3/28/2005 9:35:00 AM
BOTHELL, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 28, 2005–Microvision
(Nasdaq:MVIS), the leader in light scanning technologies for displays
and imaging, announced today that it has filed for patent protection
relating to a novel display system architecture that would use an
array of low-cost LEDs to enable very high resolution displays with
extremely wide fields of view. Field of view is the term used to
describe the apparent size of the virtual image created by a near-eye
display. According to Microvision, consumer electronics companies are
interested in wearable displays that can simulate the “immersive”
viewing experience of a movie theater or a very large – 80 to 100 inch
– high resolution television. Such systems have to be both practical
in size and affordable in order to appeal to the mass market.
Wide field of view near-eye display systems based on miniature
flat panel displays are currently available in the market, however
they are both costly and cumbersome because of the complex and
expensive optics that are used to magnify the image to cover such a
wide angle. These systems, most often associated with virtual reality,
are typically seen only in laboratories and occasionally in museums or
arcades because they cost thousands of dollars and often weigh 4 to 6
pounds.
“This potential architecture represents a major breakthrough in
the design of near-eye display systems,” offered Microvision President
Steve Willey, “because the approach overcomes optical limitations that
are fundamental to any system based on a miniature screen. Essentially
the optical design of such systems is a close analogy to a wide angle
lens system for a camera, and comprises several – as many as six –
complex lenses in a single enclosure that is often several inches
deep. As a consequence, you end up with a system that is not only
bulky and unsightly, but also one that has a lot of the weight in
front of the head. Microvision’s new system design is pretty radical
and we think represents a potential breakthrough technology. Our
invention would use an array of conventional, inexpensive LEDs (light
emitting diodes) and a very simple optical system consisting of only
one or two elements to achieve the combination of more compact size,
reduced weight and dramatically lower cost that are key to consumer
electronics applications. As a result of the LED array, the system is
designed to afford significant image quality advantages in brightness,
resolution and color quality. We have previously used LED arrays to
demonstrate displays containing more than 9 million pixel elements.”
Consumer electronics companies are interested in wearable display
systems for portable media of all kinds. Such systems could be used to
watch films, access the Internet, or play computer games in 2D or 3D
with the immersive feeling of a big-screen cinema or a really large
television.
“What is particularly exciting about this,” Willey added, “is that
there really is no other way to achieve this effect in a reasonable
package using miniature flat panel displays. Our prospective customers
have done considerable work in this area and found that fundamentally
you’re up against the constraints of optics. Because of how our
current system works, we have the ability to simplify and fold optics
in a way that others have not discovered. It appears that this is
potentially very important to developers of media and gaming systems
because it would not only overcomes the problem of small displays in
handheld devices, but it could get one into the realm of high-end
cinema and simulation. I think it’s something that someone could
really lie back and enjoy on a long flight.”
About Microvision: www.microvision.com
Headquartered in Bothell, Wash., Microvision Inc. is the world
leader in the development of high-resolution displays and imaging
systems based on the company’s proprietary silicon micro-mirror
technology. The company’s technology has applications in a broad range
of military, medical, industrial, professional and consumer products.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this release, including those
relating to future display architectures, future products, potential
performance, markets and product applications and those which use
words such as “could,” “would” and “expect,” are forward-looking
statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected in the company’s forward-looking statements include the
following: market acceptance of our technologies and products; our
ability to obtain financing; our financial and technical resources
relative to those of our competitors; our ability to keep up with
rapid technological change; government regulation of our technologies;
our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights and protect
our proprietary technologies; the ability to obtain additional
contract awards and to develop partnership opportunities; the timing
of commercial product launches; the ability to achieve key technical
milestones in key products; and other risk factors identified from
time to time in the company’s SEC reports, including in its Annual
Report on 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, and its Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q.
CONTACT: Microvision Inc.
Matt Nichols, 425-415-6657 (Media)
Brian Heagler, 425-415-6794 (Investors)
SOURCE: Microvision Inc.