Microsoft Corp has acquired Seattle, Washington-based graphics start-up Numinous Technologies Inc, the company announced on Friday. Numinous was founded in 1996 as a spin-off from the University of Washington’s department of Computer Science and Engineering. It was funded by the Washington Research Foundation. Microsoft did not disclose the amount it paid for the company, and for the licensing of several related technologies developed at the University of Washington.
Numinous has been working on software designed to improve the creation, storage, retrieval and display of images using computers. At its web site (now closed down) the company was demonstrating an interactive Java applet which enabled users to create a rough freehand sketch, and then search for a match in an image database. The company planned to develop the technology into new web searching interfaces combining freehand sketching and natural language interfaces. Microsoft said it had acquired the firm for its internet, digital video and image management technology, and for software aimed at traditional printing applications.
The founders of Numinous include computer graphics scientists David Salesin of the University of Washington, Rob Cook, former president, who is now at Pixar Inc, and hypertext pioneer Andries Van Dam of Brown University, former chairman. Salsen will join Microsoft Research while maintaining his teaching position.
