August 19, 2013
Shop Talk
Q&A With John C.C. Fan Of Kopin Corp.
Matt Volpini
John C.C. Fan
By Rick Saia
Rare is the business that moves out of one market to embrace another. But Kopin Corp., which was founded in Taunton in the 1980s, and is now based in Westborough, is shifting from its traditional product line of technology components to what founder and CEO John C.C. Fan sees as the next wave in the technological evolution: “wearable” computing products.
Many people talk about Massachusetts as a home for technological talent and innovation. Does that still hold true, in your view?
Oh yes. Other than Silicon Valley, this is the top technology center in the whole country right now, if not the world.
A group of technology companies recently called for mandatory computer science classes in Massachusetts schools. Do you think more is needed to help grow the pipeline of future tech workers?
Yes. Computer literacy is almost necessary right now in this (day). Even manufacturing … is all computer controlled: robotic controlled, computer-controlled. So if you are not computer literate, you can't even do the traditionally blue-collar work.
You recently said that we're very close to hitting a wave of wearable computing products. What is their market potential compared to, say, the personal computing wave and the mobile devices we see today?
I think the verdict is still out there. The computer has gone through many generational changes. It started with the desktop, then the laptop, then, of course, smartphones. But the next wave is the wearable computer. You wear it, your hands do not hold it, and then you do not have to touch it; the input will be done by voice or gesture, emotion. This is a logical progression of all (computing), you go all the way from the desktop to ultra-mobile. That's why I call it wearable. How big is it going to be? I think as big as smartphones or (even) supersede smartphones someday.
You're very passionate about what you do. Is that something you expect from the people who work for you? Or at least encourage?
Yes. Kopin, by definition, is a pretty old company in high tech. We are over 25 years old now. Many of the people who left MIT and Harvard with me are still here because we're passionate about (wearable computing). We think this is the next wave and we've been working on this around 20 years. It just takes so long, much longer than we (thought). But this time it's true. We actually felt five years ago that everything (was) coming together. So that's why a lot of people who have actually left the company came back (for) this important push.
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