Lemoptix has secured an undisclosed investment amount from the venture arm of Swiss Telco: Swisscom Ventures and existing investors, TechCrunch reported. Based in Switzerland, Lemoptix has developed technology that allows the embedding of micro-projectors in devices like mobile phones, automotive heads-up displays and wearable displays.
Lemoptix was spun off in 2008 from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Lemoptix makes MEMS-based micro-projection technology to allow small, low powered projection displays to be placed within mobile phones, HUDs and other forms of wearable technology. The technology evades the limitations given by physical displays because it allows content to be seen on a surface close by or even projected from within the device itself. The company's partners and clients can then license the technology, with Lemoptix supporting them from the initial stages of development to prototyping to industrialization and the manufacturing of new products, the report said.
With the buzz about wearables and Google Glass dominating the headlines these days, the innovations of Lemoptix is important. According to Lemoptix, it is actively coming up with solutions and working with its partners in the industry in the field of wearable displays focused on smartglass-type applications, the report said.
Lemoptix Chief Executive Officer Marco Boella told TechCrunch, "Google Glass (and surrounding hype) has had an incredible effect on the market, which has seriously sparked competing consumer electronics device manufacturers who don't want to be left behind to take action. I don't know of many of these that wouldn't in some way or another be looking into or developing these systems."
Boella added that devices similar to Google Glass will not just serve as gadgets. Rather, it will ultimately have uses in the fields of sports, medicine, vision impairment, security and maintenance. It could also find use in head-mounted displays for cyclists. However, Boella is not as optimistic about the smartwatch, the report said.
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