SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Immersion Corp. (NASDAQ: IMMR), the leading developer and provider of technology for haptics, today announced it has reached significant milestones in its initiative to launch new industry technical standards for haptics. The company's separate proposals for the ATSC 3.0, MPEG ISOBMFF, MPEG-DASH, and MPEG-I standards, have all been accepted for consideration in their respective standards bodies, the Advanced Television Systems Committee, Inc. (ATSC) and the Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG).
The haptic ecosystem lacks standards that enable rich and sophisticated user experiences. Immersion, in collaboration with other industry leaders working in haptics, seeks to solve this problem by bringing haptics to multimedia content standards. The proposals are aimed at driving improved interoperability and efficiencies across the ecosystem, from haptic content creation to playback on end-user devices.
In addition, Immersion has established a new open Haptics Industry Forum to facilitate the sharing of ideas and information to help solve industry-wide challenges. The Haptics Industry Forum has over 25 participants from 14 technology companies and academia. Interested parties may join at hapticsindustryforum.org.
Immersion is a member of both ATSC and MPEG, two influential standards development organizations that define media creation, delivery, and playback formats across the consumer electronics ecosystem. "Our role in these organizations is to advocate for an approach that will fit the needs of haptic industry members and the ecosystem, and enable us to drive greater use of haptics in multimedia content," said Dr. Yeshwant Muthusamy, Senior Director, Standards at Immersion.
In June 2020, the ATSC Board approved Immersion's new work item proposal for specifying a Recommended Practice for Haptics in ATSC 3.0, a next-generation terrestrial broadcast system designed for improved television viewing experiences. The Haptics Recommended Practice will specify the protocols and procedures needed to incorporate haptics into broadcast content consumed on devices such as a smartphone or tablet. Immersion's proposal is designed to deliver an optimal user experience based on the content, device type, and the viewer's personal preferences.
In the ISO MPEG, Immersion's proposed standards for haptic tracks have been accepted for consideration in the ISO Base Media File Format (ISOBMFF), the MPEG-DASH streaming media standard, and the MPEG-I immersive media standard. Immersion's proposals include establishing haptics as a first-order media type, along with video and audio. Further, Immersion's proposals to add haptics to the MPEG-I use cases and requirements have been published by MPEG in an effort to gather broad industry feedback and inform the next stage of standardizing haptics in MPEG-I. To that end, a new Haptics Ad-hoc Group (AHG) has been established with Dr. Muthusamy as Chair. This AHG will solicit feedback from relevant industry bodies as well as prepare a Call-for-Proposals for evaluating coded representations of haptics for use in various MPEG standards. MPEG standards are widely adopted globally for distribution and playback of online media in mobile, gaming, and other consumer electronics devices.
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.
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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 include, but are not limited to, statements about improved interoperability and efficiencies across the ecosystem, statements about solving industry-wide challenges, statements about accelerating the adoption and use of haptics in content or devices, statements about the development of protocols and procedures needed to incorporate haptics into broadcast content consumed on devices such as a smartphone or tablet, and statements about intended activities related to the AHG.
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 standard development efforts; unanticipated difficulties and challenges encountered in working with third parties in connection with standards development efforts; the effects of the current macroeconomic climate; delay in or failure to achieve adoption of or commercial demand for haptics-related standards; and a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of touch feedback as a critical user experience. 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.
