It is just making its way onto the radar screen for many users and investors. With the win against Microsoft and the new licensing agreements, Immersion has proven that its technology and patents are at the forefront of this new frontier. In the spring of 2004 we ll get an idea of just how valuable this intellectual and real property is.
Thats when the lawsuit against Sony is supposed to go to court. We are betting that Sony will approach Immersion with a settlement before trial. Considering that Sony s use of the technology dwarfs anyone else s, the outlook for a major settlement is excellent. If the Sony settles or loses at trial, Immersion s shares should soar. A double or triple is not out of the question, depending on the terms of the win or settlement.
Remember, there are only 20 million shares outstanding and institutions and insiders own half of that.
Immersion trades on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange under the symbol IMMR. The company s website is Immersion.com. For more information visit their site or contact Bridget McQeen at Immersion,Inc. Her email address and phone number are bmcqueen@immersion.com, 408-350-8778.
IMMERSION TECHNOLOGIES
Company Website:
http://www.immersion.com
Corporate Profile
Adding the sense of touch to a digital world
Immersion is revolutionizing the way you interact with digital devices. Typically, you use two senses when interacting with technology – sight and hearing. Immersion's TouchSense® technology engages a third sense – touch – to give you a more complete, intuitive experience. Instantly, cell phones become more useful, games become more electrifying, automobile dashboards become more intuitive, and medical simulators become more valuable training tools. These are just a few of the possibilities using Immersion TouchSense technology.
Since our beginning in 1993, Immersion Corporation has obtained more than 210 patents in tactile feedback technology – also known as haptics, the science of touch. And we have more than 220 patent applications pending worldwide. At first, this technology was very expensive and was used mainly in specialized applications. Immersion's leadership in tactile feedback development is bringing haptics out of the research lab and into the mainstream market, enhancing peoples' lives and lifestyles. If you'd like to learn more about the markets that we serve, please visit our solutions section.
Background
Founded in 1993, Immersion became a publicly traded company on November 12, 1999. Today, Immersion is the market leader in the field of haptics-the science of touch. Intellectual property (IP), represented by the company's strong patent portfolio, is the foundation for the business model. Immersion creates tactile feedback technology that its licensing partners, which come from a variety of industries, can integrate into their products to gain market adoption. Our industry partners include Logitech, Electronic Arts, Medtronic, BMW, Siemens VDO, ALPS Electric, Dassault Systemes, and Boeing. Review our timeline below and notice how we have remained focused on enhancing the human-machine interface through the sense of touch.
IMMERSION TIMELINE
1993
Immersion founded
1995
MicroScribe introduced
1996
First licensed PC force feedback (FF) joysticks launch
1997
Immersion and Microsoft develop DirectX FF API
1998
Immersion Medical launches CathSim
1999
PC Gaming: 100 FF titles, 24 licensed FF peripherals
Immersion Medical launches first Endoscopy simulator
2000
Launch of iFeel touch enabled mouse
Immersion acquires HT Medical
Immersion acquires Virtual Technologies, Inc.
2001
Logitech launches FF wheel for PS2 with Gran Turismo 3
2002
BMW 7-series launches with iDrive
Nintendo GameCube FF wheel announced
2003
Immersion and Apple develop FF API for Mac OS X
Video Console, PC, & Mac Gaming: 500 FF titles, 100 licensed FF peripherals
Printable Version
02/27/04
Immersion Names Richard Vogel as Senior Vice President/General Manager of Immersion Medical
02/11/04
Immersion to Present at Roth Capital Growth Stock Conference on February 17
02/10/04
Immersion Adds Nine New Patents to Growing Intellectual Property Portfolio
The Immersion Team
At Immersion, we want to bring the sense of touch to every office, home, automobile, classroom and hospital. An ambitious goal like this requires a diverse team of leaders - each with the vision, discipline and determination to turn ideas into innovations.
Board of Directors
Victor Viegas Jonathan Rubinstein Jack Saltich
Steven Blank John Hodgman Robert Van Naarden
Corporate Management and Officers
Victor Viegas Patrick Reutens Mark Belinsky
Dean Chang Joseph DiNucci Christophe Ramstein
Tim Tight Mike Zuckerman Barry Bergman
Richard Stacey
Board of Directors
Mr. Victor Viegas: Director
Mr. Viegas is the president, chief executive officer, and chief operating officer of Immersion Corporation, and has joined Immersion's board of directors. He helped bring the company public in 1999, increased operational efficiency, added new licensing relationships in the markets Immersion serves and has guided Immersion's growth as a company including its litigation efforts. Mr. Viegas has served as Immersion's CFO and VP of Finance since August 1999. From June 1996 to August 1999, he served as VP of finance and administration and CFO of Macrovision Corporation, a developer and licensor of video and software copy-protection technologies. From October 1986 to June 1996, he served as VP of Finance and CFO of Balco Incorporated, a manufacturer of advanced automotive service equipment. He holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting and an MBA degree from Santa Clara University. Mr. Viegas is also a CPA in the State of California.
Mr. Steven Blank: Director
Mr. Blank has served as a member of our board of directors since October 1996. From November 1996 to August 1999, he served as executive vice president of marketing for E.piphany, an enterprise software company that Mr. Blank co-founded. From February 1993 to October 1996, he served as CEO of Rocket Science Games, a video game software company.
Mr. Jonathan Rubinstein: Director
Mr. Rubinstein has served as a member of our board of directors since October 1999. From February 1997 to the present, Mr. Rubinstein has served as senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple Computer, Inc. From August 1993 to August 1997, he was executive vice president and COO of Fire Power Systems, a developer and manufacturer of Power PC-based computers. Mr. Rubinstein holds bachelor of science and master of science degrees in electrical engineering from Cornell University, and a master of science degree in computer science from Colorado State University.
Mr. John Hodgman: Director
Mr. Hodgman joined the board of the directors on January 31, 2002. He is currently the chief executive officer, president, and chairman of the board of Cygnus, a medical company focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of new and improved glucose monitoring devices. Mr. Hodgman also served as president of Cygnus Diagnostics. He joined Cygnus in August 1994 as vice president, finance and chief financial officer. Mr. Hodgman holds a B.S. degree from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Utah.
Mr. Jack Saltich: Director
Mr. Saltich joined the board of directors on January 31, 2002. Mr. Saltich is the president, chief executive officer and a director of Three-Five Systems Inc. Prior to joining Three-Five Systems Inc., he was at Motorola for 17 years and held a number of engineering and operations management posts, culminating in his position as vice president and director of the company's Advanced Product Research and Development Laboratory. Mr. Saltich received both a bachelors and masters degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois. He also completed all course work towards a doctorate in electrical engineering at Arizona State University.
Mr. Robert Van Naarden: Director
Mr. Van Naarden joined the board of directors on October 23, 2002. Van Naarden is currently the chief executive officer of AuthentiDate, Inc., a software services business start-up. He has held numerous executive management positions at emerging hardware and software companies including Sensar, Netframe, FirePower Systems, Ardent Computer, and Convergent Technologies. Van Naarden holds two bachelor's degrees, one in physics from the University of Pittsburgh, and the second in electrical engineering from University of Pittsburgh as well as two master's degrees in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science from Northeastern University and the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School.
Corporate Management and Officers
Mr. Victor Viegas: President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Viegas, a member of Immersion's board of directors, is Immersion's chief executive officer, president, and CFO. He helped bring the company public in 1999, increased operational efficiency, added new licensing relationships in the markets Immersion serves and has guided Immersion's growth as a company including its litigation efforts. Mr. Viegas has served as Immersion's CFO and VP of finance since August 1999. From June 1996 to August 1999, he served as VP of finance and administration and CFO of Macrovision Corporation, a developer and licensor of video and software copy-protection technologies. From October 1986 to June 1996, he served as VP of finance and CFO of Balco Incorporated, a manufacturer of advanced automotive service equipment. He holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting and an MBA degree from Santa Clara University. Mr. Viegas is also a CPA in the State of California.
Dr. Dean Chang, Chief Technology Officer, Vice President Technology Adoption and Partner Services
Dr. Chang is the chief technology officer and vice president of technology adoption and partner services. He is responsible for guiding technology strategy, driving adoption of Immersion's TouchSense haptics technology, and for successfully enabling the technology partners. Dr. Chang served as Immersion's senior director of evangelism and development since February 2000 and director of platforms and applications since July 1995. He holds 18 patents in the field of haptics and has authored articles for Computer magazine and BusinessWeek Online. Dean was a Pi Tau Sigma graduate from MIT and holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from MIT and a master of science and PhD in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. He is also currently pursuing an MBA degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Tim Tight, Vice President and General Manager, Industrial Business Group
Mr. Tight joined Immersion in November, 2003. He is responsible for Immersion's Industrial Business Group, which is focused on touch feedback for automotive and industrial controls and includes all of Immersion’s Digitizing and 3D Interactive products. Mr. Tight has spent 27 years working in high technology Silicon Valley companies in marketing and sales, senior management and product development. Working in a wide range of industries, Mr. Tight has specialized in developing new markets for cutting edge proprietary products and technologies and building the business relationships to expand those markets globally. Prior to joining Immersion, he was the chief executive officer and founder of Edge Capital Access, a niche investment bank. Before that, he was VP Marketing and Sales at Diablo Research, an outsourced engineering company specializing in wireless and communications. He has also held senior marketing positions at Raychem, Metcal, Pyramid and Spectra Physics. He holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Denison University, a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from Stanford.
Mr. Richard Stacey: Vice President and General Manager, Immersion Medical
Mr. Stacey joined Immersion Medical in 1996 as vice president of marketing and in 1999, assumed the additional role of general manager. In April 2002, Mr. Stacey assumed the role of vice president. He has over 25 years of international healthcare industry experience in business management, technology planning, product development, and strategic and tactical marketing. Prior to joining Immersion Medical, Mr. Stacey was the strategic marketing director for Becton Dickinson's (B-D) worldwide microbiology business. At B-D he led one of the healthcare diagnostic industries leading technology-planning teams to provide market-driven strategies for product development. He was directly responsible for launching new diagnostic products into the European and U.S. markets, and other regions indirectly. Richard Stacey holds degrees in Biology, Physiology, Chemistry and Physics from Leicester Polytechnic and Trent University, Nottingham in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Patrick Reutens: Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Legal Affairs
Dr. Reutens is responsible for negotiation of Immersion's licensing agreements, developing Immersion's intellectual property assets, and managing the company's litigation activities. He is also involved in Immersion's strategic planning, and market and business development. Dr. Reutens has held positions at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati and the Venture Law Group, and subsequently held positions at MIPS Technologies and Preview Systems. He holds a Ph.D. in particle physics from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from the Yale Law School.
Mr. Joseph DiNucci: Senior Vice President, Sales
Since October 2002, Mr. DiNucci has lead Immersion's sales and business development and responsible for growing overall sales, building a solid and predictable revenue base, and enabling Immersion to move its products and technologies into widespread adoption. He joins Immersion following Silicon Graphics and E.piphany where he held a number of executive positions including vice president of corporate marketing and vice president of automotive and manufacturing industries. Mr. DiNucci holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Institute of Technology and a master's degree in business administration from Duquesne University. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Rand Corporation, a leading provider of design and engineering solutions for manufacturing companies.
Mr. Michael Zuckerman: Senior Vice President, Marketing
Mr. Zuckerman was appointed senior vice president of marketing for Immersion in October 2003. Mr. Zuckerman, a 25-year technology veteran, will be responsible for developing and managing worldwide marketing strategy and execution across all areas of the business. Previously at Verity Inc., he held positions as vice president of marketing and vice president of sales in the western region. Prior to that, at Sensar Inc., he served as vice president of marketing. Mr. Zuckerman holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland.
Mr. Mark Belinsky: Vice President, Marketing Strategy
Mr. Belinsky joined Immersion in October 2003, and oversees Immersion’s worldwide market development efforts. He joins Immersion from Macrovision Corporation, where he served during the past eight years as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Macrovision’s video technology, e-licensing, and music DRM divisions, and also as Senior Vice President of Business Development, spearheading Macrovision’s investment in digital watermarking leader Digimarc Corporation and its $800M acquisition of Globetrotter Software. Prior to his tenure at Macrovision, Belinsky served in senior marketing and operations capacities at Electronic Marketplace Systems, Interop Company, and Unisoft Corporation. Belinsky holds a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Wayne State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Dr. Christophe Ramstein: Vice President, Engineering
Dr. Ramstein is Immersion's vice president of engineering. Since 1988, Christophe Ramstein has been designing, developing and evangelizing haptic systems by adding synthetic touch to the human-computer interaction experience. He is responsible for designing haptic feedback into graphical interfaces for desktop, automotive, gaming, aerospace, 3D and medical applications. In 1991 he completed a Ph.D. in computer sciences at the National Polytechnic Institute of Grenoble, France. From 1992 to 1996, he managed major R&D projects with Industry Canada, the Canadian Space Agency, McGill University and private companies. In 1994, he demonstrated the first multimodule system allowing visually impaired users to navigate a Windows user interface with a haptic pointing device. In 1996, he founded Haptic Technologies, Inc focusing on developing and selling haptic systems in the area of 3D, automotive and desktop applications. When Immersion Corporation acquired Haptic Technologies in 2000, he became senior director of software and driver development. In 2001 he became general manager of Immersion Canada and in October 2002, was promoted vice president of Immersion's engineering group.
Mr. Barry Bergman: Vice President, Immersion Medical Sales
Mr. Bergman joined Immersion Medical in January 2004, and will manage the sales team to drive Immersion's medical business forward. He comes with more than 20 years experience at hardware and software technology companies, including Cisco Systems and Sun Microsystems. Bergman holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from the Cooper Union School of Engineering and a master's degree in business administration from New York University.
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