Microsoft to acquire Perceptive Pixel

Microsoft and Perceptive Pixel Have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Microsoft will acquire PPI, manufacturer of large-scale, multi-touch display solutions.

"The acquisition of PPI allows us to draw on our complementary strengths, and we're excited to accelerate this market evolution," said Kurt DelBene, president, Office Division for Microsoft. "PPI's large touch displays, when combined with hardware from our OEMs, will become powerful Windows 8-based PCs and open new possibilities for productivity and collaboration."

PPI was used by Microsoft to demonstrate the touch capabilities of Windows 8 at its recent press event.

InAVate has previously covered Perceptive Pixel's technology, which differs from other touch and stylus-based technologies in that it can cope with an unlimited number of touch points at once, as well as a combination of stylus and finger inputs.

The company's achievement has been to scale up the capacitive touch technology commonly used in small devices such as smart phones and tablets, to the scale of large format LCD panels.