Kopin Displays Target 3-D Market

Kopin Corp., a manufacturer of mobile display technology, has begun volume production of its CyberDisplay VGA (video graphics array) and WVGA (wide video graphics array) LVS displays.

With 3.75 × 11.25-µm color dots, the full-color VGA (640 × 480 resolution) and the WVGA (864 × 480 resolution) displays are 0.35 and 0.44 in. diagonal, respectively. The company says they are about 40 percent smaller than their displays, with the same resolution, yet exhibit more vibrant color and consume less power.

Shipments already are under way for Samsung Electronics’ new NX10 hybrid compact digital single-lens reflex-style (DSLR) camera and for Vuzix Corp.’s Wrap 920 3-D video eyewear.

“The superior color image, compact size and low power consumption make these new displays ideal for portable 3-D systems and other devices that enable access to mobile content,” said John C.C. Fan, Kopin’s president and CEO. “The quality and reliability … have been validated by our two early customers.”

The displays achieve low power consumption by employing two patented innovations: low-voltage architecture, which reduces the input video voltage by half and allows the use of CMOS driver circuits, and clock driverless scanner circuits, which reduce the display panel power to less than 30 mW. A full-function, low-power A912 ASIC chip drives the display from standard video inputs. The displays also achieve better power efficiency through the use of advanced backlights, which provide a higher contrast ratio and more vivid color than conventional technology.

Samsung’s NX10 has an electronic viewfinder and incorporates an APS-C size 14.6-megapixel CMOS sensor. It also accepts interchangeable zoom lenses.

Vuzix’s Wrap 920 is sunglass-style eyewear that displays crystal-clear 2-D and 3-D video in a size equivalent to a 67-in. screen as seen from 10 ft. It connects to all NTSC or PAL audio/video devices, including Apple’s iPod and iPhone.

For more information, visit: www.kopin.com