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Immersion Drives Development of Haptic-Enabled Integrated Circuits

^{Published on 2009-02-19 08:01:28, Last Modified on 2009-02-19 08:02:47 - Market Wire}
 

SAN JOSE, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ: IMMR), the leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced a licensing and development agreement with Imagis Co., Ltd. of South Korea, a leading developer and manufacturer of integrated circuits (IC). Imagis will incorporate Immersion's programmable high-fidelity haptic technology in chips designed for electronic devices, making it faster, easier, and cheaper for manufacturers to integrate haptic (touch) feedback into products such as consumer electronics, mobile phones, and handheld devices for commercial and industrial applications.

"With high market demand for haptics, customers need fast and easy implementation of our touch technology. Through this agreement we will co-develop a family of drop-in haptic IC solutions that device makers can use to deliver transformational user experiences," said Craig Vachon, senior vice president and general manager, Immersion's Touch line of business. "IC integration is the best way to rapidly proliferate high-volume haptic-enabled devices across many consumer and industrial market segments."

Immersion's TouchSense® touch feedback improves user productivity (speed and accuracy). It also makes operation more intuitive and multimedia content more realistic and fun. By involving the sense of touch, haptics gives:

• Touchscreens of all types the ability to "touch back" with unmistakable confirmation
• Mobile and office phones more efficient and intuitive operation for an ever-growing number of features
• Gaming systems greater realism, excitement, and enjoyment
• Industrial & commercial systems safer, more efficient, and more accurate control in distractive environments

"Our first haptic chip development effort with Immersion, the ISA 1000 haptic driver IC, has saved customers time and money," said James Lee, Director, Imagis. "Its reduced footprint makes for easy board-level integration and it has been very successful for our customers, including LG and Samsung. Further integration of Immersion's haptic technology into ICs will make it easier for additional customers to gain the competitive advantages that haptics supplies."

About Immersion ([ www.immersion.com ])

Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is the recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Using Immersion's advanced touch feedback technology, electronic user interfaces are more compelling, entertaining, and in many applications, safer and more productive. Immersion's technology has helped manufacturers develop innovative and creative solutions for products such as hundreds of video games and leading video console gaming systems, medical training simulators installed around the world, driver controls for automotive manufacturers, and mobile phones, such as those from LG and Samsung. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 700 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 the statement regarding co-developing a family of drop-in haptic IC solutions that device makers can use to deliver transformational user experiences and the statement regarding making it easier for additional customers to gain the competitive advantages that haptics supplies; 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 our business, which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for our 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 actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in our 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 our beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. We disclaim 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.

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