Neonode® Announces the World’s First Single Chip Optical Touch Controller

TI’s analog technologies, providing ultra-low power and low noise, enable high-performance, integrated solution

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Neonode Incorporated (NEON.OB), a leading optical touch screen technology company, today announced the world’s first ultra-low power single-chip optical touch controller, NN1001.

NN1001 has been developed in close cooperation between Neonode and Texas Instruments (TI). NN1001 is specifically designed to reduce the bill of materials (BOM) cost, increase performance and add functionality for optical touch controller customers in a variety of end markets including smartphones, tablets, e-books and automotive. TI’s high-performance, efficient analog signal chain and power management technologies and integration capabilities enable the ultra-low power and low noise in an integrated single-chip solution.

The NN1001 controller has a high scanning speed of 1000 Hz (latency down to 1 ms) and consumes less than 1mW at 100Hz, which has the potential to outperform most touch solutions on the current market. With high accuracy, NN1001 tracks any high-speed multi-touch gesture with any object (finger, gloved finger and passive pens). NN1001 connects to any microcontroller or application processor with a high-speed SPI interface. The controller works in single or multiple configurations to support screen sizes up to 20 inches.

NN1001 supports advanced power management functions for low-power mobile devices and implements Neonode’s AlwaysON^TM technology where the touch can be active to detect gestures and touches even when the device application processor is in sleep or off mode.

“It is with great pleasure that we now announce the NN1001, a result of successful cooperation between TI and Neonode. NN1001 combines the best from resistive (low cost, good pen writing) and capacitive solutions (multi touch, gestures tracking). In addition NN1001 adds new features like no overlay, low latency pen tracking, proximity sensing and touch object size measurement. The result – the highest level of user experience for consumers“, said Thomas Eriksson, CEO of Neonode.

“The new NN1001 integrated optical touch controller delivers high performance, low-power operation, and integration to reduce system cost,” said Hans Rosberg, Consumer Analog Solutions product line manager at TI. “TI’s collaboration with customers like Neonode will enable end equipment manufacturers to bring touch solutions and experiences to new applications.”

NN1001 will be presented to selected customers during the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January 2012 and the chip is currently sampling to customers for evaluation and is expected to be in mass production by Q2 2012. Neonode will also give selected customers an early view of an automotive version of the device, scheduled for introduction in the second half of 2012.

About Neonode^®

Neonode is the provider of optical touch screen solutions for hand-held and small to midsize devices. Neonode offers software licenses and engineering design services that enable companies to make high functionality touch screens at low cost. Neonode's customers include Sony, L&I and Barnes & Noble. Neonode Inc. is traded on the OTCBB under the symbol NEON.OB. Neonode is a trademark and zForce^® is a registered trademark of Neonode Inc.

About zForce^®

Neonode’s patented touch screen solution for portable devices, zForce^®, is many times more cost effective than any other high performance touch screen technology in the market today. zForce^® supports high resolution pen writing in combination with finger navigation and provides a 100% clear viewing experience. zForce^® is a leading touch screen technology that operates on the new revolutionary reflective display panels and is currently being integrated into a variety of mobile phones, e-Readers, printer products, automotive applications and tablet devices.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include, but are not limited to, statements relating to expectations, future performance or future events, and product cost, performance, and functionality matters. These statements are based on current assumptions, expectations and information available to Neonode management and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Neonode's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

These risks, uncertainties, and factors are discussed under "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Neonode's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including Neonode's annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K. You are advised to carefully consider these various risks, uncertainties and other factors. Although Neonode management believes that the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be fulfilled. Forward-looking statements are made as of today's date, and Neonode undertakes no duty to update or revise them.

For more information, please visit http://www.neonode.com/NN1001or contact:

Thomas Eriksson, CEO Neonode
[e-mail]
[phone]

Douglas Young, VP General Manager Americas
[e-mail]
[phone]