MicroEmissive Displays Group

About MicroEmissive Displays Group

MicroEmissive Displays Group (MED) was a Scottish company founded in 1999 as a spin-off from the University of Edinburgh with the goal of commercializing a new microdisplay technology. The company was co-founded by Ian Underwood, who also served as its Strategic Marketing Officer and was the co-inventor of its core technology. Underwood's journey began with pioneering research in liquid crystal microdisplays at the University of Edinburgh from 1983 to 1999, making him a recognized authority in the field.

MED focused on the development, manufacturing, and sale of microdisplays based on a hybrid Polymer Organic Light Emitting Diode (P-OLED) on CMOS (PLED/CMOS) technology. These very small, active-matrix electronic displays were capable of showing TV-quality moving video images. The key benefit of MED's technology was its ultra-low power consumption compared to conventional displays, which extended the battery life of portable electronic devices. The microdisplays were designed to be optically magnified, creating a viewable image much larger than the physical unit, making them suitable for applications like portable head-mounted displays, video glasses, and electronic viewfinders in cameras.

The company's business model involved manufacturing and selling these P-OLED microdisplays, with products like their "eyescreen". MED operated in the microdisplay market, targeting electronics manufacturers. Over its lifetime, the company secured significant funding, raising a total of $23.3 million over two rounds from institutional investors including Scottish Equity Partners, 3i Group, AXA Investment Managers, and BASF. At one point, MED was a public company listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. Despite its promising technology and securing funding for a volume manufacturing facility in Dresden, Germany, the company faced financial difficulties. After warning of low cash resources and failing to secure new funds, MicroEmissive Displays went into administration and ceased operations in November 2008.