Microvision Awarded $3.2M Development Contract By U.S. Air Force
Redmond, WA — Microvision, Inc., a leader in light scanning technologies for display and imaging products, announced recently that it has been awarded a $3.2M contract by the U.S. Air Force, to provide a lightweight, see-through, full-color eyewear display prototype to the Government. This new effort leverages Microvision's light scanning display technology and is expected to further Microvision's color eyewear development program. The contract, which continues a development activity with the Air Force, specifies the development, design, verification, testing, and delivery of a lightweight, see-through full-color wearable display for evaluation by several DoD project offices.
Under the new contract, Microvision will combine the Company's proprietary, newly designed ultra-thin optical assembly with its tiny laser projection engine, PicoPTM, to produce an advanced prototype of the desired solution. The display system resulting from this combination is expected to be significantly smaller and lighter than any existing display that meets the military's required system performance. Microvision believes that the resulting small and ergonomic display solution within the form factor of protective eyewear or high-fashion sunglasses could enable soldiers to access full-color tactical and strategic information in a secure and hands-free fashion without excess volume and weight imposed by current wearable display technologies.
"In 2006, various branches of U.S. Government have clearly articulated the need for a display solution that can dramatically enhance soldiers' safety, situational awareness and mission effectiveness without the common "side effects" associated with today's HMD technologies: lack of see-through capabilities, excessive weight and bulk, poor ergonomics and lack of ease-of-use," stated Alexander Tokman, Microvision President and CEO. "We've responded, by focusing our unique display technology on solving this problem, and we believe that the Government investment in this display effort will result in powerful display capabilities for U.S. soldiers, sailors and airmen.
"Our color eyewear solution is expected to dramatically enhance soldiers' safety, situational awareness and mission effectiveness without compromising usability and comfort. Both, the color eyewear and our rapidly progressing helmet-mounted display platforms are expected to form a robust portfolio of wearable display products that provide unique capabilities for a variety of demanding operational environments," continued Tokman. "This development effort is well in line with our strategic products roadmap, and is expected to accelerate the availability of color eyewear in military, consumer, industrial, and medical markets."
SOURCE: Microvision, Inc.