Immersion Announces Partnership with ANA Avatar XPRIZE to Support Competing Teams in Developing Physical Avatar Systems

Haptics play a central role in the competition’s challenge; Immersion to provide technology solutions and advise competing teams on the use of haptics

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 2020-- Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ: IMMR), the leading developer and provider of technologies for haptics, today announced its support for the ANA Avatar XPRIZE – a competition challenging teams to develop a physical Avatar System that will transport an operator’s senses, actions, and presence to a remote location in real-time.

The competition aims to realize technology that can bypass the barriers of distance and time to enable people to physically experience a remote location or provide on-the-ground assistance. As of this writing, 77 Qualified Teams are competing to develop an Avatar System with which an operator can see, hear, and interact within a remote environment in a manner that feels as if they are truly there.

“Avatars will help reimagine the human experience, giving us authentic, sensory-driven connections that will bridge our world,” said David Locke, ANA Avatar XPRIZE Director. “In order to be successful, avatars will need to have the full capabilities of human senses, in particular, touch, sight, and sound, to be able to interact with the environment as if the person is physically present. Through this partnership, Immersion can help our competing teams solve for the challenge of touching and feeling remote objects and environments.”

“The sense of touch lets you feel objects, but it also allows you to interact with them, and to sense and react to new information in the environment,” said Dave Birnbaum, Distinguished Staff, Office of the CTO at Immersion. “For a person to fully function in a location separate from their physical form, you need haptic technology. We’re pleased to be able to provide our feedback to competing teams as they develop and refine haptic avatar systems. This competition is an exciting step toward a future where fully-immersive avatars improve our day to day lives.”

XPRIZE is a global future-positive movement of over 1M people and rising, delivering truly radical breakthroughs in Exploration, Environment and Human Equity.

About Immersion

Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ: IMMR) is the leading innovator of touch feedback technology, also known as haptics. The company invents, accelerates, and scales haptic experiences by providing technology solutions for mobile, automotive, gaming, and consumer electronics. Haptic technology creates immersive and realistic experiences that enhance digital interactions by engaging users' sense of touch. Immersion is headquartered in San Francisco, 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. Examples of forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements about the development of technology that can bypass the barriers of distance and time to enable people to physically experience a remote location or provide on-the-ground assistance, the statement that “Avatars will help reimagine the human experience, giving us authentic, sensory-driven connections that will bridge our world,” the statement that “Immersion can help our competing teams solve for the challenge of touching and feeling remote objects and environments,” and statements regarding a future where fully-immersive avatars improve our day to day lives.

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: a lack of continued innovation in haptic technology, difficulty in synchronizing haptic effects with other sensory effects, and barriers to collaborating with third parties.

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.

(IMMR – C)

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For media inquiries, contact:
Linda Quach
Immersion Corporation
(408) 350-8832
lquach@immersion.com

For investor inquiries, contact:
Aaron Akerman
514.987.9800, ext. 5110
aakerman@immersion.com

Source: Immersion Corporation