Qeexo, a developer of machine learning and AI solutions for sensor data, and STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across a spectrum of electronics applications, on January 17, 2017, announced a collaboration to further accelerate the integration of Qeexo’s FingerSense technology by OEMs.
Already, Qeexo’s FingerSense platform, which can differentiate between the fingertip, knuckle, nail, and stylus-based touches, has been deployed on over 100 million devices worldwide. FingerSense’s proprietary machine learning algorithms utilize sensor data from STMicroelectronics’ FingerTip multi-touch screen-control and MEMS sensor products to dramatically enhance the user experience of mobile devices. The two companies are also exploring other opportunities to combine Qeexo’s machine learning expertise with STMicroelectronics’ industry-leading MEMS sensors and touch controllers.
“ST’s sensors provide the extremely high-quality data our machine learning algorithms rely on to make accurate predictions and in working with ST, we are making it easier for OEMs to deploy Qeexo’s FingerSense technology on smartphones,” said Sang-Won Lee, CEO of Qeexo. “Together with ST, we anticipate using state-of-the-art AI to solve all types of data problems for our customers.”
FingerSense is Qeexo’s AI-powered touch platform and the world’s first software-only solution able to distinguish between touch-screen inputs such as fingertip, knuckle, nail, and stylus. With FingerSense, smartphone OEMs can offer a range of new capabilities to delight users and make it easier for them to perform smartphone tasks. Using simple gestures, FingerSense enables enhanced screenshot capabilities, more robust live screen-recording tools, and quick-launch of applications via letter gestures.
“Qeexo’s choice of ST as a preferred touch-screen controller and MEMS sensor supplier for FingerSense confirms our role in enabling the development of innovative applications that shape the way people interact with technology,” said Benedetto Vigna, President of Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group, STMicroelectronics. “The marriage of the cutting-edge capabilities of our latest touch controllers and MEMS sensors with Qeexo’s machine learning algorithms will bring new and enhanced functionalities along with an improved user experience to mobile users.”
ST has recently launched a new family of touch-screen controllers for next-generation smartphones with 19.5:9 flexible AMOLED screens, combining high performance and support for additional special features such as dedicated edge interactions, force touch sensing, multi-touch sensing in water, and extremely low-power operation. ST’s FingerTip technology provides the optimal mix of low power, small size, and true multi-touch performance in a single-chip controller. It uses a high-performance state-of the-art touch-sensing engine that can detect, classify, and track as many as ten finger touches at once with fast response times.
Among the ST inertial MEMS sensors used by Qeexo solutions are an ultra-low power and high-accuracy 3-axis digital accelerometer, together with a 6-axis inertial module containing a 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope. This module is a preferred choice of many Android phone makers for its embedded digital features and extremely low power consumption.
