Oerlikon, Microvision Team to Develop Microprojector

Oerlikon Optics announced yesterday it has been collaborating with Microvision to optimize that company's ultraminiature projection display engine, the Pico Projector, or PicoP. Optical components maker Oerlikon is providing its experience in high-volume design to create a compact, manufacturable and affordable product, the Balzers, Liechtenstein-based company said. Microvision of Redmond, Wash., manufactures laser scanning and imaging products. The PicoP is an ultraminiature projector capable of producing color rich, high resolution large images, but small and low-power enough to be embedded directly into mobile devices, such as cell phones, Oerlikon said. Other potential applications include tiny projectors embedded into or used as accessory displays for mobile devices, such as personal media players, gaming devices, laptops and DVD players. "Working with Microvision makes perfect sense for our optics business since the technology is highly complimentary to our present product portfolio and can be applied across the entire range of microdisplay and scanning devices," said Mike Cusick, Oerlikon senior vice president and head of optics. The PicoP will be shown this week during audiovisual and information communications trade show InfoComm 2007 in Anaheim, Calif., at Oerlikon's booth (hall D, booth 1319).