industry news

Displaytech Ships 10 Millionth FLCOS Microdisplay

LONGMONT , Colorado — Displaytech Inc. recently announced the shipment of its 10 millionth ferroelectric liquid-crystal-on-silicon (FLCOS) microdisplay. “Displaytech has taken a new technology from the incubator to shipping over 10 million microdisplays into the world’s electronic camera markets in less than five years thanks to the efforts of our employees, partners, customers and investors,” said Displaytech CEO Dick Barton.

Displaytech, founded in 1985, began full-scale manufacturing of FLCOS devices in 2001. Since that time, Displaytech has been featured in more than 20 consumer-electronics products from key customers, including Sony, Kodak, Olympus, Hitachi, Konica-Minolta, Kyocera, and Hewlett-Packard. Focusing on electronic viewfinder (EVF) products, the company expects to sell 4 to 5 million units in 2005, up from 3 million in 2004.

Although the focus on EVFs as been a key contributor to Displaytech’s sales success, times change, and the company is looking at new application areas. “Mobile video is the next area we are taking a careful look at now,” said Marketing Director Steve Reinhard. “We see applications like head-mounted displays, small pocket projectors, and embedded beamers as offering interesting solutions. We are working with several customers in this area.”

There are a limited number of companies supplying microdisplay modules for EVFs. In addition to Displaytech, the significant players are Kopin (U.S.), Sony ( Japan), and Sanyo ( Japan). Although these displays differ widely in technology and architecture, they all use liquid crystals in one way or another. MicroEmissive Displays ( Scotland) will enter the EVF market late this year with its distinctive polymer organic-light-emitting-diode (POLED) microdisplays.

Steve Reinhard, Marketing Director, Displaytech, Inc. Phone 303-774-2482; e-mail stever@displaytech.com.

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