MEMS and sensors are the key enablers for the continuously evolving human machine interface (HMI) technologies. NextInput, a leader in this technology segment, has been successfully deploying turnkey HMI solutions, including its MEMS force-sensing technology, for customers in the automotive, consumer, mobile, wearable, and industrial markets. We recently spoke with NextInput’s CEO and Founder Ali Foughi about emerging HMI trends, competitive landscape, commercial traction to date, and his vision for the company.
MEMS Journal: How did your career journey take you to NextInput?
Ali Foughi: I am an analog system design engineer by training. I started my career at LTX Corporation and spent 10 years designing high-end analog instrumentation. Based on a project I designed for Maxim Integrated Products, I was recruited by one of the founders and ended up spending 18 years in various roles, culminating in VP and GM of multiple business units. At Maxim, I learned the business side from an industry icon, Jack Gifford. I loved my days at Maxim and we were able to grow the company from approximately $100 million to over $2 billion. While at Maxim, we bought a MEMS company where I met Steve Nasiri who later gave me the opportunity to join him at InvenSense, his successful MEMS company, where I gained deep consumer experience. With the invaluable experiences from Maxim and InvenSense under my belt, I felt ready to lead NextInput to become a world class sensing company, building on the creativity of my co-founders, Ian Campbell and Ryan Diestelhorst.
MEMS Journal: Who are your major investors?
Ali Foughi: Sehat Sutardja and Weili Dai, Founders of Marvell, Steve Nasiri, Founder and former CEO of InvenSense, and Ben Yu, Managing Director at Sierra Ventures, as well as Intel Capital, Cota Capital, and UMC Capital.
MEMS Journal: What is NextInput’s mission and value proposition?
Ali Foughi: We have transformed NextInput from a component company to a turnkey system solutions company. We are focused on bringing superior HMI experiences to consumers worldwide, across all vertical markets. To us, a good HMI experience means highly intuitive, intent-driven, and safe interactions with all types of electronic devices and equipment, ranging from wearables, automotive interiors, smartphones, personal care devices, and many more.
Our technology enables new industrial designs with gapless surfaces, using any material, any shape, and any input. Our solutions are highly robust -- we are two orders of magnitude more reliable than mechanical switches, inherently waterproof and dustproof, and our devices are so small they can fit in form factors where a mechanical switch simply cannot. Our solutions don’t suffer from any issues due to ice, RF interference, or EMI. World-class quality is a fundamental tenet of our company, represented by our achievement of AEC-Q100, PPAP Level 3, and ISO-9001.
MEMS Journal: How does your technology compare to competition?
Ali Foughi: We just covered the shortcomings of mechanical switches, namely reliability, size, and surface gaps. Now I want to address the main problems with other technologies such as capacitive, ultrasonic, and strain gauges. For capacitive solutions, the user can’t reliably interact with their devices while using gloves or in humid environments (i.e. with moisture around). More fundamental, however, is our ability to eliminate false positives by sensing the “intent” that capacitive touch technology cannot. Similarly, ultrasonic solutions have false positives because there is no clear way to sense intent, while being quite costly and consuming very high-power. Strain gauges, commonly manufactured from printed ink, have poor reliability, low sensitivity, poor performance over temperature, and cannot pass automotive qualifications.
MEMS Journal: What does your product line-up look like right now?
Ali Foughi: NextInput is a comprehensive HMI platform company, offering multiple ways to interact with your devices. Unlike competitors who offer a single-function component, NextInput provides turnkey system sensing solutions. While NextInput is currently best known for our force sensing solutions, as an HMI company we offer both “touch” and “touchless” product lines. NextInput’s turnkey system-level solutions include our MEMS sensors, ultra-low power ASICs, software, and mechanical integration IP. All the IP is 100% owned by NextInput; we have developed our technology internally and do not license our core IP.
MEMS Journal: In the future, will IoT devices adopt force-sensing or will voice interactions be enough?
Ali Foughi: We believe both will coexist. In the privacy of the home, we believe voice interaction is viable. Outside of your home, people require privacy, and that’s where touch interaction comes into the picture. Remember, every IoT device has one or more mechanical buttons which we plan to replace with our force touch solution. So, in reality, growth in IoT will expand the total available market (TAM) for both voice and touch interactions.
MEMS Journal: How much traction do you have in the marketplace? Are you already in mass production?
Ali Foughi: Yes, we are currently in mass production supporting design wins in the mobile and automotive markets. In 2020, we will also be shipping to the wearable and consumer markets, thus achieving traction in four major vertical markets. Our capacity is approximately 100 million units and we can expand capacity very quickly.
MEMS Journal: Can you provide a few examples of the types of solutions you offer for these markets?
Ali Foughi: Sure, in fact at our company headquarters we have an “Experience Center” where we showcase over 20 different real-world applications for people to touch and get a first-hand feel for the experiences we create. Generally speaking, our solutions replace mechanical buttons, improve capacitive touch, and displace strain gauges in applications ranging from mobile gaming, smartphones, wearables, automotive interiors, consumer and IoT devices, to many others.
MEMS Journal: You immigrated to the United States from Iran when you were a teenager. How has that experience shaped you?
Ali Foughi: Yes, my journey brought me to America at an early age and I credit this to my father’s vision who had also studied in America. As a teenager growing up alone, I learned early on the importance of personal accountability and self-reliance. I also had amazing mentors and teachers who took interest in me and helped shape my development. America has been wonderful in providing the opportunity to succeed; all I had to do was work hard and never give up.
MEMS Journal: How do you apply that work ethic to NextInput’s culture?
Ali Foughi: At NextInput we are laser focused on innovation and working together as a team to achieve game changing results. Based on my upbringing, I believe in meaningful contribution by each team member toward our strategic vision. We have a culture of moving fast, innovating, and never tolerating politics. NextInput’s result-oriented culture has led to great achievements to date. Our people love the NextInput work environment.
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This article is a part of MEMS Journal's ongoing market research project in the area of advanced human machine interface (HMI) solutions enabled by MEMS and sensors technologies. If you would like to receive our comprehensive market research report on this topic, please contact Dr. Mike Pinelis at [email protected] for more information about rates and report contents.
Copyright 2019 MEMS Journal, Inc.
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