Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. plans to use new vibration technology in its mobile phones through a new licensing deal with Immersion Corp.
“Immersion is delighted to have Samsung as our first cell-phone licensee,” said Vic Viegas, chief executive officer for Immersion. “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.”
Founded in 1993 and traded on Nasdaq, Immersion develops haptic technology, also know as force feedback. Haptics is the science of touch-everything from the feeling of a steering wheel in a tight turn to the prick of a needle to the purr of a lazy cat. Immersion works to translate that scientific knowledge into business uses, and the company is working in a wide range of markets.
Immersion got its start making technology for video game joysticks and steering wheels, devices that mimic the controls of jet fighters and racecars. It expanded into virtual reality computer simulators for hospitals, allowing medical students to get the feel of drawing blood. Other Immersion products are used in the automotive industry-the 2002 BMW 7-series sedan features a single dial that can be used to adjust everything from the radio to the temperature.
One of Immersion’s main markets is computer user interfaces. The company is looking to add tactile sensations to a mouse or keyboard, feelings that would vary according to different applications, to enhance the audio and visual aspects of computing. For example, surfing the Web might be easier if your mouse gave your finger a light tap every time you passed over an Internet link.
Immersion last year announced plans to enter the massive mobile-phone market. The company is selling a tiny vibrating motor that can produce vibrations of varying speeds and intensities. The motor can fit into the same space as current single-speed vibrating motors in mobile phones. Such technology could add vibrations to ring tones, games or even text messages.
