Projectors
The real-life Minority Report computer interface
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The second best thing about the film Minority Report has to be the glove-controlled, wall-sized computer display (first place goes to the jetpacks). Oblong Industries is working on a computer interface that operates in a similar way – and rather than a case of tech imitating art, the Minority Report computer was actually based off early Oblong designs. Read More
Pico projector features built-in media player
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Aiptek's PocketCinema V10 is both a stand alone media player and a highly-compact projector capable of throwing a 42-inch image at a distance of up to 6 feet. As a projector device can be used in conjunction with iPods, cameras, mobile phones, game consoles or other portable media devices and as a media player it supports SD cards up to 8GB in addition to its 1GB of internal memory. Read More
3M MPro110 handheld digital projector
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The much anticipated advent of ultra-portable projector technology is upon us with new offerings hitting the market at a rapid rate. Early market mover 3M's work on miniature projection modules has crystalized the form of the handheld 3M MPro110, a 5.6 ounce unit measuring 4.5" long x 2" wide that can project up to a 50" image. Read More
World's smallest video projector
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The EPP-HH01 Pico Cube from Epoq Multimedia lays claim to the mantle of the world's most compact and lightest portable video projector. We're not sure how accurate the claim is, but a unit which includes a speaker in its 2 x 2.2 x 1.6 inch footprint is pretty impressive, and anyway, it's a title that will undoubtedly change hands many times in coming years as video projection systems shrink rapidly to satisfy our mobile multimedia demands. Read More
New Toshiba projector tells you what to do
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Toshiba has launched a new lightweight wireless 3LCD projector, which is most notably the world’s first projector with voice guidance - a feature designed for non-technical users that talks you through operating instructions and provides system alerts. The network compatible TLP-X200U also incorporates closed captioning and a unique multiscreen function for large venue use. Read More
RXS launches pocket-sized Pico Media Projector
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With more than half of the global population now carrying a mobile phone, technologies that enhance one of their key limitations - namely small screen size - are bound to find traction in the market. Eventually we can expect to see tiny projectors embedded into the mobile devices themselves, but in the meantime, add-on products that transform the mobile viewing experience are providing a viable alternative. Joining early movers like Microvision and Optoma, RXS: Redshift has now entered this space with the launch of its Pico Media Projector in the UK. The pocket-sized, 160g unit can project images up to 50 inches in size from your phone, laptop or PC onto surfaces such as a walls or ceilings. Read More
Belkin's FlyWire provides wireless HD AV
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Available from January 2009, Belkin’s FlyWire wirelessly delivers uncompressed 1080p True Cinema HD content from Blu-ray players, receivers, video-game consoles, and set-top boxes to HDTVs and projectors. FlyWire operates in the open 5GHz band, and intelligently manages its own connection, adjusting frequency and power to avoid interference. Read More
Microvision to show upgraded Pico Projector Prototype at CEATEC
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Microvision will roll-out its latest pico projector prototype for mobile devices at CEATEC Japan this week. Featuring a thinner, smaller and brighter PicoP™ engine and several image quality enhancements over the projector unveiled at CES in January, the pocket sized device displays full-color, high-resolution (WVGA) images and video ranging from 12 inches (30 cm) to 100 inches (2.5 m) in size onto any surface. Read More
Toshiba's 100-gram LED projector
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Expected on shelves sometime next year, Toshiba's mobile phone-sized LED projector lays claim to the current title of the world's lightest, weighing in at just 100 grams including battery. Toshiba hopes that the 45mm x 17mm x 100mm device will give it share of the emerging market for devices that can shift mobile phone media to new levels. Read More
High-resolution, high-end projector system from Meridian
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Comprising the 810 Reference Video Projector and the 810 Reference Video Scaler, the new US$185,000 flagship front projection system from Meridian is capable of a resolution of 4096 x 2400 or 9.8 megapixels, boasts a a native contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and is designed to optimize both High and Standard Definition inputs. Read More
QingBar MP101 projector turns an iPhone into a portable cinema – sort of
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July 22, 2008 For those that find the touch screen on their iPod Touch or new 3G iPhone too small, Honlai Technology have introduced their QingBar MP101 iPhone projector. The portable unit that measures 102mm wide x 76mm long x 54mm high can throw images from 15 to 27-inches onto a wall or screen in a 4:3 aspect ratio at 640 x 480 (VGA) pixel resolution. Read More
QPC Lasers demonstrates ultra-compact portable projector technology
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May 19, 2008 The miniaturization of technology has brought unprecedented portability to increasingly powerful mobile devices such as PDAs and mobile phones, but the trade off has been the corresponding reduction in screen sizes to an often impractical level. One solution is miniature projectors which let users carry the equivalent of a big screen TV in their pocket. High power semiconductor laser designer and manufacturer QPC Lasers, Inc. is hosting private demonstrations of their high power miniature prototype BrightLase Red-Green-Blue “RGB” laser, which is designed for high resolution miniature projectors in the 100 lumens output region for portable handheld consumer electronics. Read More
Each frame a 35-megapixel photo: JVC develops next-gen Super Hi-Vision
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May 9, 2008 1080p high definition might be well and good for your average lounge room TV screen, but cinema projectors need to offer something vastly more impressive if the movies are going to continue to offer a bigger, clearer and more impressive viewing experience than your average cashed-up punter can now get at home. The new ultra-high res standard would now appear to be set with Super Hi-Vision: 7,680 pixels across by 4,320 pixels high (approximately 32-megapixel images) - and JVC have now released a display device capable of showing 35 megapixels at once. The 8K4K JVC D-ILA (Direct-Drive Image Light Amplifier) has a resolution more than 17 times the level of standard HDTV, and is now the highest-resolution projection display device on the planet. Read More
Meridian releases MF10 High-Def Projector
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March 17 , 2008 High-end projector specialists Meridian has released its latest high-definition video projector, the MF10, which offers extraordinary black reproduction capability, with 30,000:1 native contrast ratio achieved without the use of a dynamic iris, thus ensuring true black reproduction without loss of brightness. Read More
Jaguar and Land Rover moving to virtual 3D vehicle prototyping
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January 29, 2008 Prototyping and modeling chew up a large amount of time in the automotive design process, which is why Jaguar and Land Rover have decided to invest US$4 million in a state-of-the-art, immersive 360-degree virtual reality 'CAVE' that will allow designers to present their CAD designs in full 3D glory. This virtual prototyping system will allow unprecedented access to the designs, letting viewers experience the cars from all angles, inside and out, trialling colour schemes and switching parts on the fly or making body panels transparent. Overseen by 3D gurus Holovis International, the system promises to significantly reduce development times – and on top of that, it's ridiculously cool. Read More
Texas Instruments pico-projector technology on show
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Texas Instruments is moving steadily towards commercialization of miniature projection devices with Sypro and Young Optics showing manufacturing prototypes of their pico-projection systems based on TI's Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology at the 2008 CES. The company sees the future for DLP pico-projectors in either a standalone format or as integrated modules in handheld devices. Read More
3M announces micro-projector for mobile devices
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January 22, 2008 Miniature projection modules are seen as the answer to the problem of combining "big-screen" convenience with ever shrinking mobile device platforms and, in the same way that mobile phone cameras seemed to become commonplace almost overnight, consumers can expect highly-effective projection to become standard in phones and other handheld equipment in the not-too-distant future. The latest development from 3M gives a clear indication of where the emerging field is headed. Designed for integration into virtually any mobile platform and now available to manufacturers, the company's LED-illuminated projection engine is capable of throwing a 40-inch or larger VGA image from an ultra-compact module that's less than half an inch thick. Read More
LBO reveals miniature projection systems at CES
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January 11, 2008 Light Blue Optics unveiled a line of miniature projection systems at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week featuring an ultra-wide throw angle which enables large image projection at a close proximity to the aperture. Read More
Microvision showcase Pico Projector for mobile devices
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January 3, 2007 There is an inherent contradiction in the quest for smaller mobile devices - as the units themselves shrink in size, so too does the available screen area, making viewing a challenge for even the most eagle-eyed consumers and turning the "convenience" of portability on its head. Microvision will display a stand-alone prototype device at the upcoming CES in Las Vegas that embraces the clearest solution - image projection - by providing home theater-sized viewing from mobile phones, PDAs, PMPs, digital cameras and laptops. Read More
Play Big IN1 portable gaming projector
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November 12, 2007 InFocus Corporation has released the Play Big IN1 Gaming projector, designed specifically for gaming consoles. The IN1 is designed as an all-in-one solution combining high-end audio, multiple inputs for connectivity to DVD players, cable and satellite boxes, a projected image of up to eight feet in size, plus a mirror that flips the image on the ceiling for a truly laid back gaming experience - all in a compact unit weighing less than 10 pounds. Read More
Project-a-Phone image capture and display system for handheld devices
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October 11, 2007 Project-a-Phone has launched the ICD-1300, an image capture and display system which allows users to screen a live display of their mobile device onto a computer via a USB cable, where content can then be recorded, projected on a screen, or uploaded to the Internet. Read More
Low-profile Weibel projector lift
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September 8, 2007 Rising projector sales on the back of lower prices and constantly improving technology has seen increasing numbers of consumers bringing the big screen feel into their homes. But when it’s not offering a visual feast, a projector can be a bit of an eyesore. The Weibel Precision Projector Lift is designed to address one of the issues that arises when trying to solve this problem - build depth - by requiring only 15 centimeters of space to be built into the ceiling. Read More
InFocus Work Big IN10 portable projector
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September 5, 2007 Though not yet meeting the promise of palm-sized, ultra-portable nano-projectors the InFocus Work Big IN10 Ultra-Mobile Projector does offer a boost to portability weighing in at 2.4lbs (1.09kg) and measuring 2.5in (6.3 cm) x 6.1in (15.49cm) x 7.8in (19.81cm). Read More
Surround Vision projects perfect images on surfaces of any shape
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August 30, 2007 UPDATED HI-RES IMAGES Projecting brilliantly sharp images as a single picture onto curved surfaces has previously been a very elaborate and expensive process. Now a new software system automatically calibrates the projectors needed so that the images are superimposed with pixel-precise accuracy. The technology promises so many applications from enhancing the planitarium experience to creating compelling immersive viewer experiences in trade show booths, show stages, multiplexes, theme parks, product presentations and advanced simulators. Download the brochure here. Read More
Cool displays: the transparent rear-projection screen
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June 12, 2007 Totally transparent projection screens can now become part of interior architecture with the invention of a rear projection screen that looks simply like a piece of glass when it's not in use, producing crystal clear images that appear to be floating in the air. The CristalLine glass and acrylic screens come in flat sheets that can be cut, bent, folded and shaped to produce unique projection media that will no doubt be popular in retail, corporate and trade show applications, not to mention the awesome stage effects they could help create. Read More
Vibration-compensated mini projectors
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June 14, 2007 Miniature projectors embedded in our cell phones, handheld game consoles and other personal electronics appear very likely to play a major role in the future of information display. Projecting a large screen display on a wall appears the most effective way we can currently envisage having a large screen inside a small form factor. One of the problems will of course be that a handheld device projecting a large screen might not lead to a stable, vibration-free and easily readable display. Now German scientists from the Institute for Photonic Microsystems in Dresden have combined a compact laser projector system with inertia and yaw rate sensors to project vibration-compensated images. The sensor system detects the slightest motion and rotates the image to compensate for it, ensuring a steady picture, even in a moving vehicle. The system could be commercially available within two years. Read More
Miniaturized color MEMS scanning mirror-based Laser Projector
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May 31, 2007 The collective intelligence of the world’s technologists seems destined to give us the miniature projectors we’ve been promised for so long that will likely revolutionise personal infotainment in mobile devices, the automotive industry (driver assistance, Head-Up Display, etc), medical electronics (acquisition of biometrical data, positioning aid for X-Ray diagnosis and treatment etc), production technology (projection of reference points for drilling, pattern generator for tailoring of steel plates), and Metrology (structured lighting). Earlier this week we reported on the XXXX and now comes the news that a full color laser projection system based on a two dimensional micro scanning mirror technology will be shown at at the LASER 2007 show in Germany next month. The system contains an ultra compact projection head and a separate laser and signal processing unit. It allows the projection of arbitrary images and video sequences with a geometrical resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, 256 brightness levels per pixel and elementary color, and 50 hertz frame rate. Read More
Tiny 'nano-projector' to launch in 2008
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May 29, 2007 For years we've been promised micro-projectors the size of a remote control, a matchbox and even a sugar cube that will liberate visual content from the tiny screens of our mobile devices - but none have materialized onto the market. Explay's oio, the standalone version of which looks about the size of an iPod nano and packs some pretty cool features, was recently demonstrated to a press conference - and given a release date of 2008. It looks pretty close to production ready... We live in hope. Read More
A video projector the size of a sugar cube
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September 19, 2006 Miniaturised projection systems have been spoken about for a long time, but with several viable technologies seemingly close to market, the day when you can carry a video projector at all times, just in case you need it is close. In February, we wrote about the matchbox-sized PVPro projector and now news from Faraunhoffer suggests that not-too-far down the track your handheld, digital camera, portable media player or phone might have a projector built-in. That’s the promise of a new technology for projectors that does not use conventional micro arrays, instead containing just a single mirror that can be rotated around two axes. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in Dresden and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena have developed an alternative to micro mirror arrays and the result is a projector the size of a sugar cube. Read More
The matchbox-sized PVPro projector
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February 17, 2006 Miniaturised projection is one of those technologies that has been promised for so long that it has developed the permanent stench of vapourware. Now we’re confident we can say it’s time is nearing, with both DigiSlide and Light Blue Optics showing miniscule demonstration units in the last week. Light Blue Optics’ PVPro technology for miniature projectors is now available to potential partners as a demonstrator unit, which is only 62cc in volume, and is similar in size and shape to a typical matchbox. Projectors based on PVPro technology can be used to display images from a range of mobile devices, including laptop computers, personal media players such as the video iPod, digital cameras and even mobile phones. Read More
Vest pocket projector uses micromirror technology
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December 14, 2004 Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany have built a prototype pocket projector with a tilting micromirror that builds up the picture line by line for legible graphics and text. Future models are likely to be no larger than a cube of sugar and could be incorporated into a mobile phone, allowing the miniature projector to be always on hand to present PowerPoint slides to a small group of customers or for quickly consulting an online journal. It could also provide useful orientation in unfamiliar towns by projecting a street map onto the wall of the nearest building. Read More
The form factor of the future PC could be emerging
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The form factor for a future generation of personal computers may be emerging as two new projection technologies promise to overcome the remaining major stumbling blocks to miniaturisation - the screen and the keyboard. Miniaturised projection technologies for both keyboard and screen which can be incorporated into a PDA or phone could pave the way for a full desktop experience from a portable device. The virtual keyboard from VKB is a projection keyboard using both infrared technology (to produce an invisible circuit) and laser technology to project a full-size keyboard that performs exactly like a real one. Read More
Holographic projection coming to laptops, PDAs and mobile phones
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A new ground-breaking holographic 2D projection technology could result in a new generation of pocket-sized digital video projectors and miniature projection displays incorporated into other handheld devices. Digital video projectors produce large, high quality images are becoming increasingly popular as they grow cheaper with mass production, but the technology is limited in its miniaturisation, preventing projectors from being incorporated mobile device markets. Holographic projection of 2D (rather than 3D) images represents a compelling alternative to conventional image projection. Video projectors based on this holographic technology can be made very small so a projector could be integrated into a laptop, a PDA, or even a mobile phone. Read More
Matsushita Electric releases A4-sized Wireless LCD Projector
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Portable projection technology is advancing rapidly as evidenced by the release this week (April 20) of the Sirius Jr. TH-LB10NT from Matsushita Electric. The device is a compact, A4-sized portable LCD data projector and supports up to four simultaneous IEEE802.11b wireless PC connections to enable users to display one or more PC images on a single screen, making it an ideal projector for team-building and encouraging and facilitating collaboration. Read More
Sony developing upmarket Qualia range
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Sony is developing an upmarket brand in Japan, using its world-leading R&D to bring advanced products to market earlier than they would for more price-sensitive consumer products. Read More
