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GM researches smart windshield 
September 4, 2008, by Kami Buchholz, SAE
Futuristic windshield aims to help older drivers
July 18, 2008, by Margaret Harding, AP
Wade
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Windshields
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March 1, 2004
Display
firm gives heads-up to investors
February 7, 2004 |
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Display
firm gives heads-up to investors
Dan Gallagher | From the February 27, 2004 print edition
Ted Sun sees a day when his technology can be used in next-generation
heads-up displays for automobiles, or to help store owners save
on paint and posters by simply projecting an image onto their windows.
But first, Sun and his partner, Jianqiang Liu, need to get some
investors to see the light. Through their Fremont-based startup,
Superimaging Inc., the two scientists are working to commercialize
a "display-on-glass" technology that can be used to project
images onto glass surfaces without ruining the transparency of the
glass itself.
They seem to be off to a good start. On Feb. 10, the pair landed
a spot at the annual Golden Capital Network conference in Sacramento,
which helps match emerging companies with potential venture capital
investors. Their presentation won them the "Best of Show"
designation and praise from high-profile venture capitalists such
as Tim Draper of Draper Fisher Jurvetson.
Now, the trick for Sun and Liu will be to transform that buzz into
hard investment dollars. The company is particularly on the lookout
for investors that can give it some much needed business guidance
as it looks to crack markets that hold great promise but will nonetheless
be highly difficult to penetrate.
"We're not just looking for money; we need smart money,"
Sun said. "The future for our company is very bright, if we
can position ourselves right."
Sun and Liu founded Superimaging last year. They became acquainted
while working at General Electric Corp. Sun, a UC-Berkeley graduate,
was working as a materials chemist while Liu, an electrical engineer
from CalTech, was developing flat-panel display technology for X-ray
machines.
After leaving G.E., the two put their respective disciplines together
to come up with a new approach to display-on-glass technology. Their
approach uses a glass coating that yields a brighter display than
others on the market. The key benefit, the pair say, is the ultralow
power consumption - an especially critical factor for getting the
technology into the automobile market.
The first interest in the technology came from the military, which
has long been seeking improved heads-up display, or HUD, for uses
in aircraft, tanks and helmets. Superimaging started under a grant
from the Department of Defense and has since raised more funds through
grant programs, according to Sun.
But the company sees the automotive industry as its first key market
to tap, although it will face significant obstacles. Automakers
have long toyed with HUD technology; General Motors Corp. began
putting it into high-end models as early as 1988. These early models
typically ran off overhead projector bulbs and were notorious for
generating lots of heat and eating up power to produce an image
that, depending on the time of day, was barely visible.
However, carmakers have billions of dollars to throw at research
and development. And large electronics makers such as Siemens AG
also are developing HUD technology. Also, the automotive industry
is regarded as a slow adopter of new technologies, which can be
difficult for a young company to wait out.
"They will almost certainly need to find a way to get this
technology into the aftermarket in addition to chasing the carmakers,"
said Ken Gullicksen of Morgenthaler Ventures in Menlo Park, who
attended Superimaging's presentation at Golden Capital.
Sun, however, thinks the industry's continued push for improved
safety will work to his company's benefit. He cites industry studies
that say heads-up displays can save drivers the one second to three
seconds they lose when they glance down at their dashboards - lost
time that can prove dangerous on cramped highways. "We think
this could be the next air bag," Sun said.
Gullicksen says the company has several challenges before it, but
it could be a good play for the right investors.
"Venture capitalists look for significant market opportunities
with highly defensible technologies. I think they have both those
things," Gullicksen said. "The prize appears to be large,
if they manage to pull it off."
Reach Gallagher at dgallagher@bizjournals.com
or 925-598-1450. |
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