<images> Photo of HMD progression (currently available in PPT slide: Matt Nichols has copy)
Microvision History – Key Highlights
Pre 1993:
Virtual Retinal Display technology is developed at the University of Washington’s Human Interface Technology Lab (HIT lab) under the direction of Dr. Thomas Furness. HIT Lab staff designs and constructs the original bench-mounted Virtual Retinal Display (VRD) system using an acousto-optic device as the horizontal scanner. HIT Lab staff files a patent based upon the successful proof-of-concept and seeks funding to continue research.
1993:
Pacific Northwest investors license VRD technology from the HIT lab and Microvision is founded in May 1993 as a development stage enterprise. The company starting with two employees, focus its principal activities consisting of assembling a qualified technical and management team, working with the University of Washington’s Human Interface Techology (HIT) Lab in the development of VRD prototypes. Engineers develop a miniature mechanical resonant scanner (MRS) to replace the acousto-optical scanner. The MRS provides horizontal scanning with large scan angles in a compact package.
1994:
Second table top VRD prototype is built using the MRS. This system is VGA (600 X 400) resolution, 50 degrees field of view, monochrome red.
1995:
Microvision expands staff to four employees, with continued engineering support from the HIT Lab. Microvision receives its first patent for core VRD technology, and demonstrates the first full-color, VGA, table top demonstrator system. The company completes a series of research agreements with Fujitsu Research Institute (‘FRI”). The FRI agreements provided for the Company to carry out research with respect to potential applications of the VRD.
1996:
Microvision receives it’s first purchase order from Lockheed Martin Corp. for a prototype portable display model for the VRD. The Company conducts its first public demonstration of the portable VRD technology at the National Aerospace & Electronics Conference (NAECON) show, and at the Army Chief of Staff’s Army Experiment III (AE3) show during the Association of United States Army annual conference. The size of display portable display is two briefcases is nicknamed the ‘flashcube’ as it resembles a flash device for 35 mm cameras. The company has nine employees, and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington in a 5600 square foot research facility. On August 27th, 1996 the company issues a Prospectus offering 2,250,000 shares of Company common stock and warrants, and completes it’s first public offering. The company is listed on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol “MVIS”, “MVISW”
1997:
Research and development efforts migrate from HIT Lab staff to full-time Microvision engineers. Now, with a staff total of thirty, Microvision receives and delivers against a number of helmet-mounted display development contracts requested by the U.S. Army and large commercial aerospace companies (Boeing, Saab and Ericsson Saab Avionics, and GEC Marconi) interested in the Company’s technology. Developed during 1997 was a display that incorporated a MRS for the horizontal scan axis and a galvanometer for the vertical scan. A head-set display was attached to a large box on a roller cart known inside the Company as ‘the washing machine”. This system was the Company’s first ‘transportable’ full-color VRD system.
1998:
Microvision receives a number of multi-million research contracts from the U.S. Military to build demonstrator display systems for evaluation in military rotocraft, flight simulators, and tactical ground vehicles supporting battle commands. The goal of the development by the U.S. Army is invest in the potential of the Company’s display technology, in the hopes that it might someday provide a new visualization capability for pilots and ground soldiers not available from existing flat-panel or cathode ray tube display technologies. The company adds four new patents to its intellectual property portfolio and demonstrates its first microelectromechanical system (MEMS), a microminiaturized scanner that will eventually replace the MRS. The Company wins the Annual Discover Magazine Award for Technological Innovation in the category of ‘Sight’, and showcases an SVGA (800 X 600) full color head-worn display at the Wallace-Kettering Neuroscience Institute in Dayton, Ohio. The U.S. Navy establishes a development contract with the Company and states that retinal scanning display technology will be the baseline by which optical technologies will be measured. The company has ninety-five employees.
1999:
Microvision delivers for sea trial evaluations a head-worn display prototype under the Navy Fast Boat program. The system was essentially a one-eyed offshoot of the HMD developed under the military rotocraft program. The over-sized (although small in comparison to any display ever worn by military personnel) display was the Company’s first man-wearable, battery operated, fully portable, wireless system and was built to test the potentials for mobile crew operations that tied to a ships computer system. The display was VGA resolution and displayed images in monochrome red.
Microvision also delivers a number of other demonstrators to the military. Supporting research on rotorcraft pilot displays the Company delivers a two eye, monochrome green, Gen 2 FLIR capable HMD with a peak luminance of 1500 ft. lamberts. The field of view was 52 degrees with a minimum overlap of 30 degrees and 1353 X 960 resolution. Additionally, the Company delivers an SXGA (1280 X 1024) full-color, bi-ocular wearable display for testing and evaluation by field commanders engaged in tactical operations. The massive size of the electronics for this display system - a couple of large trunks – earned the nickname of ‘the Buick’.
2000:
Microvision introduces for testing the first Nomad™ Personal Display System, a wearable display that has unique capabilities to project images directly over the users line of sight. The Company explores the development of laser-scanning cameras for a variety of image capture applications, ranging from bar code readers to machine vision systems and advanced medical scopes. The Company also begins the initial discovery of laser-scanning projection for automotive applications. The Company forms a subsidiary, Lumera Corporation, to develop and commercialize a new class of non-linear optical chromophores (“Optical Materials”). The company has 127 employees.
2001:
Microvision formally introduces the its first commercial wearable display product, the Nomad Personal Display System, targeting automotive repair shops and dealerships looking to improve the repair quality and efficiency of their mechanics. The company’s patent portfolio grows to over 57 issued patents and nearly 100 patents pending.
2002:
Microvision continues to manage a variety of military and commercial development contracts aimed at advancing the Company’s technology for potential aerospace and medical display applications. The Company introduces the Flic Laser Bar Code Scanner. Additionally, the Company begins to extend it’s focus beyond industrial and military applications and establishes a development agreement with Canon to further develop miniature displays for use in consumer products.
2003:
Microvision performs development work for several automotive companies including BMW and Volkswagon of America, to develop automotive displays using the Company’s laser projection display technology. The Company enters into an agreement to supply the Stryker Brigade Combat team with Nomad Systems to provide in-theater testing of the wearable display system. The Company claims important development in its work on MEMS by reducing size, cost, and power consumption This development supports the company’s focus on MEMS compatibility for high-volume, portable consumer products.
2004:
Lumera completes its own public offering and spins off from Microvision. The Company enters into a multi-million contract with Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, to explore the possibilities of integrating Microvision’s technology into certain medical products. Development contracts with the U.S. Army continue to support evaluation prototypes for advanced visualization systems within aerospace applications.
2005:
Microvision continues advances in MEMS technology, while supporting primarily military development contracts. The Nomad Display System and Flic sales are sluggish, and the company begins to consider the market readiness for these new products. Significant changes to senior management and the Board of Directors are realized, including the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer. A restructuring of the company and realignment plan are implemented.
2006:
Microvision initiates full-scale operational turn-around, led by new CEO Alexander Tokman. Further re-organization at the department, management and Board of Directors level is realized. The Nomad Display System is discontinued and Tokman introduces bold new vision to ‘to become an indispensable source for illuminating information,’ which entails the Company’s desire to be at the heart of every high-definition display and imaging product sold. The Company focuses on advancing the development of an integrated display engine and required supply chain of the components, which will contain all the necessary feature and functionality to become an image generator for high-volume consumer, automotive, industrial and military display and imaging devices.
2007:
Microvision sets a path to focus on four key development initiatives: Embedded or Accessory Projection displays, Automotive Displays, Wearable Displays, and an revamped Bar Code Scanner.
The Company introduces an ultra-miniature display engine at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, called PicoP. PicoP is an ultra-miniature projector capable of producing color rich, high-resolution images but small enough and low power enough to be embedded directly into mobile and accessory devices, such as cell-phones. The demonstrator is developed in partnership with a large consumer electronics manufacturer.
The Company establishes development relationships with two Tier 1 automotive manufactures. The Company establishes partnerships with three laser manufacturers to support required supply chain components for the PicoP. The Company announces a development initiative with the U.S. military to design a light-weight wearable display demonstrator. The Company announces the introduction of a new bar code scanner, called ROV. The Company has 135 employees, with representation in the U.S.A, Europe, and Asia.