Apr 22, 2002 Bothell, WA
Microvision (Nasdaq:MVIS) today announced that it has signed a reseller distribution agreement with Productivity Products and Services, Inc. of Pittsburgh as a value added reseller (VAR) for the Nomad� Personal Display System.
Productivity Products and Services, serving the Northeast U.S., and one of an exclusive set of Topcon Certified machine control dealers, will market Microvision's unique Nomad wearable display as a companion product to wireless GPS and laser surveying systems used in road building, construction and mining operations for increased productivity and environmental safety.
Wireless GPS and laser surveying instruments generate, capture and display site-specific coordinates and contour lines used to ensure accuracy throughout planning, surveying, site preparation and excavation. In mining operations, this equipment also can be used to add precision and reduce time in handling hazardous waste by products.
Today, operators of excavation and earth moving equipment refer to instruments in the cab for tracking data, but have to continually look back and forth between the outside view and an LCD screen to see the visual cues. By wearing the Nomad display, drivers can keep their eyes on the blade or bucket and see contour lines superimposed over their view of the excavation site or refuse pile, allowing them to avoid running over surveyor's stakes or making bad cuts (which have to be redone).
"The Nomad System's ability to present positioning cues in head-up mode enables tremendous advantages by increasing precision for heavy machinery. The combination of increased productivity -- by eliminating the need to re-stake, and reducing the number of passes to achieve proper levels -- and increasing onsite safety shows the benefits of using the Nomad see-thru, wearable display," said Bruce Ridley, Microvision's marketing manager for industrial displays
"The Nomad System is a huge addition to our product line, augmenting and differentiating our products from all other competitors, which is extremely helpful in highly competitive situations" said Dave Reitmeyer, president of Productivity Products and Services. "In addition, it allows us to think outside the box and can get us into new markets where we have no current inroads.
According to Ridley, the heavy equipment manufacturing market is huge -- 280,000 machines sold annually -- but only a fraction is equipped with GPS and laser guidance. Because the Nomad system is both see-thru and readable in bright sunlight -- providing full situational awareness for the operator -- it is well positioned to increase the adoption of precision measurement systems.
Based on Microvision's patented light scanning technology, the recently introduced Nomad system is a high-resolution head-worn display that presents images and information to the user on a see-through virtual 17-inch display. This unique personal display enables hands-free access to such information diagrams, instrumentation, maintenance records, moving maps and interactive training manuals, superimposing the information on the user's view and creating "augmented vision." The Nomad system features full daylight-readability, allowing users to view high contrast images in even the most challenging ambient lighting conditions. High quality, Super VGA resolution makes the Nomad system immediately compatible with a broad range of existing applications and content.
From flight paths to factory floors, surgical suites, and more, the Nomad system can deliver major improvements in productivity, quality and safety for virtually any type of manual task. The company is targeting applications in four vertical markets -- industrial, aerospace, medical, and military -- that enable customers.
About Microvision: http://www.mvis.com
Headquartered in Bothell, Wash., Microvision Inc. is the developer of the patented retinal scanning display technology and a world leader in micro miniature optical scanning technology for display and imaging applications. The company's technology has applications in a broad range of military, medical, industrial, professional and consumer information products. Nomad is a trademark of Microvision, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statement
The information set forth in this release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. Certain factors that realistically could cause results to differ materially from those projected in the company's forward-looking statements are set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
