CHICAGO, Ill – 31 October 2006 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT),
proudly announces its revolutionary finger writing technology has been selected
to receive the 2006 Chicago Innovation Award. The game-changing technology is
an innovative text-input method for mobile phones that brings the convenience
of text messaging and email right into the user’s finger. By integrating a
capacitive sensor underneath a device’s regular keypad, users’ finger movements
are detected while handwriting recognition and predictive text technologies
translate them into recorded text. The technology eliminates the need for
discrete digit keypads, which allows for a greater field of applications on the
mobile device and could inspire new form factors.
“We’re honoured to be recognized as a leading innovator in the Chicago area,”
said Tom MacTavish, vice president, human interaction research, Motorola Labs.
“At Motorola we’re working to develop new technology platforms that will make
user interaction with mobile devices smarter and more effective. The finger
writing technology is a demonstration of Motorola’s commitment to advancing the
future of communications.”
Any language that uses graphical characters can benefit from this core
technology. Finger writing is currently available on smart phones in
Chinese-speaking markets – Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan – where texting
can be difficult in a language with over 13,000 characters. Future
implementations may appear in countries such as India, the Middle East and
other Asian countries.
Honouring 10 local companies, the Chicago Innovation Awards recognize the
area’s outstanding innovators over the past year. The finger writing technology
has earned Motorola its third Chicago Innovation Award, the most of any Chicago
area company. In previous years, Motorola has also been recognized for Canopy™
Wireless Broadband solution and MOTO RAZR v3 mobile phone.
“Innovation is alive and strong in Chicago. We created the Chicago Innovation
Awards to recognize area companies and organizations that are inspiring and
educating others with their innovative products and services,” said Thomas
Kuczmarski, president of Kuczmarski & Associates.
Chicago-based consulting firm Kuczmarski & Associates and the Chicago
Sun-Times created the Chicago Innovation Awards program and oversaw the
nomination and judging processes. Honourees from the winning companies will be honoured
on Monday, October 30, in a ceremony at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
About the Chicago Innovation Awards
Kuczmarski & Associates and the Chicago Sun-Times established the
Chicago Innovation Awards in 2002 as an annual program to honour significant
innovations introduced by Chicago area companies. Each year the Chicago
Innovation Awards honour 10 winners who have introduced products or services
that uniquely fill unmet needs, generate a competitive response in the
marketplace, exceed market expectations and achieve financial success. For more
information, visit www.ChicagoInnovationAwards.com.
About Kuczmarski Associates
Kuczmarski & Associates is a leading management consulting firm
specializing in helping companies accelerate growth through innovative new
product and service development and branding, positioning and marketing
strategy. Founded in 1983, K&A is recognized by Consultants News as
one of “North America’s 100 Leading Management Consulting Firms,” serving
companies ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations, in a broad
range of industries. K&A specializes in consumer-based consulting and
assists clients in developing strategies, building frameworks, outlining
processes and designing training programs to enhance management performance. For
more information, visit www.kuczmarski.com.
Source: Motorola press release
