TactoTek, the global leader in In-Mold Structural Electronics (IMSE®) technology, has announced a €5 million investment from Kyocera, a global leader in fine ceramic components, electronics, and technology solutions. This investment is part of TactoTek’s ongoing funding round and signals Kyocera’s commitment to advancing its innovative haptics platform, HAPTIVITY®*.
Kyocera is enhancing its HAPTIVITY® solution by embedding its piezoceramic actuators directly within IMSE components, resulting in HAPTIVITY® i. The platform combines force sensing and tactile feedback to enable intuitive and user-friendly experiences. Force sensing ensures intentional activation of capacitive touch interfaces, while tactile feedback provides physical confirmation of actions.
Kyocera’s piezoceramic actuators showcase its expertise in fine ceramic materials, applicable to both industrial and consumer technologies. As a TactoTek licensee, Kyocera has successfully integrated its components into IMSE human-machine interface (HMI) surfaces. This collaboration delivers innovative HMI solutions that are thin, lightweight, and tactile, setting a new benchmark for interactive design.
“With HAPTIVITY® i, Kyocera fulfills the intent of TactoTek’s licensing model—enabling our partners to combine IMSE technology with their own strengths to secure and extend their market position,” noted Jussi Harvela, CEO at TactoTek. “Kyocera’s significant investment in TactoTek’s current financing round reflects the market potential of IMSE technologies, including Kyocera’s current customers and prospects.”
TactoTek develops and validates IMSE technology that it licenses to an ecosystem of partners, including designers, manufacturers, integrators, and OEMs/brands who design, manufacture, and integrate IMSE into their product offerings. User interfaces and lighting solutions are among the prominent IMSE use cases.
“The use of capacitive touch switches in HMIs has become common, and the market demand for tactile sensation is growing. On the other hand, conventional technology has not been able to make it thinner and lighter with tactile functions,” said Masafumi Ikeuchi, executive officer of Kyocera Corporation. “HAPTIVITY® i is the world’s first technology to successfully add a tactile function to an HMI while maintaining a thin and light design by encapsulating piezo ceramics with resin using IMSE technology. IMSE also opened the possibility of integrating piezo ceramics and Kyocera’s extensive product range.”
