Immersion Corporation

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Immersion Corporation
Industry Technology
Founded 1993
Founder(s) Louis Rosenberg
Headquarters San Jose, California, United States of America

Immersion Corporation of San Jose, California, is a developer of haptic technology.[citation needed]

The company was founded in 1993 by Louis Rosenberg.[1] Immersion's technology is employed in automotive, entertainment, medical training, mobility, personal computing, and three-dimensional simulation applications. Immersion's patent portfolio includes, according to their web site, over 700 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.[2]

In 1997, Immersion worked with Microsoft to integrate their Immersion TouchSense technology into Microsoft's DirectInput API for DirectX 5.0.[3] Microsoft and Immersion continued to work together on DirectX 6 and 7,[4] and signed an agreement in 1999 to share each other's "feel simulation technology".[5]

In 2002, Immersion filed a suit against Microsoft and Sony alleging that their game console controllers were infringing on two of Immersion's patents; both defendants eventually reached agreements with Immersion that involved multi-million dollar payments.[6]


  1. ^ Immersion Corporation - Welcome to the Immersion Web Site
  2. ^ Chase Murdey (May 17, 2006). "Ready to Rumble? Immersion's Victor Viegas on PlayStation 3's Lack of Vibration". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-08-26. 
  3. ^ "Immersion - FAQ - Developer". Retrieved 2007-08-26. 
  4. ^ "Companies Redouble Efforts to Deliver Consistent Support, Compatibility Across Wide Range of Products". Microsoft PressPass. February 3, 1999. Retrieved 2007-08-26. 
  5. ^ "Microsoft and Immersion Collaborate To Advance Feel-Simulation Technologies". Microsoft PressPass. August 5, 1999. Retrieved 2007-08-26. 
  6. ^ Elinson, Zusha (October 13, 2008). "Former GC Reflects on Time Immersed in IP Battles". The Recorder. San Francisco: ALM. Retrieved 2010-09-03. "Observers say Immersion's era of aggressive litigation and licensing was a success. In defending its patents on "haptic" technology for applying touch sensation and control to computer programs, the company beat Sony, got money out of Microsoft, and has signed up medical, car and cell phone companies for patent licenses." 

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