9/11/2000
Leader in Retinal Display Technology to Collaborate With Internet Visionary
BOTHELL, Wash., Sept. 11 /PRNewswire/ — Microvision, Inc. (Nasdaq: MVIS),
the leader in retinal scanning display technology, announced today that it has
entered into a multi-year consulting agreement with Avram Miller, a leading
business development and strategy consultant. Microvision and Miller will team
on the development of Microvision’s next-generation retinal scanning display
technology for applications in mobile computing devices.
By scanning a single beam of light directly onto the eye, retinal scanning
display technology projects high-resolution color images without the use of a
conventional display screen or panel. To date, the importance of this
technology has been its use in “heads up displays” for military, medical and
industrial uses. More recently, Microvision has demonstrated a “consumer”
version of the technology that will make it possible for mobile devices such
as cell phones to display the same amount of information as notebook computers
at reasonable cost. The company believes this has the potential to redefine
the role of displays in mobile devices such as Cell Phones, PDA’s (personal
display appliances) and game devices.
“Several months ago we made a strategic decision to accelerate our
activities relating to displays for mobile internet applications. Soon after,
we achieved a technical milestone, demonstrating, for the first time, a
prototype of a retinal scanning display that used just three microminiature
LEDs and two scanning mirrors to form a high-resolution video image,” said
Rick Rutkowski, CEO of Microvision, Inc. “When we realized what we had in
hand, we knew that it was now time to get help from someone who had the
strategic vision, industry connections and ability to make things happen on a
large scale. We are very fortunate to have Avram Miller collaborate with us in
redefining the display capabilities of mobile devices. Avram has a proven
ability to recognize major technological discontinuities that create
significant business opportunities and then to act on those opportunities.”
“Mobile devices are where it is at,” said Avram Miller, CEO, The Avram
Miller Company. “It reminds me of the early ’80s and the birth of the PC. So
many critical technologies are converging on the mobile arena. Bandwidth is
coming with 3G, voice recognition promises to change the way we command and
communicate with mobile devices, location detection will increase the
relevancy of the information we receive and when combined with miniaturization
and long battery life, mobile devices will become a fundamental part of
everyone’s lifestyle. All of this,” Miller continued, “will be connected to
the ever expanding power and pervasiveness of the Internet. The ingredient
that has been missing, however, is the display. Microvision has developed the
answer to this important piece of the equation. By directly projecting images
on the retina of the eye, Microvision technology can provide high-resolution
color display devices the size of a cell phone or a PDA. I am thrilled at the
opportunity to help Microvision develop effective business strategies and
relationships to accelerate the deployment of this industry-shaping
technology,” Miller concluded.
About Microvision
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 application in a broad range of military,
medical, industrial, professional and consumer information products.
Additional information can be found at the company’s web site at http://www.mvis.com.
About Avram Miller
Avram Miller is the CEO of The Avram Miller Company, a business
development and strategy company headquartered in San Francisco, CA. He is an
advisor and board member of several leading companies. These include Pacific
Century Cyberworks, Asia’s leading internet company; CMGI, a leading American
Internet company known for its ability to predict Internet trends while
creating and investing in the next wave of Internet companies and World
Online, the leading Pan European Internet Service Provider. Mr. Miller also
serves on the boards of several private high technology companies. Miller is
recognized for his work with non-profit organizations, addressing issues such
as the Digital Divide, the Entertainment Arts, and Cancer Research. Prior to
starting The Avram Miller Company, Mr. Miller held a number of senior
positions at Intel Corporation from 1984 to 1999. Most recently he served as
Corporate Vice President of Business Development. At Intel, Mr. Miller was a
founder of Intel Capital, the company’s multi-billion dollar venture capital
arm. Miller was directly responsible for investments in communication
technology, Internet technology, media and consumer commerce. He is recognized
for his early investments in broadcast.com, Geocities, @Home, CMGI, PCCW,
Covad and Verisign. Additional information can be found online at
http://www.avrammiller.com.
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.