New Castle, Delaware, April 20, 2005—With more than 700 patent applications issued or pendingand a solid reputation for high-tech innovation, Xybernaut® Corporation based in Fairfax VA, USA ranks as one of the hottest names in the rapidly-expanding mobile computer business. Users of Xybernaut’s custom-designed software/hardware packages include DaimlerChrysler, Siemens, Fed-Ex, Defense and government organizations, as well as international front-line media E-Press organizations.

To stay ahead of Far-East competition, Xybernaut GmbH relies heavily on imbedded logic technology and SL Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies utilizing DSM Somos materials from ASG GmbH, a design and prototyping company based in Sindelfingen, Germany.

"ASG switched both of its SLA® machines to Somos White and Somos WaterShed® in early 2004," says ASG Managing Director Cristoph Beutel. "Without a doubt, this was the right move! Both materials have excellent surface quality, are extremely fast but accurate and, thanks to their extremely low moisture absorption of around 0,3%, are also stable over time. Whether we are producing parts for design evaluation, functional testing or patterns for RTV silicon-mould softtools, ASG is able to deliver high quality prototypes within an extremely short time-frame. This is key to our overall business strategy – whether it be for customers in the automotive, consumer or, like Xybernaut, IT segments."

Xybernaut’s Senior Vice President Research and Development Dr. Edwin Vogt says that access to high-quality soft tooling allows the company to rapidly produce fully functional models at a price which enables Xybernaut to retain its leadership position—even in the face of strong competition from Far East and especially Taiwan, China and Japan.

‘We've found a great partner in ASG," says Vogt. "The company not only helps us to optimize our hardware designs, but also produces high-quality SL models for evaluation and functional testing. Once this step has been completed, we can move rapidly to the critical stage of small-series production of up to 30 to 40 models either for prototyping or quantity-limited customer trials and evaluations. The availability of ASG’s high quality RTV soft-tools for vacuum casting, particularly in the design and development phase, is critical: without them it would be difficult to compete with many of our competitors in Europe and the Far East."

Vogt continues, " With ASG’s RTV soft-tooling capability we can reach the same level of quality as with hard-tooling, but at only one tenth of the cost. This allows Xybernaut to rapidly incorporate design changes, tailor a base model to a client's highly specialized design specification, or extend runs with a second, third or even fourth soft-tool. In short, access to high quality RTV soft-tooling based on the original SL model gives the company an extremely high level of flexibility at comparatively low cost."

Material Selection is Critical
Cristoph Beutel believes that, given the right materials, stereolithography is the optimum RP technology for the production of both high quality models and RTV soft-tooling for small-series manufacture. "Both Somos White and WaterShed® are excellent materials for these applications," he says. "Somos White provides an ideal base for a range of models, while the total transparency of WaterShed allows us to produce prototypes for fluid and gas-flow analysis, as well as LCDs and other data transmission and display systems. Moving on from that, the surface finish and long-term stability make both materials ideal for ASG’s RTV soft-tooling process." For more information about DSM Somos materials, including Somos White and WaterShed®, log on to www.dsmsomos.com.

About Xybernaut®
Xybernaut Corporation is a leading provider of wearable/mobile computing hardware, software and services, bringing communications and full-function computing power in a hands-free design to people when and where they need it. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, Xybernaut has offices and subsidiaries in Europe (Benelux, Germany, UK) and Asia (Japan, China, Korea). Visit the Xybernaut website at www.xybernaut.com. Product photos are also available directly from Xybernaut. Xybernaut, the Xybernaut logo, Atigo and Mobile Assistant V (MA V) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Xybernaut Corporation in the USA and other countries. All other brand and product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify products or services of, their respective owners.

About ASG GmbH
Based in Sindelfingen, Germany, ASG offers a fully integrated concept-design, engineering, prototyping and small-series manufacturing capability. ASG client-list includes small, medium and major companies in the automotive, consumer-goods and IT segments. The company operates two SLA machines with SomosWhite 14120 and WaterShed® 11120. For further information about ASG and its design and service portfolio, please contact Dipl.-Ing. Günther Schwiemann, or Christoph Beutel, Joint Managing Directors at +49 (0) 7031 79790, www.asg-ing.de

About DSM Somos®
DSM Somos is currently the world’s second largest materials supplier to the rapid prototyping industry, providing stereolithography liquids and selective laser sintering powders used for the creation of three-dimensional models and prototypes directly from digital data. Somos’ patented ProtoFunctional® materials are used by a variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, medical and telecommunications. DSM Somos is an unincorporated division of DSM Desotech— a world leader in the development of UV-curable materials—and a member of the global DSM family. More information about the companies can be found at www.dsmsomos.com and www. dsmdesotech.com.

About DSM
DSM is active worldwide in life science and nutritional products, performance materials and industrial chemicals. The company specializes in innovative products and services that help improve the quality of life and DSM products are currently used in a wide range of end markets and applications such as human and animal nutrition and health, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, automotive and transport, coatings, housing and electrics & electronics (E&E). The group has annual sales (pro forma including the recent acquisition - renamed DSM Nutritional Products) of approximately EUR 8 billion and employs about 26,000 people around the world. Ranking among the global leaders in many of its fields, DSM is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations in Europe, Asia and the Americas. More information about DSM can be found at www.dsm.com

About DSM Somos® Materials

What is stereolithography?
Stereolithography (SL) permits the rapid creation of 3D pieces utilizing a computer-controlled laser that polymerizes light-sensitive resins. The process is highly precise and constructs the object in a series of "additive layers," providing the advantage of producing highly complex forms that are difficult or impossible to fabricate by machining or traditional molding techniques. The evolution of advanced SL materials offers the potential of moving stereolithography from prototyping into production.

DSM Somos ProtoComposites™ are resins reinforced with various materials, such as ceramics and glasses, to produce functional properties not possible using individual components. DSM Somos ProtoComposite materials are a result of a significant research and development program investigating the potential for ACT-SL™ (Advanced Composite Technology for Stereolithography).

DSM Somos ProtoFunctional® resins for stereolithography provide advanced technology to respond to the changing needs of new product development and industrial design. In 2003, DSM Somos announced ProtoTool™ ceramic-filled resins, the first member belonging to the new ACTSL ™ technology and the result of a significant research and development program. Traditional non-composite ProtoFunctional materials by DSM Somos satisfy a varying range of characteristics: transparency, superior humidity and heat resistance, and outstanding mechanical properties, replicating those of many production grade plastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene,

ABS and PBT. Technical data on all Somos® materials may be found at www.dsmsomos.com