Optical solutions developer Kopin Corporation has received a $20.5-million contract to deliver new thermal weapon sight eyepiece configurations for a prime US Department of Defense contractor.
The agreement supports Kopin’s strategic cooperation with the industry partner to integrate the eyepiece into a “see-through” augmented reality weapon system.
The agreement enables the firm to procure up to $9 million in materials until the new eyepiece configuration is fully qualified under government requirements.
Kopin is scheduled to hand over the new weapon sights in 2024 and 2025.
“Our customer’s willingness to start procurement prior to final qualification is a testament to Kopin’s optical expertise, customer responsiveness and reliability in delivering weapon sights and targeting products of the highest quality,” Kopin Business Development and Strategy VP Bill Maffucci stated.
Pancake Optics
The Massachusetts company wrote that the weapon sight eyepieces include Kopin’s proprietary Pancake optics and corresponding high-brightness microdisplay tailored for augmented, virtual, and mixed reality applications.
“This major breakthrough represents a foundational milestone for the emerging [virtual reality] markets,” Kopin Corporation Founder Dr. John C.C. Fan explained during the Pancake device’s debut in 2021.
“Bulky, heavy headsets have been a major barrier to faster consumer adoption for many years. No more.”
“After thorough review of the available optics designs, we believe all-plastic Pancake optics are the best for VR applications that require a very large field of view, excellent image performance, and a super compact size.”
Expanding Business in 2024
According to Kopin, the latest contract kicks off the company’s production of its existing eyepiece and new configurations this year – the demand for which is expected to triple compared to 2023.
“This contract is another milestone in our transformation to become a world-class developer and manufacturer of application-specific optical solutions,” Kopin CEO Michael Murray said.
“We start 2024 with a strong order book and this order strengthens our foundation for significant revenue and profitable growth.”
