4/22/2002 6:49:00 AM
BOTHELL, Wash., Apr 22, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
Nomad system will enhance precision measurement and heavy equipment control for environmental safety in mining and construction operations
Microvision (Nasdaq:MVIS) today announced that it has signed a reseller
distribution agreement with Productivity Products and Services, Inc. of
Pittsburgh as a value added reseller (VAR) for the Nomad(TM) Personal Display
System.
Productivity Products and Services, serving the Northeast U.S., and one of an
exclusive set of Topcon Certified machine control dealers, will market
Microvision’s unique Nomad wearable display as a companion product to wireless
GPS and laser surveying systems used in road building, construction and mining
operations for increased productivity and environmental safety.
Wireless GPS and laser surveying instruments generate, capture and display
site-specific coordinates and contour lines used to ensure accuracy throughout
planning, surveying, site preparation and excavation. In mining operations, this
equipment also can be used to add precision and reduce time in handling
hazardous waste by products.
Today, operators of excavation and earth moving equipment refer to instruments
in the cab for tracking data, but have to continually look back and forth
between the outside view and an LCD screen to see the visual cues. By wearing
the Nomad display, drivers can keep their eyes on the blade or bucket and see
contour lines superimposed over their view of the excavation site or refuse
pile, allowing them to avoid running over surveyor’s stakes or making bad cuts
(which have to be redone).
“The Nomad System’s ability to present positioning cues in head-up mode enables
tremendous advantages by increasing precision for heavy machinery. The
combination of increased productivity — by eliminating the need to re-stake,
and reducing the number of passes to achieve proper levels — and increasing
onsite safety shows the benefits of using the Nomad see-thru, wearable display,”
said Bruce Ridley, Microvision’s marketing manager for industrial displays
“The Nomad System is a huge addition to our product line, augmenting and
differentiating our products from all other competitors, which is extremely
helpful in highly competitive situations” said Dave Reitmeyer, president of
Productivity Products and Services. “In addition, it allows us to think outside
the box and can get us into new markets where we have no current inroads.
According to Ridley, the heavy equipment manufacturing market is huge — 280,000
machines sold annually — but only a fraction is equipped with GPS and laser
guidance. Because the Nomad system is both see-thru and readable in bright
sunlight — providing full situational awareness for the operator — it is well
positioned to increase the adoption of precision measurement systems.
Based on Microvision’s patented light scanning technology, the recently
introduced Nomad system is a high-resolution head-worn display that presents
images and information to the user on a see-through virtual 17-inch display.
This unique personal display enables hands-free access to such information
diagrams, instrumentation, maintenance records, moving maps and interactive
training manuals, superimposing the information on the user’s view and creating
“augmented vision.” The Nomad system features full daylight-readability,
allowing users to view high contrast images in even the most challenging ambient
lighting conditions. High quality, Super VGA resolution makes the Nomad system
immediately compatible with a broad range of existing applications and content.
From flight paths to factory floors, surgical suites, and more, the Nomad system
can deliver major improvements in productivity, quality and safety for virtually
any type of manual task. The company is targeting applications in four vertical
markets — industrial, aerospace, medical, and military — that enable
customers.
About Microvision: www.mvis.com
Headquartered in Bothell, Wash., Microvision Inc. is the developer of the
patented retinal scanning display technology and a world leader in micro
miniature optical scanning technology for display and imaging applications. The
company’s technology has applications in a broad range of military, medical,
industrial, professional and consumer information products. Nomad is a trademark
of Microvision, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statement
The information set forth in this release includes “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. Certain
factors that realistically could cause results to differ materially from those
projected in the company’s forward-looking statements are set forth in the
company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACT:
Microvision Inc.
Matt Nichols (media), mattn@mvis.com
Brian Heagler (investors), brian_heagler@mvis.com
425/415-6847
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