tacterion develops and sells the uniquelyflexible, tactile sensor technology plyon®. It is made entirely of polymer material and is therefore extremely sensitive, but also robust. Applying plyon®to the surface of products and interactive spaces on machines makes them touch-sensitive. This means that the interaction usually associated with touch screens can be extended to almost any surface.
Dr Strohmayr developed the underlying technology at the DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics. Even then, he realised: this simply has to be turned into a product. Supported by DLR Technology Marketing, he applied for funding from HGF in October 2014. He made the leap a year later and founded his own company tacterion together with his brother Daniel, a graduate of business administration and technology management.
The HGF funding allowed Dr Strohmayr to invest all his efforts in establish-ing the business. “The Helmholtz Enterprise financing we received back then was the starting point and what made things possible for us,” says Strohmayr.
“MY GOAL IS FOROUR SENSORSOLUTIONS TOENABLE COMPLETELYNEW PRODUCTS”
Since then, tacterion has found an investor in the Unger Group that has provided an eight-digit figure to roll out the patented technology in massmarkets like consumer electronics, the automotive sector or robotics.
What has changed since then? “At DLR, I spent years working to develop the most advanced sensor technology. Since establishing the company, my job has been to create asensor with the best value for money that still offers unique value to potential customers,” says Strohmayr. tacterion is currently building up production to be able to produce larger quantities, depending on the needs of the individual customers.