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Microsoft to Acquire a Multi-touch Technology Company, Perceptive Pixel

Microsoft announced during a keynote talk at the Worldwide Partner Conference that the company acquired touchscreen technology company Perceptive Pixel known for making giant multi-touch displays capable of detecting up to 100 touch events or 10 simultaneous users simultaneously.

The founder, Jeff Han, has amazed the world with his public demonstration of multi-touch technology back in TED 2006.

In 2008 its technology gained widespread recognition for transforming the way CNN and other broadcasters covered the 2008 U.S. presidential election. In 2009 the Smithsonian awarded the company the National Design Award in the inaugural category of Interaction Design. PPI’s patented technologies are used across a wide variety of industries such as government, defense, broadcast, energy exploration, engineering and higher education, and its expertise in both software and hardware will contribute to success in broad scenarios such as collaboration, meetings and presentations.

Perceptive Pixel’s 82-inch screens retail at about $80,000 The display currently sells for $80,000, but expect the steep price point to work its way down as Microsoft “will work hard to lower the price of Perceptive Pixel products”.

Steve Ballmer said at the conference. “Our challenge is to make that technology more affordable.

We want to make this mainstream. We will do anything possible to get the cost down and to get new forms of this out in the market places in any way possible.