Sensel

Electronics company based in California

For photosites, see Pixel.

Sensel Inc.

Company type| Private
Industry| Computer hardware
Musical instruments
Founded| 2013; 12 years ago (2013)
Founders| Ilya Rosenberg
Aaron Zarraga
Headquarters|

Sunnyvale, California

USA

Products| Sensel Morph
Touchpads
Haptic technology
Tactile sensors
Force sensors
Website| sensel.com

Sensel is an electronics company based in Sunnyvale, California that builds touch input technologies . It was founded in 2013 by former Amazon engineers Ilya Rosenberg and Aaron Zarraga.[1] Sensel's first product, the Morph, is a pressure sensitive input device for creative applications.[2] In January 2021, it was announced that Sensel's touch technology would be incorporated in the touchpad for Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga laptop.[3]

## History

[edit]

Sensel co-founder and CEO Ilya Rosenberg met co-founder and CTO Aaron Zarraga while working at Amazon's Lab126. After leaving Amazon, the two founded Sensel in 2013.[1]

Together, the pair invented a new type of force sensor that could be manufactured like a printed circuit board.[1] Sensel used Kickstarter in 2015 to bring its first product, The Morph, to market.[4] The campaign raised $442,648.[5] The Morph began shipping to its Kickstarter backers in 2017, and became available for direct purchase later that year.[6]

In 2019, Sensel began shipping its first new Morph Overlay since its Kickstarter campaign, the Buchla Thunder Overlay, which was created in partnership with synthesizer and MIDI controller manufacturer Buchla U.S.A.[7]

In 2021, Sensel announced its new touchpad demonstration kit with touch, force, and haptic technologies.[8] It was also announced that Sensel's touch technology would be included in the touchpad for Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga laptop.[3]

In May 2022, Sensel announced that it has discontinued the Morph and would not bring it back into production. The possibility of some new product at some future unspecified time was suggested.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "How Two Ex-Amazon Engineers Invented a New Type of Customizable Force Interface". Gizmodo. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
2. ^ "The Sensel Morph trackpad is a digital creative's dream". Engadget. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
3. ^ a b "Here's why haptic touchpad tech is the future of modern computing". Windows Central. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
4. ^ "This Modular Touchpad May Be the Future of Input Devices". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
5. ^ "Ten Of The Best MIDI Keyboards - Page 6 of 10". Attack Magazine. 2018-07-27. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
6. ^ Arblaster, Simon (2 November 2017). "Sensel Morph wants to be the last controller you'll ever need and is available now". MusicRadar. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
7. ^ Arblaster, Simon (25 April 2019). "Sensel's Morph controller now comes with an official Buchla Thunder overlay". MusicRadar. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
8. ^ "Sensel haptic touchpad hands-on". Engadget. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
9. ^ "News". morph.sensel.com. 4 May 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Sensel website
* Sensel Morph website