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US-based leader in micro displays for consumer and military applications, Kopin Corporation, celebrated today (July 19) the official opening of its Hong Kong subsidiary at the Hong Kong Science Park.
Established in 1984 in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) research labs, Kopin developed its patented Wafer-Engineering? technology in which nanotechnology is applied to semiconductor materials.
The new Hong Kong office, Kopin (HK), will provide technical assistance to video eyewear manufacturers in the Asia region and will serve as an application development centre for video eyewear.
ˇ§Located next to the Pearl River Delta manufacturing base, Hong Kong allows us to work closely with our customers in China while innovative solutions for intellectual property development can be created in a good environment like the Hong Kong Science Park,ˇ¨ said Dr John C.C. Fan, Kopinˇ¦s President and CEO. ˇ§An array of companies located in the Park with complementary expertise related to our display technology can offer display driver electronics, backlight, image enlarging optics, digital wireless transmission, video CODEC and display analysis equipment. I believe this cluster of technology partners will dramatically speed up our application development work.ˇ¨
An important mission for Kopin (HK) is to develop, in collaboration with technology companies and customers, next-generation mobile video technologies that augment Kopinˇ¦s Digital iVision? technology. The new technologies include 3D stereo viewing, integrated MPEG-4 video playback and storage and wireless RF links to enable cable-free connectivity between video devices and eyewear products. Digital iVision technology provides consumers with ˇ§Big Pictures on the Goˇ¨ in the smallest form factor.
ˇ§The mobile video market in China will see a big boost in the next two years, because mobile TV broadcasting will start before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games,ˇ¨ said Mr Kenny Chow, General Manager of Kopin (HK). ˇ§This driving force makes many companies enthusiastic about our offering of Binocular Display Module (BDM) products, which enable them to create a mobile TV receiver with eyewear as a portable set. People will be able to enjoy live Olympic events anywhere with big-screen pictures. Kopin (HK) will allow us to capitalise on this and other business opportunities.ˇ¨
Mr Chow also explained that the company is committed to hire local employees, including technical staff, as it grows.
At Kopinˇ¦s opening ceremony, the Acting Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Ms Ophelia Tsang, welcomed Kopinˇ¦s decision to set up its regional operations in Hong Kong. ˇ§We are delighted to see Kopin has chosen Hong Kong for its regional base. This is an excellent example of a high-tech company recognising Hong Kongˇ¦s unique advantages to develop R&D activities - such as our strong protection for intellectual property, free flow of information, sophisticated IT infrastructure and the strong presence of high-tech industry players. We look forward to celebrating the further expansion of Kopin in Hong Kong in the near future.ˇ¨
The Vice President, Marketing and Admission of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Dr John Lo, welcomed the addition of Kopin to the Park. He said, ˇ§A key attraction for Kopin to set up their operation in Hong Kong Science Park was the unique clusters of technology industry players here. The clusters naturally become technology partners of each other, as Kopin has done. For example, Solomon Systech is the Driver IC supplier, and Kopin recently adopted back light technology from Omron and LCD measurement technology from Bona Fide for their products.ˇ¨
Kopin Corporation produces light weight, power-efficient, ultra-small liquid crystal displays and heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). The company has shipped more than 20 million displays for a variety of consumer and military applications including digital cameras, personal video eyewear, camcorders, thermal weapon sights and night vision systems. Kopinˇ¦s unique HBTs, which help to enhance battery life, talk time and signal clarity, have been integrated into billions of wireless handsets as well as into WiFi, VoIP and high-speed Internet data transmission systems. Its proprietary display and HBT technologies are protected by more than 200 global patents and patents pending. For more information, please visit Kopin's website at www.kopin.com.
Invest Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government department charged with encouraging and facilitating inward investment into the city by providing the support needed to establish a business presence here. For more information, please visit the website at www.investhk.gov.hk.
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) is a statutory body set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Its mission is to provide quality infrastructure and support facilities for innovation and technology development in the focused clusters and the upgrading of manufacturing and service industry capabilities; full-service incubation programme for technology start-ups; and foster partnership and collaboration between industry and universities/applied research institutes through consulting, training and research programmes. For more information, please visit the website at www.hkstp.org.
Ends/Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:03
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