Synaptics — the name of which is a portmanteau, combining synapse and electronics — was founded in 1986 by 2 scientists and engineers who initially applied their research on neural networks and transistors on semiconductor chips to build pattern recognition products, refining their discoveries in 1991 by adding physics principles to integrate patterns and image recognition. The company continues changing the way humans engage with connected devices and data from home, at work, in the car, and on the go. Synaptics is the partner of choice for the world’s most innovative intelligent system platforms that make our digital lives more productive, insightful, secure, and enjoyable. Customers around the world use Synaptics’ differentiated technologies in touch, display, and biometrics with a new generation of advanced connectivity and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced video, vision, audio, speech, and security processing.
The San Jose, California-based developer of Human Interface (HMI) hardware and software went public in 2002. Its most notable innovations include the 1st-ever computer touchpad; touch technology for the click wheel on the classic iPod; touch sensors for Android phones; the 1st full-function capacitive-touch product relying on pressure recognition allowing multi-finger and variable-force input; a unique “match-in-sensor” fingerprint authenticator for laptops and other devices; the 1st optical-based fingerprint sensor; the 1st AI-enabled touch controller solution; and the world’s 1st docking station with a fingerprint sensor. The tech firm partners with many global ecosystem market makers, including other OIN members such as Google, Microsoft, and Baidu. Synaptics was named the 2021 “Analyst Favorite Semiconductor Company” by the Global Semiconductor Alliance.