9 Microdisplay Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for microdisplays as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 9 microdisplay manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked microdisplay companies as of November, 2024: 1.Kopin, 2.CINOPTICS, 3.eMagin Corporation.
Table of Contents
What Is a Microdisplay?
A microdisplay is a compact display unit with a diagonal measurement of less than 0.25 inches, widely used in small electronic devices. It plays a pivotal role in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies due to its small footprint and ability to deliver high-resolution images.
Uses of Microdisplays
Microdisplays are versatile, finding applications across various fields:
1. Head-up Displays
Utilized in automobiles and aircraft to project driving-related information directly into the driver's line of sight, enhancing safety and convenience.
2. Smart Glasses
Integrated into smart glasses to overlay digital information onto the real world, enabling hands-free data access.
3. Cameras
Employed in digital cameras as viewfinders, providing a digital preview of the frame, focus, and exposure settings.
4. Medical Equipment
Crucial in endoscopic cameras, offering physicians internal views for diagnosis and treatment with high image clarity.
Principles of Microdisplays
Microdisplays are manufactured using various technologies, including:
1. High-Temperature Polysilicon Liquid Crystals
Features fast response times and high-definition display capabilities, using polysilicon for pixel formation.
2. DLP (Digital Light Processing)
Employs digital micromirrors for image projection, commonly used in professional settings like movie theaters due to its high production cost.
3. LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon)
A reflective technology that places a liquid crystal layer on a silicon backplane, known for high resolution and excellent contrast, suitable for 4K displays and medical projectors.
How to Select a Microdisplay
Considerations for choosing a microdisplay include:
1. Intended Use
Define the application, whether for VR, heads-up displays, or smart glasses, each requiring different specifications.
2. Resolution
High-resolution microdisplays offer detailed and sharp images, crucial for applications needing clear visual information.
3. Size and Weight
Important for wearable technologies, where comfort and portability are key. Durability is also a major factor, especially for medical and aerospace applications.
Other Information on Microdisplays
1. OLED Microdisplays
OLED technology, which uses organic materials for light emission, is predominant in microdisplays, offering self-illumination and high efficiency. OLEDs feature various layers that facilitate electron and hole combinations for light emission, with RGB and color filter methods for color representation.
2. VR Industry Applications
Microdisplays are critical for VR technology, providing immersive experiences with their compact size yet high-definition output. The VR industry benefits from microdisplays in creating realistic virtual environments in head-mounted displays.
List of 9 Microdisplay Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- France
- Germany
-
-
-
eMagin Corporation
Microdisplays
Manufacturer Overview
eMagin Corporation, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Hopewell Junction, NY, is a manufacturer of OLED microdisplays and virtual imaging technologies. The company specializes in compact, energy-efficient displays and virtual imaging technologies, catering to defense, commercial, and medical industries. Its product range includes WUXGA, SXGA120, and other high-resolution microdisplays, utilizing proprietary OLED technology to produce virtual images comparable to large-screen displays. Its direct patterning technology allows for brighter, more colorful, and power-efficient OLEDs by directly patterning Red, Green, and Blue emitters.
-
-
-
-
-
Kopin
Microdisplays
Manufacturer Overview
Kopin Corporation is a manufacturer of liquid crystal microdisplays for wearable computing devices and was established in 1984 in Westborough, Massachusetts. The company collaborates with Fujitsu, Motorola, Google, RealWear, and Vuzix for offering critical components and customized optical display systems. The products range from ultra-small LCD, Ferroelectric LCoS, OLED, and energy-efficient ASICs to optical modules. Microdisplays are used in industrial, military, enterprise, consumer, and healthcare applications for advanced imaging and better sustainability. They employ game-changing technologies such as heterojunction bipolar transistors that power billions of cellphones as well as microdisplays. Forth Dimension Displays & NVIS Inc are their subsidiaries.
-
-
-
-
-
bbs bild- und lichtsysteme GmbH
Microdisplays
Manufacturer Overview
bbs bild- und lichtsysteme GmbH is a manufacturer of microdisplays and related components founded in 1984 and headquartered in Bayern, Germany. The company offers customized development of driver boards for microdisplays with implemented microcontroller software and firmware. Its product line consists of micro-DLP-driver boards, micro-LCOS-controllers, and micro-LCD-controllers with XGA, SXGA, UXGA, HD, and 4K resolutions. The company caters to OEM manufacturers of 3D scanners and printers, spatial light modulators, medical imaging, surveying instruments, and beamer technology.
-
-
-
-
-
MICROOLED
Microdisplays
Manufacturer Overview
MICROOLED is a manufacturer of OLED microdisplays for mobile near-to-eye viewing devices, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Grenoble, France. The company offers AMOLED microdisplays with extremely sharp images, even in low-light conditions. It also provides optical modules that integrate its microdisplays with other components, such as optical lenses and electronics. The company adheres to CE, RoHS, and ISO quality management systems. Its products find applications in multiple fields, including smart glasses, medical devices, professional cameras, outdoor and sport optics, as well as defense and security.
-
-
-
-
-
Dresden Microdisplay GmbH
Microdisplays
Manufacturer Overview
Dresden Microdisplay GmbH is a manufacturer of OLED and LCoS-based microdisplays founded in 2010 and headquartered in Freistaat Sachsen, Germany. The company specializes in the development, production, marketing, and sales of OLED- and LCoS-based microdisplays. It also offers microdisplays-derived components, such as lenses and optical engines, as well as full monocular and binocular modules. The company also provides custom-made microdisplays or modules for high-volume production. It caters to various sectors, including AR/VR, consumer electronics, industrial automation, medical devices, and aerospace.
-
-
-
-
-
CINOPTICS
Microdisplays
Manufacturer Overview
Cinoptics is a manufacturer of augmented and virtual reality solutions founded in 1997 and headquartered in Maastricht, Limburg. The company specializes in the design and production of high-end electronic optic systems for integration in virtual and augmented reality applications. Its product line consists of the augmented reality HMD, AR smart glasses, AR helmet-mounted displays, simulated virtual binoculars, and virtual rifle scopes. The company provides NTE display technology tracker subsystem solutions for the medical, defense, aviation, and other industrial sectors.
-
-
-
-
-
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
Microdisplays
Manufacturer Overview
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Atsugi, Japan, is a manufacturer of various semiconductor products and electric/electronic equipment, as well as other related businesses. Its range of products includes image sensors, microdisplays, board computers, and laser diodes used in several industries, such as logistics, manufacturing, security, agriculture, and transportation. The company conforms to the IATF 16949 standard and ISO 9001 and has 33 bases in 13 countries worldwide. It has received several awards, including the National Invention Award, Okochi Award, US Walter Kosonocky Award, and Manufacturing Japan Grand Award.
-
-
-
-
-
FRAMOS
Microdisplays
Company Overview
FRAMOS is located inTaufkirchen, Germany and is a manufacturer and distributor of imaging products including image sensors, 3D modules, and depth-sensing technology that have applications in security, drones, and sports & entertainment cameras since 1981. The company offers SWIR, event-based, time-of-flight, and global & rolling shutter image sensors from Sony, Prophesee, Pyxalis, and Andon. FRAMOS's resource portfolio includes various solutions and capabilities such as embedded vision technologies, custom solutions and support as well as OEM services. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and is also a distributor of optic devices such as lenses, filters, optical modules, and components.
-
-
-
-
-
Collins Aerospace
Microdisplays
Distributor Overview
Collins Aerospace, established in 2018 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, operates as a supplier of technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the aerospace and defense industries. The company's product portfolio includes a wide range of offerings, such as SWIR area cameras, linescan cameras, linear photodiode arrays, lenses & accessories, microdisplays, and more. These products cater to diverse applications, including military, security and surveillance, machine vision, photovoltaics, semiconductor inspection, and more. The company functions as a subsidiary of RTX Corporation.
-
-
Microdisplay Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kopin |
23.4%
|
| 2 | CINOPTICS |
17.4%
|
| 3 | eMagin Corporation |
12.8%
|
| 4 | Dresden Microdisplay GmbH |
12.5%
|
| 5 | FRAMOS |
8.6%
|
| 6 | MICROOLED |
7.9%
|
| 7 | bbs bild- und lichtsysteme GmbH |
7.6%
|
| 8 | Collins Aerospace |
6.3%
|
| 9 | Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation |
3.6%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the microdisplay page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
- Dresden Microdisplay GmbH: 2010 (14 years ago)
- eMagin Corporation: 2000 (24 years ago)
- FRAMOS: 1981 (43 years ago)
Company with a History
- FRAMOS: 1981 (43 years ago)
- eMagin Corporation: 2000 (24 years ago)
- Dresden Microdisplay GmbH: 2010 (14 years ago)
Microdisplay Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
Global Distribution of Microdisplay Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
|
2 | 40.0% |
Germany
|
2 | 40.0% |
France
|
1 | 20.0% |
