Vuzix and Fraunhofer IPMS Announce Major Milestone in Custom MicroLED Backplane Development

ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Vuzix® Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI), (“Vuzix” or, the “Company”), a leading supplier of AI-powered Smart glasses, waveguides and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, and Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS (Fraunhofer IPMS), a globally renowned research institution based in Germany, are excited to announce a major milestone in the development of a custom microLED backplane.

The collaboration has led to the initial sample production of a high-performance microLED backplane, designed to meet the unique requirements of specific Vuzix customers. The first working samples, tested using OLED technology, validate the design’s potential for advanced display applications. The CMOS backplane supports 1080P+ resolution, enabling both monochrome and full-color, micron-sized microLED arrays. This development effort was primarily funded by third-party Vuzix customers with targeted applications in mind. As such, this next-generation microLED backplane is focused on supporting high-end enterprise and defense markets, where performance and customization are critical.

“The success of these first functional samples is a major step forward,” said Adam Bull, Director of Program Management at Vuzix. “Fraunhofer IPMS has been an outstanding partner, and we’re excited about the potential applications within our OEM solutions and tailored projects for our customers.”

Philipp Wartenberg, Head of department IC and System Design at Fraunhofer IPMS, added, “Collaborating with Vuzix on this pioneering project showcases our commitment to advancing display technology through innovative processes and optimized designs. The project demonstrates for the first time the adaptation of an existing OLED microdisplay backplane to the requirements of a high-current microLED frontplane and enables us to expand our backplane portfolio.”

To schedule a meeting during the May 12^th SID/Display Week please reach out to sales@vuzix.com. 

About Vuzix Corporation

Vuzix is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of AI-powered Smart Glasses, Waveguides and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, components and products for the enterprise, medical, defense and consumer markets. The Company’s products include head-mounted smart personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience, provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays and augmented reality, as well OEM waveguide optical components and display engines. Vuzix holds more than 425 patents and patents pending and numerous IP licenses in the fields of optics, head-mounted displays, and the augmented reality wearables field. The Company has won Consumer Electronics Show (or CES) awards for innovation for the years 2005 to 2024 and several wireless technology innovation awards among others. Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a public company (NASDAQ: VUZI) with offices in: Rochester, NY; and Kyoto and Okayama, Japan.  For more information, visit the Vuzix website, X and Facebook pages.

About Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS 

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS is an internationally leading research and development service provider for electronic and photonic microsystems in the application fields of intelligent industrial solutions, medical technology and health, mobility, and green and sustainable microelectronics. The institute is the only independent research and development center for microdisplays (OLED, LED, LCOS, etc.) in the world. The offering ranges from conception through product development to pilot-manufacturing in its own laboratories and cleanrooms, as well as backplane fabrication collaborations with 8″ and 12″ commercial silicon foundries. The institute works on electronic, mechanical, and optical components and their integration into miniaturized devices and systems.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

Certain statements contained in this news release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward looking statements contained in this release relate to Vuzix waveguides, our business relationship, and future developments with Fraunhofer, applicability of the developed backplane to work with various types of microdisplays, its ultimate full commercialization, and among other things the Company’s leadership in the Smart Glasses and AR display industry. They are generally identified by words such as “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “should” and similar expressions. Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based upon the Company’s beliefs and assumptions as of the date of this release. The Company’s actual results could differ materially due to risk factors and other items described in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Reports and MD&A filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable Canadian securities regulators (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). Subsequent events and developments may cause these forward-looking statements to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation or intention to update or revise these forward-looking statements as a result of changed events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release, except as required by applicable law.

Vuzix Media and Investor Relations Contact:

Ed McGregor, Director of Investor Relations,
Vuzix Corporation
ed_mcgregor@vuzix.com  
Tel: (585) 359-5985

Vuzix Corporation, 25 Hendrix Road, West Henrietta, NY 14586 USA,
Investor Information – IR@vuzix.com  www.vuzix.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vuzix-and-fraunhofer-ipms-announce-major-milestone-in-custom-microled-backplane-development-302447220.html

SOURCE Vuzix Corporation