About Interlink Electronics

Interlink Electronics, Inc. (Interlink) designs, develops, manufactures and sells a range of force-sensing and gas-sensing technologies that incorporate its proprietary materials technology, firmware and software into a portfolio of standard sensor based products and custom sensor system solutions. Interlink operates in two principal divisions: force-sensing resistors/Human Machine Interface ('HMI') technology and gas-sensing technology. Force-Sensing Resistors. The company designs, develops, manufactures and sells a range of force-sensing technologies that incorporate the company's proprietary materials technology, firmware and software into a portfolio of standard products and custom solutions. These include sensor components, subassemblies, modules and products that support effective, efficient cursor control and novel three-dimensional user inputs. The company's Human Machine Interface ('HMI') technology platforms are deployed in a wide range of markets including consumer electronics, automotive, industrial, and medical. The application of the company's HMI technology platforms includes vehicle entry, vehicle multi-media control interface, rugged touch controls, presence detection, collision detection, speed and torque controls, pressure mapping, biological monitoring and others. Interlink has been a leader in the printed electronics industry for over 35 years with the commercialization of the company's patented Force-Sensing Resistor ('FSR') technology that has enabled rugged and reliable HMI solutions. The company's solutions have focused on handheld user input, menu navigation, cursor control, and other intuitive interface technologies for the world's top electronics manufacturers. The company invented FSR technology and pioneered commercialization of printed electronics manufacturing, paving the way for industry-wide adoption of force-sensing technology. The company's extensive knowledge and experience with this technology, along with the firmware the company incorporate in the company's HMI solutions, differentiates the company from other providers of HMI solutions. The company, along with its customers, incorporate the company's FSR and force-sensing sensors and modules into end-user products. The company's sensors and modules are used in electronics devices and systems where user input must be converted into useful output data. The company's force-sensing technology solution platforms enable industry-first implementations in gaming, smartphone, rugged notebook, automotive cockpit and automotive entry applications. Consumer and end-user demand for enhanced user experience is driving the need for innovative multi-modal HMI technologies and applications. Force-sensing input provides a critical novel modality that drives a paradigm shift in HMI. The market is increasingly requiring innovative solutions that enable smaller, thinner devices, lower power consumption, highly refined designs, better navigation and more intuitive usability in all environments, which is driving increased demand for the company's products. High-tech products are moving towards the use of multi-modal HMI in the home, industrial, medical and automotive spaces. Interlink delivers cutting edge, high performance HMI solutions for customers who wish to replace outdated switches and knobs in these environments. Significant market opportunities are rapidly emerging for the company to improve upon the functionality of standard capacitive sensors which are widely available and competitively priced. Inadvertent activation, where users unintentionally activate a control, is a common problem with capacitive technology. In contrast, force-sensing solutions require a deliberate application of force to operate. The company has had success in using the company's force-sensing solutions in combination with capacitive technologies to minimize the latter's performance issues, enabling force-sensing solutions to complement competitive technologies and provide hybrid solutions and open up new opportunities for growth. The company continue to simultaneously expand the company's standard product portfolio and develop new technology platforms to grow existing markets and capture emerging markets. This portfolio expansion will incorporate other complimentary sensing technologies. This broader portfolio of technologies will allow the company to use the company's expertise in integrating multiple sensing technologies for applications in the rapidly growing Internet-of-Things ('IoT'). Gas-Sensing Technology. The company entered the gas-sensing market through the company's acquisition in December 2022 of the business assets of SPEC Sensors, LLC ('SPEC') and KWJ Engineering, Inc. ('KWJ'), early pioneers in miniaturized, low-cost gas-sensing technologies, for approximately $2.2 million. Through these divisions (collectively, 'SPEC-KWJ'), the company now offers electrochemical gas-sensing technology products and solutions for industry, community, health and home, with uses in fields such as carbon monoxide and ozone detection and air quality monitoring. The company's SPEC-KWJ division operates three primary business activities: Custom Design and Engineering. For customers requiring specialized design and engineering work on new products incorporating gas-sensing, the company offer circuit design and optimization, advanced characterization and compensation, development of operating firmware and algorithms, enclosure design and implementation, and testing and calibration. Examples include the world's first carbon monoxide shutoff for portable generators and a rapid transdermal alcohol detector that can serve as a barrier to starting a vehicle while intoxicated. SBIR Awards. The company has been successful in obtaining Small Business Innovation Research ('SBIR') grants from government agencies such as the NIH, the USDA, the NSF and the EPA that have enabled the company to conduct research and development and develop new products. For example, SPEC's Screen Printed Electrochemical Sensor technology was developed in part under NSF Phase I, II and IIB grants. Recent SBIR-funded projects include wildland fire air pollution monitoring and firefighter safety devices, transdermal blood alcohol monitors, and a simple lead test for drinking water safety. Proprietary Product Lines. The company offers its own line of instruments, including Eco Sensors ozone monitors, an inline monitor for CO and other gases, a low-pressure alarm to notify users when tanks for life-critical gases, such as oxygen and nitrogen need to be replenished, and sensor modules for air quality monitoring in 'smart city' projects and IoT applications. Additionally, the company provides a line of electrochemical sensors that are suited for wearable technology. The company is positioned to take advantage of these trends with the company's proprietary, low-cost, low-power gas-sensing technologies and deep domain expertise in instrument design and implementation. Locations. Interlink serves the company's world-wide customer base from the company's corporate headquarters in Irvine, California (Orange County area), from the company's facility in Camarillo, California (Ventura County), and from the SPEC-KWJ facility in Newark, California (Silicon Valley area). The company has established a Global Product Development and Materials Science Center in the company's Camarillo footprint that has a state-of-the-art printed electronics development laboratory as well as a materials science lab. The company's force-sensing/HMI engineering team is based in this center where the company works with its U.S. and global customers on developing, engineering, prototyping and implementing the company's advanced HMI and sensing solutions. The SPEC-KWJ engineering team is located at the Newark facility. The company also maintains a small embedded software and IoT application development center in Singapore, and the company expects to launch an engineering, research and development center in the United Kingdom. The company manufactures all of its force-sensing/HMI products in the company's printed electronics manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, China, which has been in operation since 2006, and all of the company's gas-sensing products at the SPEC-KWJ facility in Newark. In addition, the company maintains a global distribution and logistics center in Hong Kong, a technical sales office in Japan, and several manufacturer representatives and distributors in strategic locations in the company's key markets, all of which allows the company to support its global customer base. The company sells its products in a wide range of markets, including consumer electronics, automotive, industrial and medical. The company's customers are some of the world's largest companies and most recognizable brands. Strategy The company's strategies are to expand its presence in the markets the company occupys; expand into new and emerging markets; expand the company's presence with its customers; pursue a multi-technology roadmap; and pursue inorganic growth opportunities. The company also maintains a technical sales force that can address new and existing customer opportunities worldwide. Technology Platforms and Products Force-Sensing Technology and HMI. Interlink was founded on the invention and commercialization of FSR technology, the industry's first force-sensing solution using printed electronics manufacturing. As the company transition from an FSR sensor supplier to an HMI solutions provider, the company pursue and embrace leading edge force-sensing and related technology platforms. The company's embedded software engineering team located in Singapore, along with the company's VP of Engineering & Advanced Materials and the company's expanding materials science and engineering team in Camarillo, California, are focused on strategic technology roadmaps, development of scalable technology platform architectures and pursuit of synergistic technology partnerships. The company also expects to launch an engineering, research and development center in the United Kingdom. In an ever-changing and competitive landscape, the company is committed to staying ahead of the technology curve. The company's patented FSR sensor technology consists of a bottom layer of conductor electrodes, a proprietary resistive material top layer and a separator between the two layers. An additional top layer that contains graphics and protects the sensor can also be added. FSR sensors can be as thin as eight thousandths of an inch, making them particularly well suited for use where the design space is restricted, as in portable or wearable electronics. The company's force-sensing technology enables the sensor to be used for continuously variable control functions. For example, in a pointing device, increased pressure can be used to produce faster cursor movement. The company's FSR sensors have no moving parts, can be packaged in a sealed environment, and are lower power and less susceptible to false readings or unintended touches than capacitive sensors. The company has developed sophisticated algorithms and firmware that allows the company's FSR technology to become a complete solution delivering effective HMI functionality to the company's customers. Custom Solutions. Interlink offers a comprehensive portfolio of standard solutions, from simple force sensors to multi-finger capable rugged trackpads. The largest part of the company's business, however, is the development and manufacture of custom solutions for the company's major customers. The company offers full integration capability spanning initial concept to large volume manufacturing. Custom solutions can be a single- or multi-technology platform to meet customer requirements and include both input and output technologies. The company also offers full embedded firmware development and integration support. In many instances the company works very closely with the company's OEM partners from the concept phase to ensure that the company's solutions are successfully integrated. Standard Solutions. The company's portfolio of standard solutions includes: The company's standard single zone FSR sensors are the most versatile force-sensing technology on the market today. These innovative sensors provide an inverse change in resistance in response to an increase or decrease in applied force. These provide engineers and designers with a durable, reliable, easy to measure, easy to integrate, thin-form factor and low-cost solution for HMI touch solutions and analog data capture for machines. FSR sensors are available in a range of sizes, shapes and lengths and with several connection options. The company also now offers them in different force-sensing ranges, with the introduction of the company's FSR X and FSR UX range of standard sensors. These new sensors were developed in the company's material science development lab. Force-sensing linear potentiometers ('FSLP') are sensors, which can be used for menu navigation and control. The company's use of force allows for high rate scrolling and a more intuitive user experience. The FSLP is an easy to integrate, high resolution, ultra-low-power based solution that brings intuitive user controls to reduced form factor hand-held consumer electronic devices. These sensors are available in multiple lengths. The company also offers a ring sensor for full 360-degree position sensing. These sensors are designed to be integrated into a device's host processor without the need for a dedicated microprocessor. The company's integrated mouse modules and pointing solutions can add touchpad or 360-degree pointing control to virtually any electronic device. Ranging from simple mouse button integration to NEMA rated (National Electrical Manufacturer Association) industrial pointing devices, these solutions are ideal for applications away from the desktop. The modules use FSR technology and measurement firmware in a four-zone sensor or 4-wire resistive touchpad configuration along with a micro-controller to provide pressure sensitive cursor direction and speed control in a durable and easy to integrate form factor. Piezoelectric sensors are an upcoming addition to the company's standard sensor portfolio. After highly successful custom implementation in automotive applications, the company has developed a set of standard piezo sensors and development kit. These sensors are polymeric piezoelectric sensors with a wide range of applications and uses such as dynamic strain gauges, impact/force sensors, vital signs sensors, motion sensors, vibration sensors, accelerometers, and solid state rugged switches. Many of these diverse application modes require extensive domain knowledge for successful integration. The company's expertise in this area will allow the company to be a trusted advisor to help the company's customers develop specialized solutions and solve their integration challenges. Gas-Sensing Technology. The company's gas-sensing products and technologies are based on developing smaller, low-power, low-cost solutions to challenging applications in gas sensing. The company combines a long history and deep domain knowledge with cutting-edge sensor technology and advanced instrumentation to make reliable products that also enable new applications for wireless and wearable gas sensing. The company's engineering team includes five Ph.Ds in a broad range of disciplines from Chemical Engineering to Electrical Engineering and Physics. The company designs and builds all of its sensors and instruments in-house, and the company's facilities include proprietary high-volume electrochemical sensor manufacturing, device assembly and calibration, and advanced test and measurement capabilities. The company partners with leading institutions, such as Georgia Tech and San Jose State to develop novel technologies under government grants, while also performing new product development and engineering services for private partners that include startups and Fortune 500 companies. Gas-sensor technologies are diverse and fragmented with devices and sensors focused on specific solitions and applications. Electrochemical gas sensors are typically more sensitive and selective to particular gases and are inherently low power to operate. They are also typically very large, expensive and prone to short lifespans in the field. SPEC Sensors was created to address the growing market demand for smaller, lower cost, high performance electrochemical sensors for wireless, wearable and IoT applications, and the company combines proven electrochemical sensor technology with new materials and manufacturing methods to produce some of the smallest, thinnest, lowest cost gas sensors still capable of performing in demanding applications. The company's electrochemical gas-sensing technology products and solutions combine the company's innovations with custom electronics, calibration and compensation to deliver unique solutions and address needs in industry, community, health and home settings, with uses in fields such as carbon monoxide and ozone detection and air quality monitoring. The company's Eco Sensors branded line of ozone monitors and detectors is the low-cost market leader in the space, incorporating state-of-the-art SPEC sensors to achieve reference-level accuracy at a low cost. Ozone is commonly used in a wide variety of commercial applications to clean, disinfect and remediate odors without the use of environmentally harmful chemicals. Ozone is a powerful oxidant that can be produced on site and dissipates into oxygen after reaction or its end of half-life. However, ozone is toxic to humans and can destroy materials at higher concentrations and therefore needs to be monitored during use for safety and process control. Under the Eco Sensors brand, the company offers a full line of ozone instruments, including low cost handhelds, wall mount alarms, remote generator controllers and OEM modules. The company offers a number of standard and custom solutions for in-line carbon monoxide monitoring for supplied breathing air applications. Designed to meet the requirements of OSHA monitoring for CO in compressed gas lines and carrying CSA approval, the company's CO monitors offer a robust and reliable solution for medical gas verification and demanding supplied air applications such as sandblasting and painting. The company also makes low-pressure cylinder alarms and the world's smallest Bluetooth CO monitor, the SPARROW. The company's line of screen-printed electrochemical gas sensors offer high performance and a unique, small form factor at a low price. The company's UL-2034 recognized CO sensor offers air quality level sensitivity with an industry-leading 10-year lifetime. Additionally, the company offers sensors for H2S, Ozone, NO2, SO2, Ethanol and VOC's, as well as new sensors for hydrogen and low-level outdoor CO. The company also sells gas-sensor modules that incorporate operating electronics and signal processing to deliver compensated PPM output off the shelf. Intellectual Property As of December 31, 2022, the company held twenty-four (24) patents, and had sixteen (16) patents pending. The company groups its patents into three general categories: sensors, which includes eight (8) patents expiring between 2024 and 2032; sensing systems, which includes five (5) patents expiring between 2029 and 2038; and human interface devices, including eleven (11) patents expiring between 2024 and 2036. Sales and Marketing The company sells its products and solutions through the company's direct sales employees, as well as outside sales representatives and distributors. The company works directly with large multi-national companies, small start-up companies, technology design houses and original equipment manufacturers ('OEMs'). The company's sales personnel have extensive engineering backgrounds and receive substantial support from the company's internal engineering resources. Sales frequently result from interactions between senior management, design engineers, procurement departments, and the company's sales personnel. The company interacts with its customers throughout the product development and order process. The company maintains sales offices in the United States and Japan. The company primarily utilizes Digi-Key Electronics, based in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, as a global, full-service distributor of the company's standard products. In addition to Digi-Key Electronics, the company distributes gas-detection instruments through Grainger, Cole Parmer and other worldwide distributors, and the company has representative companies located in key markets so the company can provide local support to strategic customers in these regions. Customers The company's customers include many of the world's leading electronics companies. They encompass large multi-national organizations as well as start-ups, design houses, original design manufacturers, OEMs and universities. The company supplies some of the world's largest consumer electronics manufacturers, luxury and mid-market car companies, familiar names in the medical and industrial equipment markets, research engineers and designers entering the IoT market, and companies of all different sizes in other markets. Principal Suppliers The company sources certain of its components from single-suppliers, including multinational conglomerates Henkel, DuPont, Solvay, SABIC and 3M. History Interlink Electronics, Inc. was founded in 1985. The company was incorporated in California in 1985. It was reincorporated in Delaware in 1996 and again reincorporated in Nevada in 2012.