Microvision Awarded $1.9 Million NASA Development Contract for Virtual Cockpit Helmet Display.Business Editors, Technology Writers Microvision, Inc. (Nasdaq:MVIS MVIS Microvision Inc (Redmond, Washington) ), announced it has been awarded a $1.9 million development contract with NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. Langley Research Center Langley Research Center (LaRC) Oldest of NASA's field centers, LaRC is located in Hampton, Virginia and directly borders Poquoson, Virginia and Langley Air Force Base. LaRC focuses primarily on aeronautical research, though the Lunar Lander was flight-tested at this facility and a to deliver a prototype cockpit helmet display system for the Synthetic Vision Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) is a set of technologies that provide pilots with clear and intuitive means of understanding their flying environment. Synthetic Vision was developed by NASA in mid to late 1990s as part of the Aviation Safety Program. Systems project. The advanced display will support NASA research of a compact, low-power, lightweight display solution for existing and future air transport, business and general aviation aircraft. The contract award defines a prototype delivery within 12 months. NASA is pursuing advanced technologies that reduce accident rates and improve aviation safety by eliminating low visibility conditions as a causal factor causal factor Medtalk A factor linked to the causation of a disease or health problem to civil aircraft accidents. Current flight deck head down display media is constrained by available cockpit space, while head up display media is constrained by horizontal and vertical field-of-view and the lack of full color capability. "Reducing or eliminating controlled flight into terrain Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) describes an accident whereby an airworthy aircraft, under pilot control, inadvertently flies into terrain, an obstacle, or water. The term was developed by engineers at Boeing in the late 1970s. (CFIT) and runway incursion A runway incursion as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on April 27, 2006 is: Any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle, or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing accidents is possible with a cost-effective, light weight, see-through display," said Gary Peterson, director of customer development for Microvision. "Microvision's retinal scanning Noun 1. retinal scanning - biometric identification by scanning the retina of the eye; "identification by retinal scanning is complicated by eye movements" display (RSD RSD Reflex sympathetic dystrophy, see there ) technology can enable the presentation of a navigationally-accurate picture of the outside scene based largely on a graphics rendition of a worldwide terrain, obstruction, and airport database throughout the pilot's field of regard during all phases of flight." Microvision's technology -- which it describes as augmented vision -- uniquely supports the demanding display requirements for information fusion for commercial flight decks through its bright, day-light, see-through attributes and scalable resolution. The technology with head tracking uniquely meets the operational requirements of the flight deck by presenting needed display information (communication, navigation and weather information) to the pilot regardless of head position. The pilot can augment normal vision with critical flight data -- giving the pilot eyes `outside the cockpit'. The expectation of this contract award was referenced in the Company's first quarter earnings press release dated May 9, 2002. About Microvision: http://www.microvision.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. Forward Looking Statement Disclaimer Certain statements contained in this release, including those relating to development of prototype display systems, as well as statements containing words like "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "expect," and other similar expressions, are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in our forward-looking statements include the following: market acceptance of our technologies and products; our financial and technical resources relative to those of our competitors; our ability to obtain financing; our ability to keep up with rapid technological change; government regulation of our technologies; our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights and protect our proprietary technologies; the ability to obtain additional contract awards and to develop partnership opportunities; the timing of commercial product launches; the ability to achieve key technical milestones in key products; and other risk factors identified from time to time in our SEC reports, including in our Annual Report on 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2001 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q Form 10-Q See 10-Q. . |
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