Nothing like a little Monday morning news!
Microvision and Boeing Collaborate to Develop 'Cockpit of the
Future'
Companies target opportunity for next-generation aircraft displays
SEATTLE, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Microvision, Inc. (Nasdaq: MVIS, MVISW)
today announced that it will work with Boeing Phantom Works to define, develop
and test advanced cockpit systems featuring Microvision's Virtual Retinal
Display(TM) (VRD(TM)) technology. The effort will target existing U.S.
military rotorcraft and will represent a significant advancement in the state
of the art for pilot vehicle interfaces.
The companies are focused on a "Virtual Cockpit" approach to the design of
crew systems for both existing and new aircraft. The virtual cockpit system
will consist of a powerful system processor and graphics generator that
gathers information from aircraft systems and projects it over a pilot's
visual field using a high-resolution, full-color, VRD-based helmet mounted
display. The concept of the "Virtual Cockpit" is to present flight data,
sensor imagery and other mission cues to a pilot in a highly graphical and
intuitive manner, making the aircraft easier and safer to fly while improving
mission performance. The approach also has the potential to dramatically
reduce the high cost of upgrading legacy aircraft.
With fewer new aircraft development programs being initiated,
modernization of existing avionics is necessary to maintain the effectiveness
of legacy aircraft over their remaining service lives, which is often years
beyond what was originally planned. Microvision estimates that as many as
9,000 rotorcraft in the US fleet are candidates for upgrades. The estimated
cost of upgrading individual avionics suites is up to $6M per aircraft. While
Microvision did not detail the cost of a complete virtual cockpit system, the
company believes employing their system could result in upgrade cost savings
as high as several million dollars per aircraft.
Recognizing the importance of the VRD as an enabler to this system, Boeing
has contracted with Microvision to design and build an advanced Virtual
Retinal Display demonstrator that would be suitable for "Virtual Cockpit"
applications. The demonstrator will spearhead US government programs to
upgrade legacy military aircraft. No details of the arrangement were made
available. The companies are committed to providing the full system solution
demanded by the requirements for modernizing legacy aircraft and are confident
that they can deliver systems following a proof of concept phase.
"There are many problems with existing cockpit displays," stated Andrew
Lee, Microvision's Vice President of Sales. "For example, they demand a lot
of cockpit real estate, and consume weight and power that helmet-mounted
displays don't. Also, they can force a pilot to look down and, therefore,
away from the flight path or at the very best restrict his/her vision to a
narrow area in front of the aircraft. Because virtual displays augment a
pilot's vision, data is always where it is needed while allowing an
unobstructed view out of the cockpit. Finally, because a high quality
helmet-mounted display coupled to a virtual cockpit processor could
effectively replace a lot of other instruments and displays, the cost of this
approach could be a fraction of that of existing "heads-down or heads-up"
technologies."
Doug Swanson, chief engineer, Vehicle Systems Technology for Boeing
Phantom Works, stated, "The VRD technology and the crew-systems package that
we call Virtual Cockpit, are consistent with the Boeing mission to enhance
pilot and crew safety and effectiveness. Helicopter pilots require
information to support time-critical (and often life and death) decisions. If
that information is presented in a graphical and intuitive fashion, it reduces
the pilot's workload and can enhance visibility in degraded conditions. A
helmet-mounted display capable of presenting full-color graphical information
in both day and night flight operations has been the missing link to creating
an effective pilot data interface. What is exciting is that together, the
companies can leverage their expertise to provide affordable technology
options for both existing and future aircraft. That ultimately could save
both lives and money."
About Microvision
Headquartered in Seattle, Microvision, Inc. (Nasdaq: MVIS, MVISW) is the
developer of the patented Virtual Retinal Display(TM) (VRD(TM)) technology
that uses a rapidly scanned beam of light to project images on the eye's
retina, allowing the viewer to see large, full-motion images without the need
for a conventional display screen. Microvision's objective is to be a leading
provider of personal display products and imaging technology in a broad range
of military, medical, industrial, professional and consumer applications. The
company was founded in 1993. Additional information can be found at the
company's website at mvis.com.
About Boeing Phantom Works
Boeing Phantom Works, the advanced research and development organization
of The Boeing Company, pursues breakthrough improvements in the affordability,
quality and performance of aerospace systems. With major locations in St.
Louis, Seattle and Southern California, Phantom Works engineers and scientists
typically work in small, integrated teams that can be quickly formed and
mobilized to help customers meet their toughest technical challenges. The
organization is committed to finding better, faster and cheaper ways to
design, develop, manufacture, test, operate and support both current and
future systems. Additional information can be found at the company's website
at boeing.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-KSB and Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-QSB, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Microvision, Inc.
Web Site: mvis.com |
