Novint Technologies
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Haptic technology, Computer hardware, Software |
| Founded | 2000 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States |
| Fate | Company defunct |
| Headquarters | Albuquerque , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Novint Falcon, HDAL, HFX, F-Gen, Gesture Cube (G-Cube) |
Novint Technologies, Inc. was a company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico that specialized in the creation of haptic hardware and software solutions. It pioneered the Novint Falcon, recognized as the first consumer-grade 3D touch device that allows users to feel tactile sensations through their computer interactions. Novint targeted two primary sectors: the gaming industry, where the Falcon enhances player immersion by simulating physical touch, and professional fields via its Advanced Products Group (APG), which applies haptic technology across diverse industrial uses.
Novint Falcon
The Novint Falcon is a USB-connected haptic interface intended to replace traditional mice in gaming and other interactive environments. Its name derives from a bird of prey known for hunting mice. The device features interchangeable grips manipulated by users in three-dimensional space—moving left-right, forward-backward, and up-down—unlike conventional mice limited to two dimensions. The Falcon’s software monitors grip position with sub-millimeter accuracy and refreshes motor feedback at a rate of 1,000 times per second, producing lifelike tactile sensations such as solid surfaces, texture variations, weight perception, inertia, and dynamic forces like gun recoil or vehicle acceleration.
In terms of design, the Falcon resembles a consumer robot: a handle attached via three articulated arms to a conical central body mounted on a U-shaped base. Each arm operates independently, powered by motors equipped with optical sensors that track position precisely. A Jacobian algorithm converts these arm movements into Cartesian coordinates, enabling exact cursor positioning. The device can exert forces exceeding 2 pounds every millisecond to realistically replicate touch feedback.
Novint created multiple grip options tailored for different applications. The standard spherical grip includes four buttons arranged to spell out 'NVNT,' representing the company’s name and stock symbol. An ergonomic pistol grip accessory was developed specifically for first-person shooter games, featuring several buttons for enhanced control. For professional use, there is a 3 Degree of Freedom (3 DOF) grip capable of detecting handle rotation and delivering force feedback along two axes, broadening its utility beyond gaming into specialized industry sectors.
Novint software
Novint placed significant emphasis on developing 3D touch software alongside its hardware offerings to deliver an authentic tactile experience in computing.
Its software suite comprises HDAL (Haptic Device Abstraction Layer), a foundational driver responsible for managing communication between the Falcon and the host computer, and HFX (Haptics Effects), a higher-level interface designed to generate force effects within games. Novint produced various professional applications and released numerous video games—some developed internally and others modified to support Falcon functionality. Additionally, an independent open-source driver library for the Falcon is available.
The Falcon comes bundled with three main applications: an instructional tutorial; Newton's Monkey Business, which consists of 24 mini-games showcasing diverse interactive experiences; and the Feelin It Sports Pack featuring activities such as bowling, home run derby, three-point shootout, table tennis, and golf. The tutorial demonstrates textures like ice, sandpaper, and molasses, alongside dynamic simulations including swinging a ball attached to a rubber band and operating a virtual slingshot.
Among Novint’s earliest offerings was Haptics Life 2, a free modification for Half-Life 2 that replaced mouse input with Falcon controls while integrating 3D force feedback to emulate weapon recoil, object mass, damage impact, and acceleration effects.
By 2009, Novint had released over fifty titles compatible with the Falcon, predominantly existing games enhanced to incorporate touch feedback. The company provided two integration methods for games: FalconHD and F-Gen. FalconHD involved licensed access to game source code for direct force feedback implementation, whereas F-Gen allowed adding controls and force effects without requiring source code access.
F-Gen was created as a community-oriented toolset aimed at rapidly expanding support for games and applications. It includes a scripting language and supports additional 'Tools' add-ons. F-Gen drivers mimic mouse input with customizable movement scaling and button mapping options, enabling compatibility with virtually any PC game or software.
Novint also developed the Gesture Cube (G-Cube) system for gesture recognition, enabling users to assign up to 36 simple gestures to key presses or macros across various programs—for instance, gestures could activate a flashlight or execute cut-and-paste commands.
F-Gen game compatibility is categorized into three tiers: Bronze (basic mouse emulation), Silver (simple force feedback), and Gold (advanced haptic feedback), complementing the more integrated FalconHD titles.
Novint games
Following the release of the F-Gen Beta, the Novint Falcon became compatible with all PC games. Novint and its user community have continuously worked on developing specialized drivers within the F-Gen framework to improve force feedback support across numerous titles.
History
In 1995, Sandia National Laboratories acquired one of the earliest commercial 3D haptic devices and began creating haptic software aimed at scientific visualization. Under Anderson’s leadership until 2000, the initiative concentrated on foundational haptic research before Anderson established Novint, which secured exclusive rights to commercialize this technology.
Novint aimed to revolutionize computing by incorporating tactile feedback. While initially focusing on consumer markets, the company redirected its efforts towards professional sectors due to the dot-com crash and limited early funding. Novint offered tailored development services to clients such as Lockheed Martin, Chrysler, Chevron, Mobil, Aramco, Sandia National Laboratories, and Harvard University.
By 2004, 3D haptic devices were still prohibitively expensive—costing upwards of $10,000—prompting Novint to design its own affordable consumer device. Collaborating with Force Dimension, Novint transformed a $15,000 high-end model into a durable yet cost-effective product suitable for gaming and surgical simulation applications.
In 2006, in partnership with Lunar Design, Novint developed a consumer prototype and went public on OTC:BB under the ticker symbol NVNT. Later that year, production was outsourced to V-Tech in China.
At CES 2007, Novint unveiled the launch of the Novint Falcon for consumers. On June 18, 2006—Anderson’s 32nd birthday—the company introduced the first consumer-grade 3D tactile device, slashing hardware costs by a factor of one hundred.
With a solid hardware foundation established, Novint focused on broadening game compatibility. In May 2008, it licensed seven AAA titles from Electronic Arts and signed agreements with other publishers including Valve.
Valve updated Half-Life 2: Episode One and Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 in June 2009 to add support for the Falcon.
The F-Gen beta software was released in December 2009, enabling the Falcon to function similarly to a mouse within Windows and offering scripting options for extensive game integration.
In February 2010, Novint launched F-Gen beta 2 featuring proprietary G-cube technology and issued a patch addressing button-related issues; these updates were distributed through Novint’s forums.
See also
External links
- (defunct)
- Novint Falcon demonstration video from CES 2007
- libnifalcon – Open source driver for Novint Falcon