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| TACTYS: an innovative French company |
Tactys was founded by Patrick Rondeau and Manuelle Mauger: combining their skills in high tech and marketing has resulted in an innovation with high added value. Starting with touch-sensitive keyboards specifically developed for the banking sector, the founders demonstrated the interest in a totally smooth data entry
device: this solution is aimed first at the medical sector, where hygiene is all important.
During the year 2003, an investigation carried out in a hospital setting with hygiene nurses and authorities from the CLIN (Comité de Lutte contre les Infections Nosocomiales) confirmed the needs for hygiene in the use of computer keyboards. A study carried out at the time by a US university (Charles Gerba, Arizona), showed keyboards as the second on the list of devices concentrating bacteria (the first being the telephone).
In April 2004 TACTYS GIE Economic Interest Group was founded to confirm the commercial viability of the concept. The starting model, the T80, has real success, while TACTYS was an exhibitor at HOPITAL EXPO in May 2004: the product is approved for purchase by the Paris Hospitals Authority and has been installed in operating rooms since 2005.
The commercial potential of the product is high, and it appeared that the single T80 product did not meet all needs of the market. In early 2006 the GIE gave way to a limited liability company (SARL), and TACTYS adopted an ambitious development plan. The French research promotion agency OSEO-ANVAR participated in the financing of the planned innovations. The R&D and industrial investments began in mid-2006. In September 2007, the new products were launched: the range now included keyboards with USB connections, with or without touch pads, models with built-in USB hubs, a wireless version developed with the Zigbee induction recharging technology, a keyboard including an RFID Blueloc antenna from partner firm Bluelinea, and VOYAGER, a mobile autonomous cart with a built-in thin client PC.
With its extensive range, TACTYS has become the specialist in clean data entry surfaces.
The list of hospitals and clinic that have equipped their operating rooms, recovery rooms, sterilization rooms, and white rooms is growing ever longer. Pilot establishments are integrating our solution in each patient room (Nouvelles Cliniques Nantaises, for example.) Dental surgeons expressed their support at the ADF Congress in November 2007.
Each model is available in AZERTY, QWERTY, Swiss and German QWERTZ versions. After the MEDICA trade show in Duesseldorf, where TACTYS had a booth in November 2007, export sales developed beyond the European Union.
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