A Bristol company has agreed a major deal that will see its touchless technology used in museums and aquariums across the USA.

Ultraleap, on Glass Wharf in the city centre, signed the agreement with Virginia-based immersive experience company Cortina Productions for an undisclosed sum.

The deal will see Cortina use Ultraleap’s technology to create 3D-interactive interfaces and displays for museums and other venues, reducing the need for visitors to touch public surfaces and buttons.

Cortina’s interactive exhibits are installed in venues around the States, including the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture; the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; the International Spy Museum; George Washington’s Mount Vernon; and the Aquarium of the Pacific.

According to Ultraleap, which was named among the most innovative companies in the West of England this year, Cortina is also looking to retrofit existing touchscreen-based experiences where it can.

Jim Cortina, principal and director of development at Cortina Productions, said the company had seen a “drastic spike” in requests for touchless technology for interactive exhibits in recent months.

He said: “Ultraleap’s technology not only helps us to provide the ‘wow factor’, it is completely touchless, making it the perfect solution to our clients requests.”

Saurabh Gupta, director of product at Ultraleap, said: “As the world tries to get back to work with the threat of Covid-19 still present, museums, aquariums and exhibitions are looking for new ways to safely bring back visitors, as well as keep them entertained.

“Cortina Productions are at the cutting edge of designing immersive experiences. By combining their design expertise and our touchless technologies, they can create safe, innovative and next-generation interactive installations.”

The news comes just two months after Ultraleap landed a major deal with a cinema advertising business in the US.

The agreement with CEN Media Group will see the installation of screens that can display standard adverts and touchless interactive content in 10 US cinemas.

Ultraleap said its tech would allow brands to “engage with consumers in a safe and responsible way” following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Steve Cliffe, chief executive at Ultraleap, said: “People are more likely to interact with gesture control in the future, compared to touchscreens.

He added: “Using this type of technology not only surprises and delights consumers, but they now highly value being able to interact without touching surfaces.”