Picoprojectors: LBO raises $13M to promote touch-enabled holographic laser projection technology

Cambridge, England--Light Blue Optics (LBO) raised $13 million in funding to continue building out market opportunities for its Gen 1 products--Light Touch and Light Work--and accelerate its Gen 2 product development roadmap for embedded interactive projection (picoprojection display) devices. This funding follows the Company’s previous Series A extension of $15 million in July 2009.

The round was led by DFJ Esprit. Existing investors Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH, Earlybird Venture Capital, Capital-E and NESTA also participated and were joined by new investors Christie Digital Systems Canada and WhiteGold Fund Management (WhiteGold).

Light Blue Optics’ Light Touch was released at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 10) in January. Light Touch is an interactive projector that instantly transforms any flat surface into a 10 inch touch screen, allowing users to interact with multimedia content in new and exciting ways. It brings a consumer electronics experience to completely new environments, enabling dynamic applications including multimedia ordering systems for restaurants, bars and hotels; wipe-clean, pathogen-resistant interactive displays for healthcare environments; and spill-proof virtual touchscreens in the kitchen.

Light Touch has LBO’s proprietary holographic laser projection technology (HLP) inside, creating bright, high-quality WVGA resolution video images that are always in focus. Light Touch has its own media processor and operating system. Onboard wireless networking enables Light Touch to connect directly to the internet or electronic point of sale systems, opening up applications such as social networking, location-based services and electronic ordering.

Light Blue Optics’ CEO Chris Harris said, "This $13 million financing round will enable us to continue to capitalise on the enormous customer interest in our first products Light Touch and Light Work whilst also driving ahead with our Gen 2 development programme for embedded products that deliver three times the brightness of a typical tablet screen using only half the power. These products have the potential to fundamentally change the way we see and interact with the world, bringing virtual touchscreens to every and any surface."

SOURCE: Light Blue Optics; http://lightblueoptics.com/news/light-blue-optics-raises-us13-million-to-realise-growing-list-of-new-applications-for-light-touch/

Posted by:Gail Overton

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