Albuquerque, NM, May 7, 2002 -Tom Anderson, a pioneer
in haptics (touch) technology, and CEO of Novint Technologies, Inc,
a development partner of Manhattan Scientifics, Inc. (OTC BB: MHTX),
announced today the creation of a new prenatal e-Touch technology
that allows parents' unprecedented interaction with their unborn
child by providing the ability to touch the child's virtual image.
In honor of Mother's Day, Anderson will unveil the innovative 3-D
ultrasound touch system at New Mexico Sonographics, a medical facility
located in Albuquerque, NM later this week. The scans are taken
on the GE Voluson 730 system, which is based on standard ultrasound
and is therefore safe for mother and child.
e-Touch, a brand identity for Novint, allows the user to feel
a vast array of textures including the feel of the baby's face and
skin by using a special computer mouse which registers the contact
and creates the sensation of touch, which is transmitted through
the user's hand. The groundbreaking new application for 3D ultrasound
offers the ability to feel the image of the unborn baby, enhancing
the connection with the child.
"This is an exciting tool that not only gives parents the
first glimpse of their child, but also the life-like contact which
enables bonding with their child," said Anderson. "The
real importance is that the ability to touch may aid early diagnosis
of medical problems. Previously, neither parents nor the medical
community have had such hands on interaction with a fetus in utero."
Tom Anderson and his wife Kari are expecting their first child
in July of this year, and he has used the technology to virtually
meet his own son. "I have touched my son's cheek, and he is
not born yet! It was such an incredible moment to touch him for
the first time - I remember the experience clearly and will never
forget it. I know what my son's face looks like, and I have spent
hours already touching his nose and lips and face, discovering all
of his features."
Jan Easton Carrasco, co-founder of New Mexico Sonographics, said,
"many of our patients are referred by Doctors for specific
medical evaluations, but we have had a number of parents who want
to use the 3D ultrasound technology simply to see their unborn child,
make sure everything is going well in the pregnancy, and now with
Novint's technology, actually touch their baby. This service is
affordable to many parents, costing around $250 for an exam, well
worth the cost to many for the peace of mind and the experience
it brings." A 3D ultrasound scan is taken of the baby, where
a parent can see what the baby looks like. These images are then
loaded into the e-Touch software where a parent can see the baby
from any direction, including straight on or from his or her profile.
The technology could be used in a wide range of medical procedures,
such as exploring breast tumors, or doing pre-operative surgical
planning. Dr. Glenroy Heywood, from the University of New Mexico
Department of Surgery, said, "We are beginning to explore utilizing
Novint's e-Touch technology for pre-operative cancer surgery planning
in the abdomen. We think there is tremendous potential to utilize
3D ultrasounds and touch interactions to quickly and accurately
understand a patient's individual anatomy and needs for an upcoming
surgery."
The e-Touch technology is important because it represents a fundamental
change that makes computers more intuitive, flexible, and functional
and therefore more valuable. Buying a sweater or a suit on the Internet
will resemble real life. One will be able to feel the texture of
fabrics and even their weight while shopping at home. You could
test drive a car, touch the dash and instruments, or even learn
how to repair it. Kids can play with virtual toys in the same manner
as real life over the Internet. The technology will impact computer
games, distance learning, training of dentists, surgeons, mechanics,
musicians, and sculptors, and will be used to educate our children.
Additional applications include an interface for the blind, military
simulation, computer-aided design (CAD), computer animation and
modeling, e-commerce, automobile and tire design, and modeling for
oil and gas exploration.
Manhattan Scientifics, Inc. is a technology development company
working in the fields of alternative energy, holographic data storage
and computer touch technology. The company's development laboratories
are located in Los Alamos and Albuquerque, New Mexico and Passau,
Germany. Its executive facility is located in NewYork City. Copies
of Manhattan Scientifics' press releases, current quotes, stock
charts and other information for investors may be found on the websites
http://www.mhtx.com/ and http://www.hawkassociates.com.
http://www.newmexicosonographics.com/index.htm
Novint Technologies, Inc. is a computer software developer based
in Albuquerque, NM that specializes in advanced human computer interfaces
and haptics (our sense of touch). Novint has a variety of medical,
oil/gas, automotive, and scientific visualization applications based
on exclusively licensed technology from Sandia National Laboratories.
Novint is additionally exploring mass market applications of computer
touch such as computer gaming and internet applications. Additional
information about Novint, a partner company of Manhattan Scientifics,
may be found on the website http://www.novint.com/.
The foregoing press release contains forward-looking statements,
including statements regarding the company's expectation of its
future business. These forward-looking statements are based largely
on the company's expectations and are subject to a number of risks
and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the company's control.
Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking
statements as a result of a variety of factors. These include but
are not limited to, successfully completing the research and development
with respect to the fuel cells and other technologies, successfully
commercializing the fuel cells for mass production, successfully
protecting the company's patents, and effective significant industry
competition from various entities whose capabilities far exceeds
the company's. In light of these risks and uncertainties there can
be no assurances that the forward-looking statements in this press
release will in fact transpire or prove to be accurate.
Executive Contact:
Marvin Maslow, CEO
Manhattan Scientifics, Inc.
(212) 752-0505; (Mobile) (917) 923-3300
E-mail: maslow@ix.netcom.com