The work will be based around the combination of Plessey’s microLED light source product family, Quanta-Brite, and Vuzix’s extensive IP in smart glasses and essential optic technologies.
Plessey's innovative monolithic microLED technology can be used to deliver smart glasses technology for a wide range of AR and MR (mixed-reality) applications for use both indoors and out. In addition, Vuzix have developed an evolving family of smart glasses that has culminated in the Vuzix Blade, a next generation smart display with a see-through viewing experience via proprietary waveguide optics.
Formed from glass with precision nanostructures, the waveguide is a key component in an AR/MR product, enabling users to see high-resolution computer-generated graphics, images and information superimposed over images from the physical or real world.
In the development of its next-generation product, Vuzix selected Plessey’s microLED-based Quanta-Brite light engine, which delivers extremely high efficiency and an improvement in lumen output.
The Quanta-Brite technology is based on Plessey’s advanced and proprietary gallium-nitride-on-silicon (GaN-on-Si) technology, with an integrated monolithic array of RGB pixels with advanced first level micro-optical elements to create a bright, largely collimated and highly uniform light source for the illumination of DMD and LCOS display engines. The resulting optical system is up to 50% smaller, lighter, simpler and cheaper than incumbent solutions and the high performance microLED emitters combined with minimal optical system losses result is significantly increased power efficiency.
Size, weight and power reduction are key considerations in AR/MR wearables. Quanta-Brite has been designed specifically for the next generation of Vuzix personal display systems.
‘This development with Vuzix is a significant endorsement of Plessey’s GaN-on-silicon microLED approach,’ said Dr Keith Strickland, Chief Technology Officer at Plessey. ‘Monolithic microLED technology is fast emerging as the only one that can provide high luminance in a very small form factor with minimal energy consumption, necessary for reducing costs and enabling lightweight battery-powered products for a range of emerging consumer and industrial applications.’
According to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), headsets and eyewear outfitted for AR and VR applications are set for record sales this year of $1.2 billion in the US market alone.
