4/2/2001
Medical Center Will Test Retinal Scanning Display Technology as Advanced Visualization Tool in Cardiology, Cancer Treatment and Anesthesiology
BOTHELL, Wash., April 2 /PRNewswire/ — Microvision Inc. (Nasdaq: MVIS), today announced it has entered into a research agreement with the Mayo Clinic Rochester to evaluate Nomad(TM), Microvision’s retinal scanning display (RSD) system, for medical applications in cardiology, cancer treatment and
anesthesiology. Financial details were not released.
Nomad’s capability for viewing images overlaid onto the patient will be
tested to determine if augmented vision capability would aid the surgeon and
attendants who require an enhanced “inside the body” view during such
procedures as catheter stent placement, radiation treatment of prostate
tumors, brain surgery and anesthesiology monitoring.
The agreement with the Minnesota-based clinic is the latest agreement
Microvision has forged with leading North American medical research and
surgical centers. Microvision’s revolutionary display technology “paints” rows
of pixels directly onto the user’s retina, giving physicians access to
important data without having to remove their eyes from the patient. The
Nomad ‘see-through’ capability has also been tested and demonstrated for
medical applications at The Wallace-Kettering Neuroscience Institute (Dayton,
OH) and the Baylor College of Medicine (Waco, TX) and is currently being
tested at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation’s Minimally Invasive Surgery Center.
“The wonderful promise of successfully integrating Nomad into operating
rooms is that it could enable physicians to keep their eyes on their patient
during the entire procedure,” stated Rick Rutkowski, president and CEO. “It
could have a revolutionary effect on many procedures, including more
successful outcomes, less risk to the patient and a possible reduction in
health care costs. The unmatched resolution and clarity of the display, along
with the capability to see overlaid images while keeping eyes on the
procedure, makes Nomad adaptable to the needs of physicians during demanding
medical procedures.”
About Nomad:
A unique and innovative way to display images and information,
Microvision’s RSD technology uses an extremely safe low-power beam of light to
“paint” rows of pixels directly onto the eye, creating a high-resolution,
full-motion image without the use of electronic screens of any kind. To the
viewer, the image appears to be floating directly in front of them at about an
arm’s length away, as if on a large transparent computer screen or television.
Nomad is Microvision’s first commercial product, scheduled for release in
September 2001. The product name, which emphasizes portability and mobility,
will brand Microvision’s first offering in successive generations of wearable
display products. Microvision has initiated pre-selling Nomad to
organizations within medical, aviation maintenance and industrial fields that
require a portable and bright “see-through” display. Nomad delivers an image
at least 10 times brighter than competing head-worn display technologies.
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 applications in a broad range of military,
medical, industrial, professional and consumer information products.
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.