Zecotek to Develop 3D Head-Up Display (HUD) with European Automobile Manufacturer

Zecotek Photonics Inc. ( TSX VENTURE: ZMS) (FRANKFURT: W1I) (OTC PINK: ZMSPF), a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for industrial, healthcare and scientific markets, is pleased to provide a corporate update on the Company’s 3D Display Program. Zecotek has been approached by a major European automobile manufacturer to jointly integrate a 3D display system into a head-up display (HUD) and entertainment console, based on its patented 3D auto stereoscopic display technology. Zecotek’s 3D display system is being sought by the automobile company because it does not require eye tracking and provides a deeper field of view. It also allows both the driver and the passenger to see pictures with the same relative primary resolution.
“The key difference between Zecotek’s patented 3D display system and existing HUD systems are the significantly more views in our 3D system compared to the two views in HUD displays requiring eye tracking,” said Dr. A.F. Zerrouk, Chairman, President, and CEO of Zecotek Photonics Inc. “Eye tracking increases complexity and requires additional systems which impacts reliability and drives up costs. Our 3D display system has over 90 views which not only eliminates the need for eye tracking, it allows the driver and the passenger to have different displayed images without any compromise in the image resolution.”
One of the highlights of new generation automobiles is the innovative HUD. The HUD projects relevant trip data and alerts onto a high-quality slide-out display panel positioned directly in the driver’s field of vision. The driver of the vehicle can press a button and a transparent display rises from its position behind the dashboard into the driver’s primary field of vision. Speed, traffic signs, the activity of the assistance systems and other functions can be displayed on the 10 x 15cm high resolution surface. Navigation data or alerts can also be shown on the head-up display. Meanwhile, the driver’s eyes remain on the road, with the on-screen information appearing to be approximately two meters in front of the vehicle. The advantage of the position of the display is that projecting alerts into the driver’s immediate field of vision reduces reaction time. In addition, the driver’s eyes do not need to refocus so often from far-field to near-field vision.
Eye tracking is necessary in HUD display systems with only two views of a scene (one for each eye). As the observer moves his head around, it is necessary for the eye positions to be tracked so the HUD can display views at different positions. Without eye tracking when the observer moves they would no longer see the image. With eye tracking, each movement of the head is tracked and the view is recalculated so as to show the displayed scene from a different angle corresponding to the current observer’s new point of view.
With Zecotek’s 3D display system, eye tracking is not necessary because a large number of views are simultaneously projected into the viewing zone, each corresponding to a particular view point within that zone. As a consequence, the observer will see a true 3D image as viewed from the chosen point anywhere within that viewing zone. This also means that the driver and the passenger are able to look at the same display and see their own images from their own perspective (e.g. an object left side seen by an observer standing to the left of the centre and the object’s right side seen simultaneously by another observer standing to the right).
Zecotek’s 3D scientific team is working with the European automobile company as it runs tests on the 3D display system. Early results show that the 3D display is well suited for the application in the automobile. Any news on a possible agreement will be released in early 2017.
At the same time Zecotek’s 3D scientific team continues to work with another group to commercialize the 3D technology in Russia, as previously announced. New security protocols by the local government, meant that the 3D prototype needed further upgrades. These are now being conducted in Singapore in collaboration with local advanced software designers. The team continues to work jointly with the Russian company to meet the security requirements of the system and the commercialization objectives of the overall program.
About Zecotek
Zecotek Photonics Inc (TSX VENTURE: ZMS) (FRANKFURT: W1I) is a photonics technology company developing high-performance scintillation crystals, photo detectors, positron emission tomography scanning technologies, 3D auto-stereoscopic displays, 3D metal printing, and lasers for applications in medical, high-tech and industrial sectors. Founded in 2004, Zecotek operates three divisions: Imaging Systems, Optronics Systems and 3D Display Systems with labs located in Canada, Korea, Russia, Singapore and U.S.A. The management team is focused on building shareholder value by commercializing over 50 patented and patent pending novel photonic technologies directly and through strategic alliances, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Switzerland), Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. (China), NuCare Medical Systems (South Korea), the University of Washington (United States), and National NanoFab Center (South Korea). For more information visit www.zecotek.com and follow @zecotek on Twitter.
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