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(Business Wire)
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ: IMMR), the leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology (http://www.immersion.com/corporate/), announces its expansion of international presence with increased sales, marketing, and customer support operations for its medical business across Asia, Europe, and South America. Immersion Medical has hired medical simulation industry pioneer David Barkay to lead the global expansion and serve as vice president and general manager, International.
“We are already realizing results from our investments as we increase our global reach,” said Clent Richardson, Immersion president and CEO. “Our second quarter 2008 results delivered 60 percent growth in our international medical business over the year ago period. Under David’s leadership, we will staff with the very best people who will focus on generating new business and providing world-class service to customers in our significant markets around the world.”
Immersion Medical’s medical and surgical simulators provide highly realistic environments for education and training of minimally invasive bronchial, cardiac, gastrointestinal, gynecological, and many other procedures. Use of minimally invasive procedures is increasing because they usually entail less trauma, pain, scarring, post-surgical complications, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery times for patients. A high degree of expertise is needed to perform the procedures, and surgical simulators have been found to deliver safe, efficient, and effective training outside of the operating theatre.
“Surgical simulation education and training has been my passion for many years,” said David Barkay. “My goal is to apply Immersion Medical simulators to improve patient care and safety all over the world. Our new international team will focus on developing relationships with healthcare institutions and medical associations as well as on establishing channels to provide excellent customer service and increased revenue growth in these vibrant and growing markets.”
David Barkay is well known for pioneering the use of surgical simulators for the medical community. He is the former president and CEO of Simbionix Corp., the parent of Simbionix Ltd., which he co-founded in 1997. Prior to Simbionix, Barkay was a director of international sales for Applitec Ltd., an Israeli-based start-up specializing in medical video imaging systems. Barkay also spent four years at Micro Tools (a division of ISCAR Ltd.), serving as marketing and sales manager of European countries, and before that he was an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces.
About Immersion Medical, Inc. (www.immersionmedical.com)
Immersion Medical, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets computer-based surgical simulation training systems (http://www.immersion.com/medical/surgical_sim.php) worldwide. The medical and surgical simulators integrate proprietary computer software and tactile feedback robotics to create highly realistic medical simulations that help train clinicians. The company's key product lines are the Virtual IV system, Endoscopy AccuTouch® simulator, CathLabVR™ surgical simulator, and LaparoscopyVR™ surgical simulation system.
About Immersion (www.immersion.com)
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is the recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Using Immersion’s advanced touch feedback technology (http://www.immersion.com/corporate), electronic user interfaces are more compelling, entertaining, and in many applications, safer and more productive. Immersion’s technology has helped manufacturers develop innovative and creative solutions for products such as hundreds of video games and leading video console gaming systems, medical training simulators installed around the world, driver controls for automotive manufacturers, and mobile phones, such as those from LG and Samsung. Immersion’s patent portfolio includes over 700 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.
Forward-looking Statements
All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the commercial success of simulation products in the U.S. or other countries; any statements concerning consumer or market acceptance of simulator products for medical training, continuing education or evaluation or consumer and market acceptance of force feedback products in general; any statement regarding the timing of the commercial availability of a simulator product; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion’s actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with our business, which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for our products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in our most current Form 10-Q, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect our beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.
Immersion, the Immersion logo, AccuTouch, CathLabVR, and LaparoscopyVR are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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