Immersion Enables Automotive User Interface Designers to Work with Haptic APIs in Kanzi UI Software

The company joins Rightware’s Kanzi Partner Program and demonstrates the ability to add haptics to an automotive user interface developed with Kanzi

Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ: IMMR), the leading developer and provider of technologies for haptics and Rightware, the leading provider of automotive user interface (UI) software for the design and development of a signature UI in the digital cockpit, today announced a collaborative effort to provide automotive UI designers with the ability to use Kanzi Studio with Immersion's APIs to design haptics. As a result, car manufacturers can test and experience haptics on a haptic-enabled HMI unit as they create their Kanzi-powered UIs for automotive touchscreens and center stack displays.

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Customers wishing to build haptic UIs with Kanzi can work with Immersion to access Immersion’s haptic API and haptic effects library made for Kanzi. Access to Kanzi is provided through a license from Rightware. The companies’ joint customers would use the solutions to customize the plugin to their instance to design and test haptics in Kanzi.

In addition, Immersion joins the Kanzi Partner Program and expands the Rightware ecosystem to include its first haptic technology provider. The Kanzi Partner Program is a global ecosystem of providers delivering HMI solutions based on Kanzi software. Immersion’s automotive solutions, the Automotive Haptic Product Development Kit (PDK) and Haptic Innovation Program, are designed to help automobile makers and tier 1s quickly manufacture, build, and integrate haptic-enabled touchscreens, touchpad, button panels, and other innovative haptic implementations for the car.

“Including haptics earlier in the automotive UI design cycle can change a designer’s whole approach,” said John Griffin, VP of Products and Marketing at Immersion. “With the ability to programmatically add button feels, textures, sliders, and other haptic elements to the touchscreen, you have added flexibility in the user interface design. We’re working closely with industry leaders, like Rightware, to enable automotive UI designers and product managers to design for haptics as they work on the UI. Haptic design should be an integrated part of the process.”

“The touchscreen is a fundamental element of the modern automotive user interface. Designing a sophisticated, intuitive, user-focused HMI requires the right tools and methods for rapid prototyping in the automotive context,” said Derek Sellin, Vice President of Marketing and head of the Kanzi Partner Program at Rightware. “We are pleased to see innovators such as Immersion showcasing the integration of their technologies with Kanzi to continue advancing the user experience in the digital cockpit.”

This collaboration is the result of Immersion’s work to use Kanzi to design a UI for Immersion’s Haptic Design Touchscreen, Edison. The 10.1-inch HD haptic-enabled touchscreen is a design unit made to enable automotive UI designers to quickly prototype, experiment, test, and define haptic experiences during the HMI development process.

Kanzi software is used to manage the entire UX process from HMI design and development to integrating content seamlessly across operating systems within the vehicle. The product family includes a designer-oriented visual studio, a powerful 3D runtime for superior graphics performance, and an innovative connectivity platform. Kanzi affords automakers and Tier 1 suppliers faster HMI development using smaller design teams with greater creative freedom in a multi-display, connected cockpit. For licensing inquiries, visit www.rightware.com/contact.

Learn more about Immersion’s automotive solutions at www.immersion.com/automotive.

About Rightware

Rightware is the company behind the Kanzi family of tools and services for design and development of advanced digital user interfaces. Our mission is to help automakers increase brand value with highly customized signature user interfaces. As a ThunderSoft company, our combined skills and assets allow us to deliver fully integrated HMI solutions, engineering support, and design services. Rightware is headquartered in Finland and has a presence in the United States, UK, Germany, Italy, China, South Korea, and Japan. Kanzi is the market-leading automotive UI tool trusted by over 50 automotive brands across the globe.

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. 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 regarding the continued advancement of the user experience in the digital cockpit.

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 or Rightware’s businesses, which include, but are not limited to, the lack of continued innovations in haptic technology.

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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