Microsoft acquires multitouch company Perceptive Pixel

Steve Ballmer has just announced Microsoft’s acquisition of Perceptive Pixel, a company focused on research, development, and production of multitouch interfaces. The company is perhaps best known for the 82-inch multitouch display that Microsoft demoed at MWC. Jeff Han, Perceptive Pixel founder and new Microsoft employee, says the display is the “world’s largest true multitouch and stylus display,” capable of supporting “hundreds of touch inputs simultaneously.”

Ballmer calls Perceptive Pixel’s portfolio “fairly revolutionary,” but acknowledges there’s a “lot of work to be done to bring the price down.” He says the display is a white board, video conferencing system, and fully-fledged Windows 8 PC all in one product, and wants to integrate Perceptive Pixel’s technology into future Microsoft software and hardware.