Novint Technologies (NVNT)

Novint Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in the state of New Mexico in April 1999. It is a technology development and licensing company in the field of haptics. Haptics is known as to sense of touch. It develops, markets and sells products, applications and technologies that allow people to use the sense of touch to interact with computers. The Company's computer touch technology allows computer users to realistically feel objects displayed by a computing device using a 3D haptics device. A computer user holds onto the handle of a haptics device, which is known as 'grip,' which could be moved right-left and forwards-backwards like a mouse, also moved up and down. As the haptics device is moved by the user, it controls a three-dimensional cursor or other pointing icon displayed by the computer and when the cursor makes contact with virtual objects displayed by the computer, the computer registers the contact and updates motors in the haptics device creating feedback to the handle of the haptics device and giving a realistic sense of touch in the user's hand. For example, a user could feel the recoil of a gun that has been fired, hit a virtual golf ball, swing a sword at an ogre, throw a football, feel weight and textures of objects, cast a spell by moving a wand, or generally interact with objects displayed by a computer in a more realistic manner by including a detailed and realistic sense of touch. The Company's Haptics Hardware and Software Products includes, The Novint Falcon. For the hardware component, it has designed and introduced the Novint Falcon for consumers. The Falcon is the flagship product that enables the user to navigate, in a 3D space, the game that they are seeing on the screen, and to feel the elements that they are seeing, including the textures, force, centrifugal force, recoil, etc. For the software component of the solution the Company is developing software and games to work with the Falcon. The Company has been and is continuing to develop software used to demonstrate basic, fundamental gameplay incorporating haptics technology. For example, it has developed software that demonstrates what it would feel like to throw a basketball, catch a baseball, swordplay, etc. The Company's internally developed games include games, shoot an apple off a monkey's head, duck into ponds, smash cockroaches, shoot bad guys, fish, push penguins like shuffle pucks, shoot basketballs and throw bolas. It has also contracted with external game developers to create games to specifications. These games include a drumming rhythm game, a boat racing game, an underwater shooting game, a rolling game, an airtable hockey game, a homerun hitting game, a motorcycle racing game, a bowling game, a table tennis game, a snowboarding game, and a golf game. The Company has also acquired games, or similarly, licensed the 3D touch field of use for games. Sometimes the acquisition or license includes a development contract to modify the game to better fit the needs. These games include a throwing arcade game, a 3D flying game, a 3D puzzle game, a platform jumping game, and a pinball game, among others listed on the website. The product is available through retailers such as Fry's, Tiger Direct, J&R Music Store and others. The Company is selling the Falcon and the associative haptics enabled software online via the Company's website. The Company has completed work on a number of contracts with companies such as Aramco, Lockheed Martin, Chrysler, Chevron, Sandia National Laboratories, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Few of the Company's competitors are SensAble Technologies, Immersion Corporation, Reach in Technologies, MPB, Force Dimension, FCS Robotics and Sensegraphics. The Company has trademarks few are - NOVINT, FEELIN IT, Novint logo, NOVINT FALCON, NEWTON THE MONKEY, NEWTON'S MONKEY BUSINESS and N VENT. The Company is subject to routine litigation incidental to its business.