News

Halloween is coming! Last year we took everyone to space. This year, we’re taking you into the deep sea where some say is home to some of the most terrifying creatures. Grab your costume and join us on October 28 for Tactile’s 9th annual Halloween party—a frightfully good time with our friends. Come if you dare—we’re dying to see you! Email us for more details.

Just in time for Gamescom 2017, our friends at Xbox announced the Xbox One S Minecraft Limited Edition console and controllers. Etched blocks and redstone color, material and finish (CMF) elements immortalizes Minecraft and the thrill of creating, exploring and surviving your own adventure. The limited edition celebrates the game and most importantly, its fans. We’re so proud to have collaborated with Xbox on this fantastic project—congrats to the team!

In 1990 the American with Disabilities Act help pave the way for individuals with disabilities. However, the law pertains to physical disability accommodations in jobs, transportation, schools, and all public and private places—not cognitive, social, or intellectual disabilities. Our partners at Welcome Inclusion (WIN) want to advocate for these individuals. WIN is a public awareness initiative to “promote a world of inclusion” for children and adults with intellectual, behavioral and social differences through three key activities: awareness, community and training. To help elevate the initiative, WIN reached out to Tactile to design the logo and branded campaign materials. The WIN logo will be applied to businesses and organizations that partner with WIN, advocating an inclusive environment for those with differences. We’re proud to be a part of an influential initiative and making an impact through design.

Designing medical products isn’t just an expertise at Tactile, it’s a specialty—we love being a part of making an impact on lifesaving tools. Our partners at EKOS® received US FDA approval in February 2017 for one of their newest products, the EKOS Control Unit 4.0. The EKOS Control Unit 4.0 provides the power to the EKOS System’s ultrasonic core device that uses acoustic pulses to efficiently and safely dissolve blood clots and restore blood flow in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). Looking to refresh their PE treatment device, EKOS enlisted Tactile to redesign EKOS Control Unit 4.0, the user interface, and the system’s packaging. Learn more about the project here.

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder with over 55 million Americans suffering from chronic insomnia. Our partners at Ebb™ Therapeutics recently launched Ebb Insomnia Therapy, a clinically-proven wearable device that delivers safe and effective insomnia treatment. In close collaboration with Ebb Therapeutics, Tactile helped design the first and only FDA-cleared device that reduces the time it takes to fall asleep and enter deep, restorative sleep. With product shipments beginning this fall, Ebb Insomnia Therapy includes an intelligent bedside temperature controller with a comfortable headband that provides precise cooling throughout the night. Congrats to Ebb Therapeutics on the launch! More information at www.ebbsleep.com.

It’s finally here! Last week our friends at Tektronix released their newest oscilloscope—the 5 Series MSO. With multiple patent-pending design elements, the 5 Series MSO features a 15.6-inch HD pinch-zoom-swipe touchscreen offering a revolutionary experience. The 5 Series MSO is the next-generation oscilloscope in observing and measuring complex electrical data. Learn more about the 5 Series MSO here. We’re so proud to be a part of an incredible collaboration. Congrats Tektronix!

At the core of our work are the strong relationships we develop with our clients. It’s truly the epicenter. And sometimes we even get the privilege to work with other great partners to bring more expert knowledge and skills to the table. Witekio has been just that partner for us. Witekio is an embedded software expert that provides custom services for software development, integration, design, support, and training for any device from the hardware to the cloud. Tactile worked with Witekio on both Cerevast Neurosonx™ SR and EAWmosaic™ Mobile App projects—bringing the wireframing and visual design to life. We look forward to working with Witekio on future projects.

Last week our partners at Microsoft unveiled the first Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers with no markers required. Available this holiday, a Windows Mixed Reality headset paired with motion controllers will provide a rich and immersive experience across creativity tools, productivity, games, and entertainment. The motion controllers offer precise and responsive tracking of movement in your field of view using the sensors in your headset. There is no need to install hardware on the walls around you. Learn more here. Great work team!

Last month Tactile was honored to sponsor the UW School of Art + Art History + Design’s first Anne Focke Arts Leadership Award event. It was a memorable evening honoring the 2017 award winner Beth Sellars, learning about the School’s recent projects, and raising over $62K to provide funding for their graduate students. The Anne Focke Arts Leadership Award recognizes individuals who pave the way for art, art history, and design to enliven and strengthen the community through their visionary and active leadership. Congratulations to the award winner, Beth Sellars!

In an effort to continue Intel’s vision to improve the retail experience, Intel called on Tactile to help further develop a foot scanner to accurately measure shoe sizes. Tactile partnered with Intel previously on a foot scanner concept applying Intel’s RealSense camera technology and using only one camera. This new concept features four Intel RealSense cameras that scan simultaneously around your calves and feet. Unsure if a boot will fit? The cameras will also capture calf width to provide proper measurements for boots too. With more and more people taking their shopping online, Intel hopes to not only improve the overall shopping experience, but to also reduce logistics and costs of returns. Once customers get their in-store measurements, it can be used to make confident online purchases. Brick and mortar become showrooms to get a sense for styles and materials. Intel’s latest foot scanner was recently unveiled at the NRF Big Show in New York and will be showcased at Intel’s internal sales conference later this month.