Microvision Delivers Helmet-Mounted Display, Wins Follow-On Contract

Virtual retinal display developer Microvision Inc. (Seattle, WA) is back in the news, this time shipping a high-brightness, monochrome green helmet-mounted display (HMD) to the US Army Aircrew Integrated Systems (ACIS) program office. The delivery completed Microvision's $4.6 million Phase I contract, initiated in January of 1998, to develop a high resolution HMD that incorporates the company's proprietary virtual retinal display (VRD) technology for the ACIS Aircrew Integrated Helmet System (AIHS) program. With the successful test, ACIS awarded the company a $4.176 million follow-on contract for further development.

The display projects images into both eyes with a wide field-of-view (52 degree by 30 degree) and a combined resolution of 1716 pixels by 960 lines (1355 pixels by 960 lines in each eye with a partial overlap). With an effective luminance of 1,500 foot-lamberts, the display is readable in daylight. According to Microvision director of engineering Doug Stoll, the design can be easily upgraded to present multi-color or full-color images to pilots.

Last week, Microvision netted a separate contract from the U.S. Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate for the development of virtual cockpit technology (see Microvision and Boeing Win Army Display Contract).