The Toyota Tsusho Group’s electronics trading company NEXTY Electronics Corporation  (President: Atsushi Aoki; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter referred to as “NEXTY Electronics”) signed a distributor agreement with Neonode Inc. (CEO: Urban Forssell; Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden; hereinafter referred to as “Neonode”), which sells some of the world’s highest performance contactless touch sensor modules and software IP, on January 14, 2021.

[Background and Purpose]

While there are currently numerous devices operated through direct contact with a touch panel, the significant impact of COVID-19 is rapidly increasing demand for sanitary ways to operate these devices without having to physically touch them.

By signing this distributor agreement, NEXTY Electronics is now able to
provide a variety of clients with high-quality, high-performance contactless touch sensor modules. Retrofitting these modules into existing products is simple due to their compatibility with a variety of operating systems.

Contactless Touch Control Device

Based on a customer’s desired implementation, NEXTY Electronics can provide interface boards for the sensor modules, as well as rewrite the firmware for the module’s internal microcontroller to customize its sensing range. Furthermore, the company can provide customers with support for installing the modules in their own products and initial inspections for problems, helping them to get their products to market quickly.

Contactless sensing can be added to devices just by attaching Neonode’s sensor modules to the panels used to control a customer’s product*1. Possessing numerous patents for contactless touch sensor hardware and software, Neonode makes it possible to turn displays and physical keys into contactless input devices with its exclusive technology and decades of expertise related to gesture recognition.

By teaming NEXTY Electronics’ wealth of semiconductor-related technologies and knowhow with Neonode’s software technology, which boasts high recognition rates, the two companies will use this relationship to help rapidly resolve the challenges society faces and contribute to making it safer and more secure.

*1  In rare instances calibration may be required.

Example Applications

Cases where conversion to contactless touch operation is desired to prevent the spread of infection

In-flight entertainment system　　　

White goods and home appliances

Other applications include Ticket vending machines, Ticket kiosks, Elevators, Tablet devices for ordering, Self-checkout machines, Toilets, include ATMs, beverage dispensers and vending machines

Cases where contactless touch operation cannot be used due to sanitary or safety reasons

Medical touch displays　　

Hand-hold appications for construction segment

Other applications include Work performed in sanitary environments, Environments where water is used　

[Company Profiles]

■NEXTY Electronics Corporation
Shinagawa Front Bldg., 2-3-13, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo

NEXTY Electronics, an electronics trading company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan is one of the core members of the Toyota Tsusho Group’s electronics business and boasts top-of-class scale in the automotive electronics sector. It is actively adapting its autonomous driving, connected and other leading-edge technologies that it has cultivated in that sector for use in peripheral industries such as manufacturing and agricultural equipment. With its core strengths of technology and products, it meets customer and global needs in a wide range of fields and offers solutions to the challenges faced by society.

For more information, visit: https://www.nexty-ele.com/english/

■Neonode Inc.
Karlavägen 100, 115 26 Stockholm, Sweden

Neonode Inc. (NASDAQ:NEON) is a publicly traded company, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and established in 2001. The company provides advanced optical sensing solutions for contactless touch, touch, gesture control, and in-cabin monitoring. Building on experience acquired during years of advanced R&D and technology licensing, Neonode’s technology is currently deployed in more than 75 million products and the company holds more than 120 patents worldwide. Neonode’s customer base includes some of the world’s best-known Fortune 500 companies in the consumer electronics, office equipment, medical, avionics, and automotive industries.

NEONODE and the NEONODE logo are trademarks of Neonode Inc. registered in the United States and other countries.

For more information, visit https://www.neonode.com