Fraunhofer IPMS and Vuzix announce milestone in custom microLED backplanes
The collaboration has resulted in an initial production run of a high-performance microLED backplane. The first functional samples, tested using OLED technology, confirm the design's potential for advanced display applications.
Vuzix Corporation, a leading supplier of smart glasses and augmented reality (AR) technology and products, and Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS (Fraunhofer IPMS), a globally renowned research institution based in Dresden, Germany, have announced a major milestone in the development of a custom microLED backplane.
The collaboration has led to the initial sample production of a high-performance microLED backplane, designed to meet the unique requirements of specific Vuzix customers. The first working samples, tested using OLED technology, validate the design’s potential for advanced display applications. The CMOS backplane supports 1080P+ resolution, enabling both monochrome and full-colour, micron-sized microLED arrays.
According to Fraunhofer IPMS, this development effort was primarily funded by third-party Vuzix customers with targeted applications in mind. As such, this next generation microLED backplane is focused on supporting high-end enterprise and defense markets, where performance and customisation are critical.
"The success of these first functional samples is a major step forward," said Adam Bull, Director of Program Management at Vuzix. "Fraunhofer IPMS has been an outstanding partner, and we’re excited about the potential applications within our OEM solutions and tailored projects for our customers."
Philipp Wartenberg, Head of department IC and System Design at Fraunhofer IPMS, added, "Collaborating with Vuzix on this pioneering project showcases our commitment to advancing display technology through innovative processes and optimised designs. The project demonstrates for the first time the adaptation of an existing OLED microdisplay backplane to the requirements of a high-current microLED frontplane and enables us to expand our backplane portfolio."
About Vuzix Corporation
Vuzix is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of AI driven Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies and products for the enterprise, medical, defense and consumer markets. The company’s products include head-mounted smart personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience, provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays and augmented reality, as well OEM waveguide optical components and display engines. Vuzix holds more than 425 patents and patents pending and numerous IP licenses in the fields of optics, head-mounted displays, and the augmented reality wearables field. The company has won Consumer Electronics Show (or CES) awards for innovation for the years 2005 to 2024 and several wireless technology innovation awards among others. Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a public company (NASDAQ: VUZI) with offices in: Rochester, NY; and Kyoto and Okayama, Japan.
About Fraunhofer IPMS
Fraunhofer IPMS, headquartered in Dresden, Germany, is an internationally leading research and development service provider for electronic and photonic microsystems in the application fields of intelligent industrial solutions, medical technology and health, mobility and green and sustainable microelectronics. The institute works on electronic, mechanical and optical components and their integration into miniaturized devices and systems. The offering ranges from conception through product development to pilot manufacturing in its own laboratories and cleanrooms.
Source: Fraunhofer IPMS
Caption: Vuzix and Fraunhofer IPMS 1080p+ microLED backplane (Image: Fraunhofer IPMS)
www.ipms.fraunhofer.de
www.vuzix.com