−Removed: Novint Timeline
−Removed: and Detailed Business Description
−Removed: Novint Technologies
−Removed: NVNT) (“Novint” or the “Company”) was incorporated in the State of New Mexico as Novint Technologies,
+Added: Timeline and Detailed Business Description
+Added: Technologies (Other OTC:
+Added: NVNT) (“Novint”, the “Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”)
+Added: was incorporated in the State of New Mexico as Novint Technologies, Inc.
in April 1999.
−Removed: On February 26, 2002, the company changed its state of incorporation to Delaware by merging into Novint Technologies,
−Removed: Inc., a Delaware corporation.
−Removed: The Company went public in 2001 with the goal of commercializing haptics technology by developing
−Removed: a revolutionary haptic game controller for computer video gaming and other computer applications based on technology licensed from
−Removed: Sandia National Laboratories, one of three National Nuclear Security Administration research and development laboratories in the
−Removed: United States, managed and operated by the National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia..
−Removed: Haptics technologies allow
−Removed: people to use their sense of touch to interact with computers.
−Removed: The Company was based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, near Sandia National
−Removed: During its first eight
−Removed: years of operations, the Company derived revenue primarily from developing professional applications for customers, including contracts
−Removed: with companies such as Aramco, Lockheed Martin, Chrysler, Chevron and Sandia National Labs.
−Removed: However, the Company intended to eventually
−Removed: generate most of its revenues from the sale of the revolutionary consumer Falcon product (described in the sections below), the
−Removed: associated “grips,” or handles that are shaped to mirror the application that the product is being used to simulate,
−Removed: (e.g., a gun handle, a sword handle, or a steering wheel) and the sale or license of specially enabled computer games designed
−Removed: to be used with the Falcon.
−Removed: In 2007, the Company
−Removed: commercially released, the Novint Falcon game controller, which allows users to experience video games and other computer applications
−Removed: using a realistic and detailed sense of touch referred to as a “haptic” feel.
−Removed: Holding its handle, users feel the shapes,
−Removed: textures, weight, dimension and force feedback effects in software games that have been enabled to work with the Falcon.
−Removed: “feelings” that are felt in the hand of the user that is holding the Falcon controller are generated by tiny nano vibrations
−Removed: that create sensations that simulate the real-life sensation of touch.
−Removed: As opposed to providing simple vibrations and feedback like
−Removed: Rumble Strip based joysticks developed by Immersion Corporation (IMMR), the Falcon uses patented nano-vibrations to create different
−Removed: “textures and “feels” while a person is holding onto the controller.
−Removed: For example, a person can tell the difference
−Removed: between a piece of rubber or wool as he holds the handle of the Falcon and runs over the different materials on the screen.
−Removed: firing a gun, the person gets a kickback and feeling based on the type of gun that is being fired.
−Removed: When a person is hit onscreen,
−Removed: the personfeels what type of hit and from what direction the hit came.
−Removed: When a person catches a baseball in a glove, the person
−Removed: actually feels like the ball is landing in the glove..
+Added: On February 26, 2002, the Company changed
+Added: its state of incorporation to Delaware by merging into Novint Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
+Added: Company was formed with the goal of commercializing haptics technology by developing a revolutionary haptic game controller for
+Added: computer video gaming and other computer applications based on technology licensed from Sandia National Laboratories (“Sandia”),
+Added: one of three National Nuclear Security Administration research and development laboratories in the United States.
+Added: Sandia is managed
+Added: and operated by the National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International,
+Added: Haptics technologies allow people to use their sense of touch to interact with computers.
+Added: the Company derived revenue primarily from developing professional applications for customers, including Aramco, Lockheed Martin,
+Added: Chrysler, Chevron and Sandia.
+Added: Beginning in 2007, the Company began to derive revenue primarily from the sale to customers of the
+Added: consumer Falcon product (described in the sections below), and the associated “grips,” or handles that are shaped
+Added: to mirror the application simulated by the Falcon product (e.g., a gun handle, a sword handle, or a steering wheel) and the sale
+Added: or license of specially enabled computer games designed to be used with the Falcon.
+Added: 2007, we commercially released the Novint Falcon game controller, which uses patented nano-vibrations to create different “textures
+Added: and “feels” that allow users to experience a realistic and detailed sense of touch, referred to as a “haptic”
+Added: feel, when using video games and other computer applications..
+Added: Holding its handle, users feel the shapes, textures, weight, dimension
+Added: and force feedback effects in software games that have been enabled to work with the Falcon.
+Added: These “feelings”, which
+Added: are felt in the hand of the user that is holding the Falcon controller, are generated by tiny nano vibrations that create sensations
+Added: that simulate the real-life sensation of touch, as opposed to providing simple vibrations and feedback like Rumble Strip based
+Added: joysticks developed by Immersion Corporation (IMMR).
+Added: For example, a person can feel the difference between a piece of rubber or
+Added: wool as he holds the handle of the Falcon and runs over the different materials on the screen.
+Added: When firing a gun, the person gets
+Added: a kickback and feeling based on the type of gun that is being fired.
+Added: When a person is hit onscreen, the person feels the type
+Added: of hit and from what direction the hit came.
+Added: When a person catches a baseball in a glove, the person feels like the ball is landing
+Added: in the glove.
The feelings are almost surreal and frightening at times.
−Removed: It is difficult
−Removed: to describe the experience without actually feeling it firsthand and this has been one of the issues that has prevented significant
−Removed: sales traction for the product.
−Removed: The Falcon and its haptics technology, games and applications provide the crucial missing “third
−Removed: sense” to human computer interaction.
−Removed: In late 2006, BusinessWeek wrote that “Novint’s haptic controller, the
−Removed: Falcon, looks set to revolutionize gaming.”
−Removed: In 2007, the Company
−Removed: began shipping the Falcon to commercial retailers and distributors in the U.S.
−Removed: The product was available through retailers, including
−Removed: Fry’s, Tiger Direct, and J&R Music Store.
−Removed: Additionally, in the fourth quarter of 2007, Novint opened its online store
−Removed: for the sale of the Falcon and computer games integrated to work with the Falcon.
−Removed: Customers could download games for use with the
−Removed: Falcon by going to the Company’s website and purchasing the haptics enabled games.
−Removed: The Company developed many of its own
−Removed: gaming titles.
−Removed: Also, the licensed a number of better-known game titles.
−Removed: The Company’s programmers haptically enabled these
−Removed: titles to take advantage of the haptic feedback and sensations using the Falcon controller.
−Removed: Novint’s programmers added t
−Removed: haptic parts to the play of the programming code of these games using manual customization.
−Removed: Since inception, the Company commercialized
−Removed: over 45 titles available for use with the Falcon controller.
−Removed: The licensing agreements
−Removed: with various gaming software providers have all expired and are treated as terminated.
−Removed: Novint is free to sell or provide as an
−Removed: accompanying software bonus along with the Falcon, a library of games that the Company developed internally and that is not subject
−Removed: to any license agreement or royalty obligation.
−Removed: The license agreement referenced in Note 3, which accounts for the contingent accrued
−Removed: royalties shown on the Company’s Balance Sheet for the year ended December 31, 2021, is an agreement dated January 4, 2004
−Removed: as amended on July 24, 2007, between Novint Technologies, Inc.
+Added: It is difficult to describe the experience without feeling
+Added: it firsthand.
+Added: The Falcon and its haptics technology, games and applications provide the crucial missing “third sense”
+Added: to human computer interaction.
+Added: In late 2006, BusinessWeek wrote that “Novint’s haptic controller, the Falcon, looks
+Added: set to revolutionize gaming.”
+Added: 2007, the Company began shipping the Falcon to commercial retailers and distributors in the U.S., including Fry’s, Tiger
+Added: Direct, and J&R Music Store.
+Added: Additionally, in the fourth quarter of 2007, Novint opened its online store for the sale of the
+Added: Falcon, and computer games integrated to work with the Falcon.
+Added: Customers could download games for use with the Falcon by going
+Added: to the Company’s website and purchasing the haptics enabled games.
+Added: The Company developed many of its own gaming titles.
+Added: Also, the Company licensed several better-known game titles.
+Added: The Company’s programmers haptically enabled these titles to
+Added: take advantage of the haptic feedback and sensations when using the Falcon controller.
+Added: Novint’s programmers added the haptic
+Added: parts to the play of the programming code of these games using manual customization.
+Added: We have commercialized over 45 gaming titles
+Added: available for use with the Falcon controller since 2007.
+Added: We are free to sell or provide the internally developed gaming titles
+Added: as an accompanying software bonus along with the Falcon, not subject to any license agreement or royalty obligation.
+Added: licensing agreements with various gaming software providers have expired and are treated as terminated.
+Added: The license agreement
+Added: referenced in Note 4, which accounts for the contingent accrued royalties shown on the Company’s Balance Sheet for the year
+Added: ended December 31, 2022, is an agreement dated January 4, 2004, as amended on July 24, 2007, between Novint Technologies, Inc.
and Force Dimension, LLC, based in Switzerland.
−Removed: The Company treats
−Removed: the agreement as terminated on the basis that believes that Force Dimension, LLC committed a material breach of the agreement by
−Removed: failing to deliver the deliverables as specified in the agreement.
−Removed: Therefore, no further royalties are due.
−Removed: The Company’s
−Removed: determination that Force Dimension committed a material breach is based on extensive due diligence including examining documents
−Removed: and interviews with prior management and employees,.
−Removed: However, based on ASC 405-20, the contingent liability for unpaid royalties
−Removed: remains on the Company’s Balance Sheet for the year ended December 31, 2021 because there was never an official termination.
−Removed: Although the Company
−Removed: sold thousands of Falcon units, sales of the Falcon controller struggled without ever reaching a critical mass, continuing to this
−Removed: The Company released dozens of software titles that were optimized to work with the Falcon as described above, however, the
−Removed: titles were not released fast enough and the cost of acquiring rights and haptically enabling the software was too large of a challenge
−Removed: for the Company.
−Removed: Additionally, the Company was not successful in finding a large company to work with to help market the Falcon
−Removed: more effectively and assist with the huge software development efforts that were necessary.
−Removed: From time to time the
−Removed: Company has engaged in discussions with larger commercial partners and has performed R&D under contract for larger companies
−Removed: with the end goal of leading to commercial product development.
−Removed: None of these efforts has led to commercial product deployments
−Removed: and there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to find partners for its products.
−Removed: In addition, pursuant to the 2015
−Removed: patent sale and licensing agreement described below, there are certain extensive restrictions on the ability of the Company to
−Removed: engage commercial partners on a go forward basis.
−Removed: However, the Company retains the right to enter into manufacturing arrangements
−Removed: to produce certain Falcon products for others or have manufacturer’s produce certain Falcon products on behalf of Novint.
−Removed: The permitted Falcon products are limited to the Company’s Falcon products based solely on their current or developed designs
−Removed: existing at the time of the 2015 patent sale and licensing agreement, as well as the unreleased next generation designs of the
−Removed: Company’s Xio products.
−Removed: Force Tek Transaction
−Removed: In April 2011, Novint
−Removed: merged with Force Tek Technologies, LLC (“Force Tek”), a company started by serial entrepreneur Shannon Vissman that
−Removed: developed a full arm controller with forced feedback that could be used for gaming.
−Removed: Novint and Force Tek initially met at a gaming
−Removed: conference where the companies recognized the potential of merging their complementary technologies into a single unified gaming
−Removed: controller that had much of the haptic feedback of the Falcon but in a portable controller that fits on a user’s arm.
−Removed: the merger with Novint, Shannon Vissman and Ryan Christoff joined the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”),
−Removed: replacing Brian Long and Jan Richardson.
−Removed: On October 24, 2011, Tom Anderson resigned as CEO and Shannon Vissman of Force Tek became
−Removed: In connection with the merger, all debt of the Company was either paid off or converted to equity.
−Removed: Vissman, and to a lesser
−Removed: Christoff, provided equity funding of approximately $3 million at a fixed price per share for the combined company,
−Removed: which continued to be known as Novint.
−Removed: This funding was used to merge R&D teams and to create a next generation game controller
−Removed: with the combined technologies, called the Xio, while continuing to support the Company’s limited sales of the Falcon controller
−Removed: and related accessories and software.
−Removed: The integration work for the Xio was never completed, though various prototypes were developed.
−Removed: During this time, Novint did some custom haptic projects, including work for the US army related to Xio prototypes, but it never
−Removed: amounted to a large business and the company was unsuccessful in obtaining any commercial production contracts as a result of this
−Removed: In connection with
−Removed: the merger, the Company assumed the license agreement dated April 6, 2009 among Force Tek, as licensee, and Inverse Technology
−Removed: Corporation and Kinetecs, Inc., as licensors.
−Removed: Pursuant to the license, Force Tek paid an initial payment and incurred an obligation
−Removed: to pay royalties based on sales of products that utilize the licensed technology, which may be used in Novint’s Xio product that
−Removed: has been in development, in which case the Company would be required to pay royalties on commercial sales of the Xio product.
−Removed: can be no assurances that Novint will successfully commercialize the Xio product.
−Removed: In August 2013, Brian
−Removed: Long, Jan Richardson, Tom Anderson and Shannon Vissman resigned from the Board, leaving Ryan Christoff as the sole Board member.
−Removed: Ryan appointed Orin Hirschman and Martin Chopp to the serve on the Board alongside him.
−Removed: The Company then raised $55,180 in senior
−Removed: secured debt to continue operations.
−Removed: Since that time, Novint has worked to preserve cash and reduce expenses while continuing to
−Removed: sell small amounts of Falcons along with related accessories and software titles, with a goal of allowing the Company to maximize
−Removed: its resources.
−Removed: Simultaneously, the Company initiated a process to explore ways to further realize value from Novint’s patent
−Removed: portfolio, the Falcon hardware and related software, and the Company’s next generation Xio product.
−Removed: In June 2015, after
−Removed: an extensive process, Novint sold 5 patents and sublicensed 5 patents to an undisclosed technology company for a $750,000 upfront
−Removed: payment, and a potential second payment of $750,000 upon waiver of assignment from the DOE to Sandia.
−Removed: The second payment was paid
−Removed: in July 2016.
−Removed: Net of broker fees, legal expenses and payments to Sandia to release their rights to the IP, Novint received a total
−Removed: of $699,714 in the transaction.
−Removed: Novint retained a non-transferable license that allows it to continue selling certain Falcon products
−Removed: based solely on their current or developed designs existing at the time of the 2015 patent sale and licensing agreement and next
−Removed: generation devices, such as the Xio..
−Removed: Since that time, Novint
−Removed: has continued selling small amounts of Falcons and related software and accessories while engaging in discussions with potential
−Removed: partners on Falcon and Xio and studying other ways to realize value from these products.
−Removed: Management believes that Novint was too
−Removed: early in trying to pioneer the market for a consumer haptic controller.
−Removed: One of the major disadvantages of the original Falcon design
−Removed: highlighted by customers and potential commercial partners was its size and weight and the need for the controller to be sitting
−Removed: on a desktop.
−Removed: The next generation product that Novint has developed but not completed, the Xio, addresses this issue by being lightweight
−Removed: and strapping onto the hand and forearm.
−Removed: The product has not been completed for commercial release and there can be no assurances
−Removed: that the product will be completed or commercially released in the future.
−Removed: Principal Products
−Removed: The Falcon is an extensible,
−Removed: grounded (e.g., desktop), three-dimensional (3D) haptic interaction device.
−Removed: It is a compact robotic device with characteristics
−Removed: optimized for real-time force-feedback and tactile interaction.
−Removed: The Falcon was specifically developed for consumer applications
−Removed: with an emphasis on interactive gaming.
−Removed: The performance characteristics of the device, however, are such that it has seen some
−Removed: wider application in fields such as education, medicine, scientific visualization, robotics and tele-robotics.
−Removed: The current consumer
−Removed: version of the Falcon consists of the Main Unit, a Stand and a “Grip” or end effector.
−Removed: The Main Unit is capable of
−Removed: generating high-fidelity, high-bandwidth, 3D forces and accurately sensing 3D position in real-time within its working envelope.
−Removed: The Main Unit has on-board computational capabilities and is programmed by and communicates with a host computer or system via
−Removed: a bi-directional USB communication interface.
+Added: The Company treats the agreement as terminated without any further royalty obligation
+Added: on the basis that Force Dimension, LLC committed a material breach of the agreement by failing to deliver the deliverables specified
+Added: in the agreement.
+Added: Our determination that Force Dimension committed a material breach is based on extensive due diligence, including
+Added: examining related documents, and interviews with prior management and employees.
+Added: In accordance with ASC 405-20, the contingent
+Added: liability for unpaid royalties remains on the Company’s Balance Sheet for the year ended December 31, 2022 because there
+Added: was never an official termination.
+Added: we sold thousands of Falcon units since 2007 and released dozens of software titles that were optimized to work with the Falcon,
+Added: sales of the Falcon controller struggled and failed to reach a critical mass, which continues to this day.
+Added: We believe that the
+Added: titles were not released fast enough to satisfy consumer demand and that the cost of acquiring rights to game titles and haptically
+Added: enabling the software was too large of a challenge for us.
+Added: Additionally, we were not successful in securing a strategic partner
+Added: to help us market the Falcon more effectively and assist with the huge software development efforts that were necessary for successful
+Added: market penetration.
+Added: time to time, we engaged in discussions with larger commercial partners and performed R&D under contract for larger companies
+Added: with the goal of obtaining assistance for commercial product development.
+Added: None of these efforts were successful and there can
+Added: be no assurances that we will be able to find partners to assist us in successfully commercializing our products.
+Added: pursuant to the 2015 Patent Sale and License Agreement described below, there are extensive restrictions on our ability to engage
+Added: commercial partners on a go forward basis.
+Added: However, we retain the right to enter into manufacturing arrangements to produce certain
+Added: Falcon products for others or engage contract manufacturers to produce certain Falcon products on our behalf.
+Added: The permitted Falcon
+Added: products are limited to Falcon products that are based solely on designs existing at the time of the 2015 Patent Sale and License
+Added: Agreement, as well as the unreleased next generation designs of the Company’s Xio products (described below).
+Added: time to time, we engage in discussions with potential strategic partners for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange,
+Added: asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination (“Business Combination”).
+Added: reviewed several opportunities to enter into a Business Combination but none of our reviews has resulted in a binding agreement.
+Added: There can be no assurances that we will be able to find a suitable strategic partner or successfully negotiate and enter into
+Added: any binding agreement regarding a Business Combination.
+Added: Tek Transaction
+Added: April 2011, Novint merged with Force Tek Technologies, LLC (“Force Tek”), a company founded by serial entrepreneur
+Added: Shannon Vissman, which developed a full arm controller with forced feedback that could be used for gaming.
+Added: Novint and Force Tek
+Added: initially met at a gaming conference where the companies recognized the potential of merging their complementary technologies
+Added: into a single unified gaming controller that had much of the haptic feedback of the Falcon, but in a portable controller that
+Added: fits on a user’s arm.
+Added: The combined company continued to be known as Novint.
+Added: the 2011 merger, Shannon Vissman and Ryan Christoff joined the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), replacing
+Added: Brian Long and Jan Richardson.
+Added: On October 24, 2011, Tom Anderson resigned as CEO and was replaced by Shannon Vissman.
+Added: In connection
+Added: with the merger, all debt of the Company was either repaid or converted to equity.
+Added: Vissman, and to a lesser extent Mr.
+Added: provided equity funding of approximately $3 million at a fixed price per share.
+Added: This funding was used to merge R&D teams and
+Added: to create a next generation game controller with the combined technologies, called the Xio, while continuing to support the Company’s
+Added: sales of the Falcon controller and related accessories and software.
+Added: The integration work for the Xio was never completed, though
+Added: various prototypes were developed.
+Added: During this time, Novint performed custom haptic projects related to Xio prototypes for customers,
+Added: including the US army, but these efforts failed to generate significant business opportunities and the Company was unsuccessful
+Added: in obtaining any commercial production contracts as a result of this work.
+Added: connection with the merger, the Company assumed the license agreement dated April 6, 2009 among Force Tek, as licensee, and Inverse
+Added: Technology Corporation and Kinetecs, Inc., as licensors (the “Force Tek License”).
+Added: Pursuant to the Force Tek License,
+Added: Force Tek paid an initial payment and incurred an obligation to pay royalties based on sales of products that utilize the licensed
+Added: technology, which may be used in the Xio product, in which case the Company would be required to pay royalties on commercial sales
+Added: of the Xio product.
+Added: There can be no assurances that we will successfully commercialize the Xio product.
+Added: August 2013, Brian Long, Jan Richardson, Tom Anderson and Shannon Vissman resigned from the Board, and Orin Hirschman and Martin
+Added: Chopp joined the Board to serve alongside Ryan Christoff.
+Added: The Company issued and sold $55,180 of senior secured debt to support
+Added: Since that time, we have worked to preserve cash and reduce expenses while continuing to sell small amounts of Falcons
+Added: and related accessories and software titles, with a goal of preserving cash.
+Added: Simultaneously, we initiated a process to explore
+Added: ways to further realize value from Novint’s patent portfolio, the Falcon hardware and related software, and the our next
+Added: generation Xio product.
+Added: June 2015, after an extensive process, Novint sold 5 patents and sublicensed 5 patents to an undisclosed technology company for
+Added: a $750,000 upfront payment, and a potential second payment of $750,000 upon waiver of assignment from the DOE to Sandia (the “2015
+Added: Patent Sale and License Agreement”).
+Added: The second payment was paid in July 2016.
+Added: Net of broker fees, legal expenses and payments
+Added: to Sandia to release their rights to the IP, we received net proceeds of $699,714.
+Added: We retained a non-transferable license that
+Added: allows us to continue selling Falcon products that are based solely on their designs existing at the time of the 2015 Patent Sale
+Added: and License Agreement (the “Permitted Falcon Products”) and next generation devices, such as the Xio.
+Added: that time, Novint has continued selling small amounts of Permitted Falcon Products and related software and accessories while
+Added: engaging in discussions with potential partners on Permitted Falcon Products and Xio products and studying other ways to realize
+Added: value from these products.
+Added: Management believes that Novint was too early in trying to pioneer the market for a consumer haptic
+Added: One of the major disadvantages of the original Falcon design highlighted by customers and potential commercial partners
+Added: was its size and weight and the need for the controller to be sitting on a desktop.
+Added: The Xio product, our next generation product
+Added: that is developed but not completed, addresses this issue by being lightweight and strapping onto the hand and forearm.
+Added: is not ready for commercial release and there can be no assurances that the product will be completed or commercially released
+Added: in the future.
+Added: Products – Falcon
+Added: Falcon is an extensible, grounded (e.g., desktop), three-dimensional (3D) haptic interaction device.
+Added: It is a compact robotic device
+Added: with characteristics optimized for real-time force-feedback and tactile interaction.
+Added: The Falcon was specifically developed for
+Added: consumer applications with an emphasis on interactive gaming..
+Added: The Novint Falcon was designed to be used for both PC and console
+Added: All that is required to interface to the device is some form of serial interface (wired or wireless).
+Added: Novint has also
+Added: created in-lab prototypes of the Falcon that would be directly connected to gaming consoles.
+Added: Additionally, the performance characteristics
+Added: of the Falcon device are such that it has seen some wider application in fields such as education, medicine, scientific visualization,
+Added: robotics and tele-robotics
+Added: current consumer version of the Falcon consists of the Main Unit, a Stand and a “Grip” or end effector.
+Added: The Main Unit
+Added: is capable of generating high-fidelity, high-bandwidth, 3D forces and accurately sensing 3D position in real-time within its working
+Added: The Main Unit has on-board computational capabilities and is programmed by and communicates with a host computer or
+Added: system via a bi-directional USB communication interface.
It is typically powered using an external DC power supply.
−Removed: The Main Unit has a
−Removed: modular, quick connect/disconnect, electromechanical interface (i.e., the Grip Interface) that allows various Grips to be mounted
−Removed: This interface allows a Grip to be mechanically connected to the Main Unit and provides electrical power and communication
−Removed: with the Grip.
−Removed: When the Falcon is utilized as a haptic interaction device, it is the Grip that the end-user actually grasps and
−Removed: uses to interact with the device.
−Removed: The Grips themselves
−Removed: can have arbitrary shapes and functions.
−Removed: A Grip simply has to adhere to the mechanical and electrical constraints of the Grip Interface.
−Removed: Grips typically use on-board computational elements to report their state to the Main Unit via the serial communication channel
+Added: Main Unit has a modular, quick connect/disconnect, electromechanical interface (i.e., the Grip Interface) that allows various
+Added: grips to be mounted to it.
+Added: This interface allows a grip to be mechanically connected to the Main Unit and provides electrical
+Added: power and communication with the grip.
+Added: When the Falcon is utilized as a haptic interaction device, it is the grip that the end-user
+Added: actually grasps and uses to interact with the device.
+Added: Grips themselves have arbitrary shapes and functions.
+Added: A Grip simply has to adhere to the mechanical and electrical constraints
of the Grip Interface.
−Removed: Two typical consumer Grips are a general-purpose spherical interface and a pistol shaped Grip typically
−Removed: used for game play and interaction.
−Removed: These Grips have various buttons and communicate their identity as well as button state via
−Removed: the Grip Interface to the Main Unit.
+Added: Grips typically use on-board computational elements to report their state to the Main Unit via the serial
+Added: communication channel of the Grip Interface.
+Added: Two typical consumer grips are a general-purpose spherical interface and a pistol
+Added: shaped grip typically used for game play and interaction.
+Added: These grips have various buttons and communicate their identity as well
+Added: as button state via the Grip Interface to the Main Unit.
The Main Unit is modularly mounted on a Stand.
−Removed: Consumer units are typically shipped with a
−Removed: The Falcon Main Unit can be mounted, however, on any stand or object that provides the appropriate mechanical
−Removed: interface and fasteners.
−Removed: The Falcon communicates
−Removed: with a host computer or system via a bi-directional USB communication interface at a 1 KHz data rate.
−Removed: Drivers and APIs/SDKs on
−Removed: the host side allow haptic interaction to be incorporated or added to various applications across various markets.
−Removed: Subsequent to the introduction
−Removed: of the current consumer Falcon haptic interface device, there have been a variety of improvements, features and options to the
−Removed: design of the device that the Company has implemented on a limited number of units for specific customers.
−Removed: Other significant changes
−Removed: have been designed for the device as product improvements or model variations.
−Removed: These changes to the device design have not yet
−Removed: made it to the consumer version of the device but could do so given the appropriate timing and markets.
−Removed: For example, the current
−Removed: capstan cable drive mechanism for the Falcon utilizes a single spring tensioner.
−Removed: Under high-speed motions, this approach results
−Removed: in unequal cable tension between the cable on one side of the capstan and the other.
−Removed: This can lead to some slippage of the cable
−Removed: relative to the capstan when motor direction is abruptly reversed after a high-speed run.
−Removed: A drive system that helps guarantee balanced
−Removed: cable tension is one of the pre-planned product improvements for the Falcon.
−Removed: Another example would be the potential to decrease
−Removed: the electronics cost.
−Removed: The current consumer Falcon utilizes a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), along with other electronics elements,
−Removed: to implement the Falcon’s processing and communication system.
−Removed: Significant effort has been undertaken in designs where an
−Removed: ASIC is used for a major portion of these processing and communication requirements.
−Removed: This design will allow more economical production
−Removed: of the Falcon for larger volume production runs.
−Removed: There are other areas
−Removed: of potential improvement to the Falcon.
−Removed: The current consumer Falcon is relatively compact compared to other arm mechanisms.
−Removed: radial twist employed in the “arm” design decreases the radial cross section of the device.
−Removed: Physical layout of the
−Removed: electronics is also optimized to decrease size.
−Removed: In addition, the U-shaped base helps to decrease the apparent size of the device.
−Removed: Nonetheless, further decreasing the apparent and real volume of the device is desirable for increased consumer acceptance.
−Removed: this decrease would also reduce the cost of goods sold for the Falcon.
−Removed: Novint has outlined a fundamental approach where most of
−Removed: the encasing plastic for the Falcon Main Unit will be removed and the underlying plastic frame for the Falcon will be modified
−Removed: to be the exterior of the device as well as supporting the device mechanisms and electronics.
−Removed: This will significantly decrease
−Removed: the apparent size and volume of the Falcon.
−Removed: It also provides significant additional shape, color and opacity options to the look
−Removed: of the Falcon Main Unit including clear plastic options where the internal mechanisms and electronics are visible.
−Removed: A significant amount
−Removed: of effort has been taken in the design of potential consumer Grips.
−Removed: One major class of effort has revolved around variations in
−Removed: general purpose Grips for ergonomic and functional improvements.
−Removed: A significant number of custom variations of the Falcon have been
−Removed: designed and built over time.
−Removed: Typically, these developments have been for customers in the “professional” sectors (e.g.,
−Removed: medicine, telerobotics, and scientific visualization).
−Removed: These variations have been based on the current consumer Falcon design and
−Removed: can easily be incorporated into the standard shipping Falcon line when appropriate.
−Removed: Novint has made several
−Removed: custom variations to the Falcon for specific customers and use cases.
−Removed: As part of its custom efforts, Novint developed improved
−Removed: control algorithms for the Falcon Main Unit that allow higher peak forces to be generated or lower forces to be maintained for
−Removed: longer periods of time.
−Removed: These developments were embodied in custom units referred to as “Super Falcons”.
−Removed: Fundamentally,
−Removed: these improvements involved changes the timing and pulse-width modulation motor control used in the control algorithms run on the
−Removed: Falcon Main Unit’s DSP.
+Added: Consumer units are typically
+Added: shipped with a “U” stand.
+Added: The Falcon Main Unit can be mounted, however, on any stand or object that provides the appropriate
+Added: mechanical interface and fasteners.
+Added: Falcon communicates with a host computer or system via a bi-directional USB communication interface at a 1 KHz data rate.
+Added: and APIs/SDKs on the host side allow haptic interaction to be incorporated or added to various applications across various markets.
+Added: to the introduction of the current consumer Falcon haptic interface device, there have been a variety of improvements, features
+Added: and options to the design of the device, which the Company has implemented on a limited number of units for specific customers.
+Added: Other significant changes have been designed for the device as product improvements or model variations.
+Added: These changes to the
+Added: device design have not yet made it to the consumer version of the device but could do so given appropriate funding, timing and
+Added: For example, the current capstan cable drive mechanism for the Falcon utilizes a single spring tensioner.
+Added: Under high-speed
+Added: motions, this approach results in unequal cable tension between the cable on one side of the capstan and the other, potentially
+Added: leading to slippage of the cable relative to the capstan when motor direction is abruptly reversed after a high-speed run.
+Added: system that helps guarantee balanced cable tension is one of the pre-planned product improvements for the Falcon.
+Added: Another example
+Added: is the potential to decrease the electronics cost.
+Added: The current consumer Falcon utilizes a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and
+Added: other electronics elements to implement the Falcon’s processing and communication system.
+Added: Significant effort has been undertaken
+Added: in designs where an ASIC is used for a major portion of these processing and communication requirements.
+Added: This design will allow
+Added: more economical production of the Falcon for larger volume production runs.
+Added: are other areas of potential improvement to the Falcon.
+Added: The current consumer Falcon is relatively compact compared to other arm
+Added: The radial twist employed in the “arm” design decreases the radial cross section of the device.
+Added: layout of the electronics is also optimized to decrease size.
+Added: In addition, the U-shaped base helps to decrease the apparent size
+Added: of the device.
+Added: Nonetheless, further decreasing the apparent and real volume of the device is desirable for increased consumer
+Added: Ideally, this decrease would also reduce the manufacturing cost for the Falcon.
+Added: Novint has outlined a fundamental
+Added: approach where most of the encasing plastic for the Falcon Main Unit will be removed and the underlying plastic frame for the
+Added: Falcon will be modified to be the exterior of the device as well as supporting the device mechanisms and electronics.
+Added: significantly decrease the apparent size and volume of the Falcon.
+Added: It also provides significant additional shape, color and opacity
+Added: options to the appearance of the Falcon Main Unit, including clear plastic options where the internal mechanisms and electronics
+Added: significant amount of effort has been taken in the design of potential consumer grips.
+Added: One major class of effort has revolved
+Added: around variations in general purpose grips for ergonomic and functional improvements.
+Added: A significant number of custom variations
+Added: of the Falcon have been designed and built over time.
+Added: Typically, these developments have been for customers in the “professional”
+Added: sectors (e.g., medicine, telerobotics, and scientific visualization).
+Added: These variations have been based on the current consumer
+Added: Falcon design and can easily be incorporated into the standard Falcon line when appropriate.
+Added: has made several custom variations to the Falcon for specific customers and use cases.
+Added: As part of its custom efforts, we have
+Added: developed improved control algorithms for the Falcon Main Unit that allow higher peak forces to be generated or lower forces to
+Added: be maintained for longer periods of time.
+Added: These developments are embodied in custom units referred to as “Super Falcons”.
+Added: Fundamentally, these improvements involve changes to the timing and pulse-width modulation motor control used in the control algorithms
+Added: run on the Falcon Main Unit’s DSP.
No changes to Falcon hardware are required.
−Removed: This allows a “Super Falcon” to be sold to
−Removed: consumers when appropriate.
−Removed: In addition, several fundamentally new Grip designs for the Falcon have been developed for custom customer
−Removed: applications.
+Added: This allows a “Super Falcon”
+Added: to be sold to consumers when appropriate.
+Added: In addition, several fundamentally new Grip designs for the Falcon have been developed
+Added: for custom customer applications.
Consumer versions of these designs are possible.
−Removed: The Novint Falcon was
−Removed: designed, primarily, with consumer gaming applications in mind.
−Removed: The Novint Falcon was designed to be used for both PC and console
−Removed: All that is required to interface to the device is some form of serial interface (wired or wireless).
−Removed: Novint has also created
−Removed: in-lab prototypes of the Falcon that would be directly connected to gaming consoles.
−Removed: In addition to the
−Removed: Falcon device, Novint has developed and sold software and demonstrations for all gaming genres including Action, Adventure, Fighting,
−Removed: Racing, Simulation, Sport, Strategy, Parlor, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) and Miscellaneous (e.g., board games, pinball).
−Removed: Also, Novint has created a number of haptically enabled software applications that would allow the Falcon to be utilized for many
−Removed: non-gaming uses.
−Removed: For example, Novint has developed medical simulation software for various injection procedures including Epidural
−Removed: injections, Synvisc™ injection, Depo-Medrol™ injection and other injections.
−Removed: Novint has also developed software applications
−Removed: that allow a user to feel as well as see medical data.
−Removed: For example, CT Scan data can be probed using the Falcon and the difference
−Removed: between soft tissue and bone can be felt.
−Removed: Novint’s medical applications have typically been used both for medical marketing
−Removed: and procedure familiarization or training.
−Removed: In addition, Novint has developed specific software that works with the Falcon for marketing
−Removed: For example, Novint modified a game for Anheuser-Busch to use during its on-site marketing campaigns.
−Removed: Novint has also
−Removed: developed software applications where a Falcon’s motion is controlled via software or in real time using another (remote)
−Removed: Other Haptic Companies
−Removed: and Competition
−Removed: Recent developments
+Added: addition to the Falcon device, we have developed and sold software and demonstrations for all gaming genres including Action,
+Added: Adventure, Fighting, Racing, Simulation, Sport, Strategy, Parlor, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) and Miscellaneous (e.g.,
+Added: board games, pinball).
+Added: Also, we have created a number of haptically enabled software applications that allow the Falcon to be
+Added: utilized for many non-gaming uses.
+Added: For example, Novint has developed medical simulation software for various injection procedures,
+Added: including Epidural injections, Synvisc™ injection, Depo-Medrol™ injection and other injections.
+Added: Novint has also developed
+Added: software applications that allow a user to feel as well as see medical data.
+Added: For example, CT Scan data can be probed using the
+Added: Falcon, and the difference between soft tissue and bone can be felt.
+Added: Novint’s medical applications have typically been used
+Added: both for medical marketing and procedure familiarization or training.
+Added: In addition, Novint has developed specific software for
+Added: marketing purposes that works with the Falcon.
+Added: For example, Novint modified a game for Anheuser-Busch to use during its on-site
+Added: marketing campaigns.
+Added: Novint has also developed software applications where a Falcon’s motion is controlled via software
+Added: or in real time using another (remote) Falcon.
+Added: Haptic Companies and Competition
over the last several years create the potential for more consumer interest in haptic devices and controllers.
2 unchanged sentences
experience virtual reality.
−Removed: HTC started selling a similar headset.
+Added: HTC, a market leader in VR, sells a similar headset.
Both companies sell companion hand controllers
−Removed: These controllers
−Removed: are small and lightweight, but offer limited haptic feedback compared to the Falcon.
−Removed: Over the last few years,
−Removed: and in particular in very recent periods, there have been a number of start-up companies working on new haptic controllers, including
−Removed: handheld devices that are similar to those controllers sold by Facebook and HTC, as well as more elaborate wearable haptic controllers
−Removed: including gloves.
−Removed: These devices are more similar to Novint’s next generation Xio design and are much more elaborate than
−Removed: the handheld controllers that are currently on the market.
−Removed: The sudden surge in development in this area suggests that the field
−Removed: is beginning to gain more interest following the commercial releases of the Oculus Rift and HTC products as well as similar headsets
−Removed: that are being introduced by other companies.
−Removed: There are many companies
−Removed: producing virtual reality and haptic devices that are competitive or may be competitive in the future with the Falcon and Xio.
−Removed: Some of the products and companies that may be competitive include:
−Removed: ● Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ:
+Added: that are are small and lightweight, but offer limited haptic feedback compared to the Falcon.
+Added: the last few years, and in particular in very recent periods, there have been a number of start-up companies working on new haptic
+Added: controllers, including handheld devices that are similar to the controllers sold by Facebook and HTC, as well as more elaborate
+Added: wearable haptic controllers, including gloves.
+Added: These devices are more similar to Novint’s next generation Xio design and
+Added: are more elaborate than the handheld controllers currently on the market.
+Added: The sudden surge in development in this area suggests
+Added: that the field is beginning to gain more interest following the commercial releases of the Oculus Rift and HTC products as well
+Added: as similar headsets that are being introduced by other companies.
+Added: are many companies producing VR and haptic devices that compete with or may compete in the future with the Falcon and Xio.
+Added: of the companies that may be competitive include:
+Added: Corporation (NASDAQ:
IMMR) is primarily a 1D or 2D haptics hardware company (a Haptic
−Removed: computer interaction in which forces are mechanically displayed to a user in 1 or 2 directions of movement;
−Removed: examples are force
−Removed: feedback joysticks and force feedback mice).
−Removed: Immersion is a public company, which has acquired other haptics device companies such
−Removed: as Cybernet, Haptech and Virtual Technologies.
−Removed: ● VRgluv from VRgluv in Atlanta is a new product that is a glove for controlling virtual reality
−Removed: systems such as the Occulus Rift and HTC Vive.
−Removed: The glove has sensors throughout as well as force feedback and appears to be provide
−Removed: a very robust user experience.
−Removed: The company’s product appears be directly competitive with Novint’s Xio product.
−Removed: ● Microsoft has several haptic devices that simply vibrate and rumble, such as the control pads for
−Removed: their Xbox systems.
−Removed: Microsoft may be working on various haptic controllers to complement the company’s Hololens Virtual Reality
−Removed: headset that it has begun selling.
−Removed: ● Logitech sells haptics mice, wheels, and joysticks that the company licensed from Immersion and
−Removed: that are primarily used for gaming.
−Removed: Logitech’s haptics products are two-dimensional and do not offer as many features as
−Removed: our products possess.
−Removed: As of March 23, 2022,
−Removed: we do not have any full-time employees in our workforce.
−Removed: Corporate and Available Information
−Removed: Novint Technologies
−Removed: was incorporated in the State of New Mexico as Novint Technologies, Inc.
+Added: computer interaction in which forces are mechanically displayed to a user in 1 or 2 directions
+Added: examples are force feedback joysticks and force feedback mice).
+Added: has acquired other haptics device companies, such as Cybernet, Haptech and Virtual Technologies.
+Added: based in Atlanta, Georgia, offers a haptic glove for controlling virtual reality systems,
+Added: such as the Occulus Rift and HTC Vive.
+Added: The glove has sensors throughout as well as force
+Added: feedback and appears to provide a very robust user experience.
+Added: VRgluv appears be directly
+Added: competitive with our Xio product.
+Added: offers several haptic devices that simply vibrate and rumble, such as the control pads
+Added: for their Xbox systems.
+Added: Microsoft may be working on various haptic controllers to complement
+Added: the company’s Hololens Virtual Reality headset that it has begun selling.
+Added: sells haptics mice, wheels, and joysticks licensed from Immersion, which are primarily
+Added: used for gaming.
+Added: Logitech’s haptics products are two-dimensional and do not offer
+Added: as many features as the Falcon.
+Added: of March 31, 2023, we do not have any full-time employees in our workforce.
+Added: and Available Information
+Added: Technologies was incorporated in the State of New Mexico as Novint Technologies, Inc.
in April 1999.
−Removed: On February 26, 2002, the company changed
−Removed: its state of incorporation to Delaware by merging into Novint Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
−Removed: Our principal executive
−Removed: offices are located at 100 Merrick Road–Suite 400W, Rockville Center, NY 11570.
−Removed: Our telephone number is (866) 298-4420, and
−Removed: our website address is www.novint.com .
−Removed: The information contained
−Removed: in, or accessible through our website does not constitute a part of and is not deemed or otherwise incorporated by reference in
−Removed: this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
−Removed: Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K,
−Removed: and all amendments to those reports, are available to you free of charge through the “Investors — SEC Filings”
−Removed: section of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials have been electronically filed with, or furnished
−Removed: to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.
−Removed: Our shares of common stock are listed on Other OTC under the symbol “NVNT.”
−Removed: Not required to
−Removed: be provided by smaller reporting companies.
+Added: On February 26, 2002, the
+Added: Company changed its state of incorporation to Delaware by merging into Novint Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
+Added: Company’s principal executive offices are located at 100 Merrick Road–Suite 400W, Rockville Center, NY 11570.
+Added: Company’s telephone number is (866) 298-4420, and its website address is www.novint.com .
+Added: information contained in, or accessible through our website does not constitute a part of and is not deemed or otherwise incorporated
+Added: by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
+Added: The Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q,
+Added: Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports, are available free of charge through the “Investors —
+Added: SEC Filings” section of the Company’s website as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials have been electronically
+Added: filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.
+Added: The Company’s shares of common stock are listed on
+Added: Other OTC under the symbol “NVNT.”
+Added: required to be provided by smaller reporting companies.
UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
−Removed: Currently, the Company
−Removed: does not lease or own any real property.
+Added: the Company does not lease or own any real property.
Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.