Kopin to Develop HDTV Quality Microdisplays For Future Force Warrior Program - News Item

Kopin Corp. today announced a $3.2 million Department of Defense (DoD) contract to develop ultra-high resolution colour microdisplays for the U.S. Army's Future Force Warrior (FFW) Program and other dismounted soldier applications. The FFW program is designed to improve battlefield effectiveness and survivability by incorporating technological breakthroughs in miniaturized electronics, wireless communications, nano-textiles and ultra-low-power communications systems into soldiers' equipment and uniforms.

This two-year FFW development program will result in the delivery of the CyberDisplay 1280 CF MVA, an enhanced full-colour version of Kopin's monochrome CyberDisplay 1280 active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD). The display will allow soldiers to view enormous volumes of battlefield information through a head-mounted unit. Smaller than a postage stamp, the 1280 CF MVA (0.98-inch diagonal) provides a full-size, ultra-wide-angle HDTV-quality image. With 1280x1024 (x3) SXGA resolution, or nearly 4 million colour sub-pixels, the new microdisplay will be the highest density colour display of such size in the world.

The U.S. Army chose Kopin's display technology to satisfy the FFW Program's goal of greatly reducing the weight and power consumption of the soldier's gear. Because of its low power consumption, the 1280 CF MVA significantly reduces battery requirements and boosts display performance.

The CyberDisplay 1280 CF MVA will combine Kopin's patented Multi-domain Vertical Alignment (MVA) liquid crystal technology with new colour filter technology to produce image quality unmatched by any other microdisplay. In addition, while most conventional LCDs are white, Kopin will develop a black LCD for the Army to provide soldiers with a high contrast display compatible with night vision requirements.

"The 1280 CF MVA technology is ideal for combining high resolution night vision and thermal imagery with situational awareness data and full-colour digital maps," stated Mike Presz, vice president of Kopin's Visual Products Group. "The black, high-contrast image from the 1280 CF MVA, combined with the ultra-wide viewing angle, makes this display ideal for lightweight, low power head-mounted displays for our soldiers of the future."

Posted 2^nd March 2004