FingerWorks

FingerWorks was a technology company founded in 1998 by John Elias and Wayne Westerman at the University of Delaware. The company specialized in developing touch and gesture-based input devices, focusing on multi-touch technology that could recognize multiple fingers simultaneously. Their products included touchpads and keyboards that interpreted various gestures for controlling computers and other electronic devices.

FingerWorks gained recognition for its innovative approach to human-computer interaction, developing a unique vocabulary of gestures that allowed users to perform complex commands through simple finger movements. Their technology was particularly notable for enabling intuitive interactions through swiping, pinching, rotating, and other multi-touch gestures that were revolutionary at the time.

The company's most significant contribution came in 2005 when Apple Inc. acquired FingerWorks. This acquisition provided Apple with the foundational technology for developing the touch-based interfaces that became central to the iPhone and iPad. Many of the gesture-based interactions now standard in modern touchscreens originated from FingerWorks' research and development. Following the acquisition, FingerWorks products were discontinued, but their technological innovations had a profound and lasting impact on the evolution of human-computer interaction.