MicroVision: High Definition Laser Pico Projector Display Engine in Every Mobile Device

The world is changing...

“TV is no longer a single screen in our living room… viewers now want to choose when, where and how to view live video across a wide breadth of devices.”

The combination of a mobile device and a built-in HD laser pico projector offers ultimate in mobility… functionality… video viewing and sharing… and the cool factor ownership of an interactive and 3D projector display.

MicroVision unveiled their latest HD Laser pico projector with focus-free touch Interactive and 3D display. This second generation laser PicoP display engine has higher screen resolutions than the original. MicroVision describes the PicoP Gen 2 engine and PicoMagic display applications as “ideal for various consumer and commercial mobile applications such as entertainment, advanced gaming, business projection, and education.” 

Focus-free touch interactive displays will allow users to instantly interact with a projected image on any surface, as well as, create Multiuser applications such as virtual whiteboards. For business users, touch interactive technology will provide the convenience to conduct business presentations with only the touch of their fingertips on a large display surface. Avid mobile gamers would also benefit from touch interactive technology by interacting with projected images with high response levels, making mobile gaming more realistic.

This technology is sure to engage the creative imagination of thousands of app developers, and we can hope to see many thousand of apps that will be useful in business, entertainment, and educational field. 

Laser PicoP technology could blow away the television industry as we know it!

Why pay for a big 60 inch TV when you can buy a 50+ lumen HD PicoP projector embedded in a tablet for one third the price and get 1080p resolution… and take it with you anywhere you go with an Internet connection?  And YES, you get another tablet for the family on the go.

Could the big TV companies put a kibosh on this PicoP technology?  I’ve been following this technology for many years and up until recently no body believed that PicoP technology could pose such a threat leading to the demise of energy guzzling TV. In countries where energy is a precious commodity, countries like India and China, PicoP projectors could see faster and massive adoption.

Think about it!!!

A laser PicoP projector at HD resolution and with built-in WiFi connection would be at less than 5 watts. And you could project 60 inch HD images from six feet away in a small Asian living room. The LED based 60 inch TV would consume over 120 watts... and produce so much wasted heat in hot and humid countries like India and China. Did you know the biggest consumer of electricity is for operating the billion or so TVs around the world?

Large screen energy guzzling TVs are doomed. If nothing else, the HD PicoP technology would definitely not help their cause.

Just like the iPad and tablet is killing PCs; MicroVision’s HD PicoP technology is truly disruptive. Imagine in next 36 months; you could buy a smartphone [or a tablet] with built-in HD PicoP projector shooting 1080p at 50+ laser lumen. That would definitely hurt TV sales; but they [TV manufacturers] can not stop this progress. Too many large players want this technology to grow and flourish.

The market pull is enormous. Once we get clear guidance for mass produced Diode Green Lasers, it will be a proverbial rocket ride after that... for companies like MicroVision.

Enjoy the ride… and download some Cognition Bridge games on your tablet for fun, brain fitness, and cognitive development for learning in children and for success in life for adults.

Here’s some links…

Launch Press: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1nLhrvZxbg

Download Free Game from Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rknetstudio.ninja

Download from App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/21-bridge/id623725250?ls=1&mt=8

Anant Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

MicroVision: Future Lies in Changing It

Everything with a ‘C’ is changing: “Corporations, climate, community, currency, communications, and competition.”

The future doesn’t lie in predicting it. It lies in shaping and changing it. Trends and forecasting are essentially irrelevant.  The future is what we make it, not what someone says it is.

Having said that, what’s in MicroVision’s future?

“PicoP Display Engine in Mobile Devices that Offer Ultimate in Mobility… Functionality… Cool Factor” 

It would be cool if MicroVision's laser PicoP Display Engine (PDE) was inside this cube…

 

http://www.psfk.com/2009/05/60-inch-screen-in-your-pocket.html

In 2009, there was so much speculation in the media [by designer YankoDesign] that it almost felt like the real thing would be on the market soon. Just look at the write-up on this “Nokia Pulse Projector”…

“Nokia Pulse Projector is a tiny LED projector that also functions as an NXT speaker with Dolby Sound. This tiny projector uses Bluetooth and Pulse software to communicate with a mobile phone.

It’s meant to pair up with mobile phone, making a pair of perfect multimedia device and the user will be able to use the mobile phone to control this LED projector. The Nokia Pulse Projector relies on DLP Technology for high quality imagery. It’s able to project with native resolution of 1280×768 and 1500:1 contrast ratio pimps out crisp image quality, with picture sizes ranging from 15 inches diagonally all the way up to 60 inches at 7.87 feet. It even sports LED light technology with 1000 lumens of brightness plus 16.7 million colors.

It’ll be another great mini-sized projector that can be carried around anywhere you go for an impromptu presentation of those pictures, videos and slides on your mobile phone, and it lets the mobile phone to be used as the projector’s remote. Nice, but it should be just a concept at the moment."

[Via YankoDesign]

*****

Here’s the link…
http://askalexia.com/2009/05/23/nokia-pulse-projector/

The story gets more interesting when speculation gets to MicroVision’s PDE inside Nokia Pulse…

“The Nokia Pulse, a concept by Miika Mahonen, is similar to the soon to be released MicroVision Mobile Projector. They’re both designed to be powerful mobile display systems that can use a mobile phone as the source of video and as a remote control. The Nokia Pulse also combines an NXT-speaker with Dolby sound processing into the compact device, which can (theoretically) project images up to 60-inches on any wall.”

Continues…
[via YankoDesign]

*****

Here’s the link again…
http://www.psfk.com/2009/05/60-inch-screen-in-your-pocket.html

Four years later, however, the concept remains to be just that… a concept. But wait a minute… over the last few months, a few developments have come together to bring us closer to this, or something similar to this, as a possible reality in the near future.

There are essentially three parts for this concept to work and they all seem to be in place now…

1) MicroVision laser based PicoP Display Engine at 35 lumen: was released in early 2013; for product sampling to 40 or so major electronics companies from around the globe… and that’s the major part of the puzzle, now in place.

So what makes MicroVision’s laser based PDE so important?

It’s the “Disruptive Technology”; that can bring about massive shifts in “technology paradigm” and “social paradigm”.  Here’s what makes MicroVision’s PDE as "Killer app" in simple terms?

a. Always in-focus image that needs no adjustment when on the move or when moving to change the projected image size… due to inherent feature of laser projection.

b. Longer projection periods per battery charge… by switching-off the laser light source during periods of dark picture segments.

c. Cool to the touch and no waste heat generated… due to modulating lasers as light source.

d. Large projected images [up to 100”] in widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9.

e. High Definition 720P images at 35 lumens brightness… with pathways to high definition images at 50 lumen or higher brightness in 2014.

f. Dramatic cost reduction [with huge profit margin improvements] as the laser light technology matures and economies of scale are achieved towards the end of 2013.  For example, synthetic green lasers [SGLs] were priced at around $120 each… whereas the diode green lasers [with higher light energy output and efficiency] are currently priced at $40 in small quantities.

g. Small physical size that starts out small and gets even smaller from one generation to the next. 

h. Social Change from the way we share information now to the way it will be shared in the future.

i. Commercially Viable: REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 3, 2013-- MicroVision (NASDAQ: MVIS), a leader in innovative ultra-miniature projection display technology, today announced a development agreement with a prominent electronics company to incorporate MicroVision’s ground breaking PicoP® display technology into a display engine that could enable a variety of new products.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=114723&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1802951&highlight=

The key words from this news release are: “…to incorporate MicroVision’s ground breaking PicoP® display technology into a display engine that could enable a variety of new products.”

MicroVision’s PicoP Display Engine at 35 laser lumen, using diode based green lasers, will be ready for prime time show in the next few months…  

2) Samsung's new Wireless USB chipset: enables HD streaming with less power.

It's a beautiful combination, really… lower power consumption, and support for high bandwidth applications. That marriage is evident in Samsung's newest Wireless USB chipset, which was built around Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology and designed to enable high-def streaming between a mobile host device and a tethered device for viewing.

Ultra-Wide Band technology offers many advantages, especially in terms of very high data transmission rates which are well beyond those possible with currently deployed technologies such as 802.11a, b, g, WiMax and the like. As such UWB technology is gaining considerable acceptance and being proposed for use in a number of areas. Already Bluetooth, Wireless USB and others are developing solutions, and in these areas alone its use should be colossal.

According to Samsung, the two-chip solution will be aimed at smartphones, cameras, camcorders, TVs, PCs, tablets, beam projectors, portable HDDs, Blu-ray players and handsets.  And given that it can handle a theoretical high of 480Mbps with an average power consumption of less than 300mW, even the weakest smartphone battery should be able to stream at least a single episode of Family Guy to the TV or a pico projector. It's slated to hit mass production in Q4 and we'd say more details should be available right around CES 2011.

3) Pulse Software: that controls communications between the pico projector and the mobile host device. This Pulse software could be part of the Samsung’s wireless USB chipset solution, or a company specific product like Nokia Pulse [if there is such a thing] or Apple AirPlay, etc. 

“While the Pulse is still just an idea, MicroVision is currently working with other major electronics companies to incorporate their PicoP Display Engine into devices such as smartphones, media players, tablets, laptops, and Automobile HUDs.

Is the screen size on your mobile phone irrelevant, if you can project onto any wall... from 15 inches to 100 inches?

Perhaps!

Just take a look at images at 15 lumen and imagine what it would be like at 35 lumen or even at 50 lumen…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypZO6_7hcNQ&feature=related

With MicroVision laser PicoP Display Engine inside; this cube could be the ultimate in mobility, functionality and cool factor.

Not only that, it is a productivity enhancing tool for business communications, as well as, a perfect product for personal and interactive entertainment… all in one cool package.

Everything that you need to put this cool product out there for the consumer to buy is here… all it takes, is the vision and the will to succeed before the next product cycle or someone else comes-up with a better mouse trap.

Anant Goel

Producer CEO – RKNet Studios

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rknetstudio.ninja

MicroVision | End of the Tunnel and on the Road to Recovery

The last post I wrote about MicroVision was over a year ago; and the title was the most revealing and depressing…

MicroVision | End of the Road or End of the Tunnel

A year later─ after blowing another $16 million or so down the hole─ we seem to be at another juncture in the MicroVision saga.  This time; it’s the end of the long tunnel for MicroVision.  That’s a good thing… because there’s green light at the end of the tunnel.

Over the last year, we have seen some major cost cutting measures… but still burning $12 million dollars or so per year. That’s an excellent effort and is good enough to save the company while still waiting for Diode Green Laser (DGL) supply to ramp-up later this year.

MicroVision stock has moved up by over 100% in the last few weeks. At the rate MVIS stock price is going [up]; it looks like the end of the tunnel.  This renewed optimism is based on changed perception and some concrete information on cost, performance, and scalability in production for the DGLs.

Here’s the green light of hope setting into the picture…

First, the good old pesky Diode Green Lasers─ the Holy Grail to the MicroVision salvation...

Before we get into details and start talking about Diode Green Lasers and Holy Grail and such, lets re-visit the issues once more…

Lately, there has been some visible activity and good news at MicroVision─ other than talks of stock issues and dilution.  And that makes me wonder: “What's up with PicoP SHOW at the Displayland of laser based Pico Projectors?”

Here's the latest scoop and thinking based on some consumer feedback...

1. Fifteen lumen bright Pico projectors, regardless of the brand name or the underlying technology, are a toy as a standalone device... but the market is quite receptive to such devices in the $99 to $149 range. However, anything better than 15 lumen is definitely a differentiating improvement and worthy of $129 to $199 price tag. Guess what, MicroVision PicoP display engine is at 35 lumens currently and pushing envelop to 50 lumens by the end of this year.
2. Fifteen lumen bright Pico projectors, using panel or DLP/LED technology, use too much battery power and need constant focusing... and they will also have other gating [like size and heat] issues making into the mobile devices. If panel/DLP/LED technology gets past the mobile platform gating issues; but at 15 lumens they will still be considered a toy.  However, the market is quite receptive to such devices in the $99 to $149 range... especially when someone else [like AT&T or Verizon] is paying for it. MicroVision PicoP engine at 35/50 lumens uses very little incremental energy compared to 15 lumens engine… and that’s a game changer in favor of MicroVision.
3. Fifteen lumen bright Pico projectors, using MEMS/DGL technology, present a more favorable solution to the battery power issues and do not need constant focusing... and they will have far fewer mobile platform gating issues. However, at 35 to 50 lumens such laser based devices will be considered bright and business class productivity tool... and market is quite receptive to such devices in the $149 to $199 range... especially when someone else is paying for it. 
4. There are currently two suppliers of DGLs and the third one is coming on-line by the end of this year. Current cost of DGLs is in the $40 per unit range with prices going down every Quarter… with year end 2013 price to fall in the $20 per unit range.
5. DGL production in 2014, with three suppliers in play, is expected to really ramp-up into millions. And that’s what will encourage the Fortune 100 Electronics giants to venture and introduce Pico projectors into millions of digital devices… with ramp-up at 5% to 7% per Qtr. 

Bottom line is...

“... Can MicroVision make 35 or 50 lumen bright DGL based HD IPMs [High Definition Integrated Photonic Modules] for embedded PicoP projectors in millions; and make them cheap enough to be able to sell them in the $69 to $99 range; and manage to stave-off the financial spiral by showing some net profit on each sale?”

A few dollars profit on each unit sold could easily translate into hundreds of millions of dollars in profit when adoption rates in handheld devices accelerate into tens of million units in the next 1-2 years.

In my opinion, the answer, with some qualifications, is an astounding YES.

Here’s why…

Sony, Sumitomo push laser projectors forward with a new, more powerful green laser diode…

http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2012/JUNE/SEISONY_220612.html

Here for real…

“The commercial arrival of the lasers will be welcome news for the likes of US-based MicroVision, which is at the forefront of pico-projector technology development but has struggled financially – partly as a result of delays in the development of direct green emitters, and the high cost of those that are available. The company’s VP of research and development Dale Zimmerman told optics.org last month (May 2012):

“We believe direct-diode green lasers are finally here for real. We are confident that as volume expands we'll see the pricing of the diodes come down dramatically, along with further improvements in efficiency, and anticipate that red, blue and green direct-diode lasers will be broadly available.”

At the moment, it appears that Sony’s lasers are leading on the efficiency front, thanks to the use of semi-polar structure. The Japanese electronics giant said in June 2012, that the devices developed with Sumitomo offered an electrical efficiency of 8%, ahead of the 5-6% quoted by Osram OS.

This is the best news in the history of MicroVision!!!

DGLs at over 100mW in the true green region wavelength of 530nm and at 8% wall efficiency…

“… will allow MicroVision to produce 35 to 50 lumen bright HD IPMs that will take less energy and can be scaled to millions at much reduced cost.”

Now here’s the question for the CEO and BODs of MicroVision...

“After six years of financial orgy─ that produced insignificant amount of sales of anything but involved dozens of highly paid managers and support staff─ can you deliver, now that you have efficient and cheap DGLs that you always wanted?”

Or you have another excuse, like…

“… We have cut the fat so deep; it may be “slicing the bone” and caused structural damage to the integrity of the company.”

Investors of MicroVision want to know?

The last hand is in play... and over the next 6 months it’s the do or quit time for MicroVision brass.

Anant Goel

Producer CEO - RKNet Studios

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=165525584&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

Download Mobile Apps for Cognitive Development: 

http://www.cognitionsbridge.com/downloads/download/21-ninja/