OmniVision and ASTRI Create Production-Ready Reference Design for AR Glasses

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OmniVision Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today announced that it has collaborated with Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI) to develop a reference design for production-ready augmented reality (AR) glasses. This complete AR glasses solution combines OmniVision's lightweight and power-efficient OP02220, the industry's only single-chip, 1080p high definition (HD) liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) display with integrated driver and memory buffer, with ASTRI's reference design, which integrates optics and system electronics that provide an industry-leading 60-degree-wide field of view for an improved user experience.

The AR market is at an early stage and growing rapidly. The International Data Corporation (IDC) [1] forecasts a compound annual growth rate at 113% between 2017 and 2021, driven initially by demand for applications such as consumer gaming, retail showcasing and manufacturing training. Therapy and rehabilitation and public infrastructure maintenance, both of which can take advantage of wireless head-mounted displays, are among the applications in which IDC expects to see the fastest growth over the forecast period.

"Customers are looking for a complete turnkey reference design solution for AR glasses with Wi-Fi connectivity to any mobile device or PC," said Sam Yoshikawa, LCOS marketing manager at OmniVision. "We partnered with ASTRI because they are an early adopter of AR technology and they have strong expertise in AR design. The collaboration allows us to rapidly bring our high-resolution LCOS display to the AR market as part of a qualified reference design."

ASTRI's wireless reference design will offer OEMs and ODMs the opportunity to license the technology, obtain a prototype and accelerate their product launch. High-quality optics from ASTRI allow an unprecedented 60-degree field of view as part of its fully qualified, complete electronics system for AR glasses. This system also integrates 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity.

The reference design leverages OmniVision's OP02220 LCOS display and OV9282 image sensor to enable inside-out tracking such as SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping), 3D room scanning, and hand and tool tracking. The OP02220 enables simpler system designs, a smaller form factor, lighter weight and up to 40% lower power consumption compared with display systems using two or three separate driver and memory-buffer chips. The OV9282 is built on OmniVision's high-speed OmniPixel3-GS™ pixel technology to capture 1280 x 800 pixel images at 120 frames per second (FPS) with low latency.

"ASTRI's intelligent AR projection solution offers advanced optics with uniquely varied FOV, as well as high resolution and brightness. Through this partnership, our advanced optical and sensing capabilities join the high-performance image sensor and LCOS solutions from OmniVision – offering the consumers an extraordinary product experience. The OP02220, for example, is the perfect fit for ASTRI's reference design because it offers industry-leading LCOS display capabilities in a compact form factor with extremely low power consumption," said Kenny Chan, Senior Manager at ASTRI. "ASTRI's 'Smart Optics' display and sensing technology solutions, and this particular reference design, enable OEMs and ODMs to rapidly bring leading-edge AR glasses to the market."

This joint reference design and all specified components are currently available. A prototype will be demonstrated at OmniVision's CES private suite. Please contact your OmniVision sales or marketing representative to schedule a meeting or receive more information.

About OmniVision
OmniVision Technologies, Inc. is a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions. Its award-winning CMOS imaging technology enables superior image quality in many of today's consumer and commercial applications, including mobile phones, notebooks, tablets and webcams, digital still and video cameras, security and surveillance, entertainment devices, automotive and medical imaging systems. Find out more at www.ovt.com.

About ASTRI
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) was founded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2000 with the mission of enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness in technology-based industries through applied research. ASTRI's core R&D competence in various areas is grouped under seven Technology Divisions, namely Communications Technologies, Electronics Components, Mixed Signal Systems IC, Advanced Digital Systems, Opto-electronics, Security and Data Sciences, and Intelligent Software and Systems. Five areas of applications including financial technologies, intelligent manufacturing, next generation network, health technologies, and smart city are identified for major pursuits. For further information about ASTRI, please visit www.astri.org

OmniVision® and the OmniVision logo are registered trademarks of OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
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[1] : IDC Press Release, Worldwide Spending on Augmented and Virtual Reality Expected to Double or More Every Year Through 2021, According to IDC, August 2017

SOURCE OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

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