Netherlands-based semiconductor manufacturer NXP has helped Finland-based user interface technology company Senseg raise $6m in series B funding.
Senseg wants to create the next generation in spatial haptic feedback technology, which would deliver sensations to a user’s fingertips on the touchscreens of mobile devices, and will seek to use NXP’s investment to make its tactile touchscreen technology small and inexpensive enough to penetrate the booming smartphone market.
The deal is NXP’s only investment in the past 15 months, but is part of its drive to maitain a position as an authority in new user interface technologies for mobile, consumer and automotive applications. NXP was originally a pioneer in near field communication, which allows smartphones to communicate with each other through radio waves.
Other investors in the round included Finnvera Venture Capital and investment partnership Ambient Sound Investments, which invested in Senseg’s seed round in 2008 alongside Seed Fund Vera.
Mark Hamersma, general manager for emerging businesses at NXP, said: “Most user interfaces today focus on our visual and hearing senses, and not on touch, so that is why we see this as a great new opportunity for growth. We see many high-value opportunities for this technology, not just in mobile, but also in automotive where drivers need to keep their eyes on the road.”