What They Say
We published a press release from Vuzix about a deal to develop an optics engine for an HMD with L3Harris Technologies (Vuzix Enters Into An Agreement With L3Harris Technologies To Develop A New Customized Waveguide-based HMD System). Prototypes will be delivered in 2022 for a lightweight see-through display system.
Optics.org also announced that Engo Eyewear has developed eyewear for endurance athletes, the Engo 2, with 10-12 hour battery life and just 36gms. The headset can be paired with Garmin devices to display data fields and is available for pre-order at $329.
Separately, Bloomberg reported a couple of weeks ago that a US Senate panel has cut the procurement funds for the troubled IVAS headset from Microsoft from $400 million in 2023 to $50 million, citing “software, hardware and user-acceptance challenges that the Army has not sufficiently addressed,”
What We Think
At SID, Vuzix told us that it was pivoting away from the lower margin consumer complete device market to exploit its waveguide technology. As we have mentioned before, a number of waveguide companies have been acquired by big tech companies, reducing the number of options available in the market.
The Engo 2 would be a no-brainer for me if only I had more time to get out on my bike! (BR)
