Immersion Licenses Haptic Technology and IP to Alps Electric for PC Touchpads

Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ:IMMR), the leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced that it has signed a new multi-year license agreement with Alps Electric Co. Ltd, a Japanese electronic components manufacturer, for the use of Immersion’s intellectual property and know-how in PC touchpads. Under the agreement, Immersion will provide technical expertise and an Immersion API to assist Alps Electric in integrating haptics in its touchpad product module.

The implementation of haptic technology in PC touchpads eliminates the need for separate mechanical mouse buttons, while providing users with indispensable confirmation effects. Haptic feedback simulates the feel of a button press in its absence, giving users confidence as they use the touchpad to navigate their PCs.

“We are revamping our PC touchpads with haptic technology to deliver more advanced products to PC OEMs for use in their premium product offerings,” said Yasuo Sasao, managing director of Alps Electric. “The collaboration with Immersion has enabled us to develop cutting-edge technologies, such as the Haptic Commander™, an automotive product, as well as innovative human machine interface products. We are expanding our collaboration to add feedback functions to PC touchpads, which enables us to provide cutting-edge solutions to PC manufacturers. By expanding our catalog of haptic products, we are providing our customers high-quality HMI products that delivers the best user experience.”

“Haptic technology delivers a natural experience for the user while streamlining the design of the touchpad,” said Nobumitsu Shimada, representative director and country manager, Japan at Immersion. “With Immersion’s haptic technology, we offer PC OEMs the ability to design a thinner and quieter touchpad for notebook PCs with advanced functionality and a better user experience.”

About Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Since its founding in 1948, Alps Electric has created many of the industry’s “Number 1” and “First 1” products through the company’s commitment to component development. In accordance with its philosophy: “creating new value that satisfies stakeholders and is friendly to the Earth,” Alps Electric has supplied 40,000 distinct electronic components to 2,000 companies worldwide. Currently, Alps Electric is focusing on developing various markets, ranging from the automotive and mobile industries, to the energy, healthcare, industrial, and IoT industries. By refining the three core technology areas of HMI, Sensing, and Connectivity, Alps Electric continues to make a difference by perfecting the art of electronics. For more information, visit http://www.alps.com.

About Immersion

Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ: IMMR) is the leading innovator of touch feedback technology, also known as haptics. The company provides technology solutions for creating immersive and realistic experiences that enhance digital interactions by engaging users’ sense of touch. With more than 2,200 issued or pending patents, Immersion's technology has been adopted in more than 3 billion digital devices, and provides haptics in mobile, automotive, advertising, gaming, medical and consumer electronics products. Immersion is headquartered in San Jose, California with offices worldwide. Learn more at www.immersion.com.

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, but not limited to, statements regarding Immersion’s haptic technology and IP, the use and benefits of haptic technology in PC touchpads, the availability of PC touchpads with Immersion’s haptic technology, and the future collaboration between Immersion and Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

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: unanticipated difficulties and challenges encountered in product development efforts (including with respect to Immersion’s haptic technology) by Immersion and its licensees; unanticipated difficulties and challenges encountered in implementation efforts by Immersion’s licensees; adverse outcomes in any future intellectual property-related litigation and the costs related thereto; the effects of the current macroeconomic climate; delay in or failure to achieve adoption of or commercial demand for Immersion's products or third party products incorporating Immersion's technologies; and lack of market demand for Immersion’s technologies. Many of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the control of Immersion.

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 Immersion's most current Form 10-K, and Form 10-Q, both of 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 and the Immersion logo 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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