Motorola Invests in French Touch Technology Firm

Motorola's venture capital arm has invested in French multi-touch technology firm Sensitive Object.

Sensitive Object is a spin-off from the French Science National Research Centre (CNRS). It was created in October 2003 with a patent-protected technology capable of what it called "tactilising" any surface.

"This unique software technology leverages acoustics to analyse sound waves departing from the point of a touch to precisely and cost-effectively transform any product into a touch device," said Sensitive Object.

The French firm's Anywhere MultiTouch platform extends this tactilisation to any surface of a device allowing for virtual controls and next generation user-interfaces.

According to Reese Schroeder, Managing Director, Motorola Ventures, Sensitive Object has a unique approach allowing new ways of interaction.

"Natural user interface (NUI) and in particular interacting with a device through touch is an area of rapid development and great excitement," said Schroeder.

Sensitive Object has a workforce of more than 20 engineers and has operations in Paris and Singapore.

Electronics Weekly, a sister publication of EM Asia