NXT in touch screen deal with Immersion; sees sales recovering
NXT plc, a provider of unique sound solutions, best known for its flat panel loudspeaker technology, said it has licensed TouchSense haptics technology from Immersion Corporation.
The agreement enables NXT and its licensees to additionally benefit from Immersion's touch feedback intellectual property for touch screen and touch panel applications.
Leveraging their understanding of bending wave physics, NXT scientists have developed a novel way of creating haptic feedback from touch screens and touch panels by differentiating the audio signal normally deployed in NXT's distributed mode loudspeakers.
The audio signal is optimised to deliver tactile vibrations so that touch screens can be either tuned to simultaneously function as a loudspeaker or operate almost silently but with haptic feedback, depending on applications and customer requirements.
In signing the deal with Immersion NXT and NXT licensees will benefit from access to Immersion's patents and their considerable knowledge in this field, enabling haptic feedback for a wide range of touch enabled products.
NXT chief executive Peter Thoms said: "having developed our physics-based bending wave haptics technology to the point of near optimum performance, I am delighted to be signing this agreement with Immersion, since it gives NXT access to Immersion's complementary technologies.
"Working with Immersion, the recognized leader in touch feedback technology, we look forward to developing the total market for haptic feedback-enabled touch devices by delivering genuinely differentiated products that will enhance user experiences across countless applications."
Earlier NXT plc released an interim management statement in which it said sales in the five and half months to 19 November are below management expectations.
It said uncertainty and economic instability have led some customers to delay their commitment to technology investment or suspend development programmes. The Company's licensing and consulting revenues have been affected by these delays, but, given ongoing licence negotiations and the Immersion deal, the NXT Board expects that this position will largely have been reversed by 31 December.
The company's share price lost over 4% on news of the management statement, but it is still trading near year highs. The Cambridge-based has a market capitalisation of around £25m.
