11/1/2010 7:03:28 AM
<![CDATA[Critical Milestone Reached on the Company’s Technology Roadmap to
Support High Volume Product Requirements
REDMOND, Wash., Nov 01, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS), a leader in innovative ultra-miniature
projection display technology, today announced it has successfully
integrated the first “direct green” laser samples from two leading
manufacturers into pico projector benchtop prototypes. This achievement
represents an important first step toward the commercialization of
PicoP(R) display engines using direct green lasers. The PicoP display
engine utilizing a direct green laser is expected to offer significant
commercial advantages in price, size, power, and performance.
“We are very pleased with the performance of these early direct green
laser prototypes,” commented Sid Madhavan, Microvision vice president,
R&D and Applications. “These encouraging results give us confidence that
direct green laser diodes will be capable of meeting the performance
requirements for integration into our PicoP display platform.”
Simplicity leads to lower costs
Microvision’s current pico projection engine uses red and blue laser
diodes and a frequency-doubled “synthetic” green laser to create a full
color image. Synthetic green lasers are infrared lasers that are
manipulated to reduce their wavelength to produce a green light. This
conversion process creates a complex system of multiple components held
to tight tolerances making manufacturing more challenging.
Direct green lasers are capable of producing green light natively,
greatly simplifying laser design and manufacturing processes. Direct
green lasers are expected to be manufactured in a manner similar to red
and blue lasers available today, facilitating lower cost and rapid
scalability to commercial quantities. The combination of smaller size,
lower power, and lower cost make direct green lasers an attractive
alternative to synthetic green lasers for Microvision’s mobile display
solutions.
Historically, availability of synthetic green lasers has been
constrained due to their complexity and the existence of only two
manufacturers. Today, there are at least five companies worldwide that
have announced they are developing direct green lasers for late 2011 to
mid 2012 commercial introduction. Industry researcher Yole Development
forecasts that the direct green laser market size will reach about $500
million by 2016 and should represent more than 45 million devices.
About Microvision
Microvision provides the PicoP(R) display technology platform designed to
enable next-generation display and imaging products for pico projectors,
vehicle displays and wearable displays that interface with mobile
devices. The company’s projection display engine uses highly efficient
laser light sources which can create vivid images with high contrast and
brightness. For more information, visit the company’s website (www.microvision.com)
and corporate blog (www.microvision.com/displayground).
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this release, relating to future
delivery, business success, operating results, company and third party
product development, and potential product benefits, in addition to
statements containing words such as “step toward,” “will,” “plans”, 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: our ability to raise additional
capital when needed; 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; the timing of commercial product launches and delays in product
development; the ability to achieve key technical milestones in key
products; dependence on third parties to develop, manufacture, sell and
market our products; potential product liability claims; and other risk
factors identified from time to time in the company’s SEC reports,
including the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC.
Except as expressly required by federal securities laws, we undertake no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in
circumstances or any other reason.
SOURCE: Microvision, Inc.
Microvision, Inc.
Tiffany Bradford, 425-936-6847 (investors)
or
Callie Snyder, 503-471-6816 (media/PR)