On several occasions, Alex Tokman, CEO of Microvision, has stated that he doesn’t want the company to be just a commodity supplier of IPMs [Integrated Photonic Modules] and PDEs [PicoP Display Engines] to global consumer electronic firms. He wants to position the company as an applications and value –add powerhouse with a broad array of high margin products.
Here’s my take on the future at Microvision…
There are three areas that I would like to focus on…
1. SHOWwx is just the beginning of things to come
2. Laser PicoP Technology as “Core” vs. “Commodity” Technology
3. More Purchase Order to Confirm Rapid Ramp-up of Green Laser Production.
SHOWwx Just the Beginning of Things to Come:
On March 24th, Microvision started selling its laser PicoP projector SHOWwx to the US market… selling them directly; from its on-line web store for a handsome profit. When you sell directly; your margins are always better because of the savings in middleman’s commission. By the next earnings conference call; we should find out for sure what sales revenues and profit margins are from sale of SHOWwx.
At the 2010 Annual Shareholders Meeting, Microvision CEO confirmed the receipt of purchase orders worth $16.7 million dollars for SHOWwx and the ultra miniature PDE… and that is the part that confirms my view that SHOWwx and the $16.7 million in purchase orders is the just the beginning of things to come.
http://www.slideshare.net/lautiffany/microvision-asm-2010-highlights
[Note: Please review slide 21]
Here’s why…
Potential markets for laser based PicoP Display Engine technology is not only huge… but it is also a high margin market opportunity.
If you were to consider the high-end Media Player market alone… the possibilities are enormous…
Low Power Front Projection Media Players for the Third World Countries:
Think about 2.5 billion people in India and China... as they represent the potential buyers of a low power front projection portable TV/Media Player that offers a large screen [60'' to 100''] high definition always in focus vivid and bright color viewing experience. Extremely low ENERGY consumption [like 10 watts or less] and portability is the key market demand factor here. Energy will become more and more scarce and expensive by leaps and bounds…whereas the portability allows for sharing of resources among friends and family.
Low Power Front Projection Media Player for the Master Bedroom:
Think about a billion bedrooms globally that could use a ceiling projector... for adding another dimension to the various ways of media consumption for information and entertainment. We have desired the bedroom viewing of television for ever, so it seems, and some of us may have installed televisions in the bedroom. However, now it is possible to add, by the millions, a low power media player with built-in PicoP projector in our bedrooms… that offers short throw ratio, wide screen, high definition, bright and vivid color, and always in focus viewing experience. Media player/projector runs on low power batteries... so no risk of electrocuting yourself. No significant heat... so you won't burn yourself. No heavy duty TV to install on the bedroom wall.
Low Power Portable Projection Media Player for Every Bedroom in the House:
All you need is one portable Media Player with built-in PicoP projector… that gets moved around from room to room when and where it’s needed. It certainly is a cheaper alternative than buying a TV for each room of the house. This portable Media Player can also be the one you pack with your bags… when you are on the go.
Market Size for Portable Media Players with built-in PicoP Projectors is huge… like in billions world-wide. The most recent orders for $16.7 million from the Consumer Electronic companies are just the beginning of what’s to come... and not the end.
Laser PicoP Technology as “Core” vs. “Commodity” Technology:
Some have questioned the laser PicoP as “core” [like CPUs from Intel] vs. “commodity” technology [like cell phone touch screen and cameras].
My take on the subject is as follows...
The IPMs and PDEs [the generic version] are an enabling technology and therefore a commodity... no question about that.
However, laser PicoP is a core technology and that's how it is being positioned by Microvision. Pico technology from TI or 3M will not create [or capture] as large a market as laser PicoP would... due to inherent image quality and differenciating functionality [like always-in-focus] that is only possible due to lasers being used as the light source.
Microvision laser PicoP technology will capture its fair share of the captive markets but it would go-on-further and create markets that are only possible because of laser PicoP. And that's not the commodity markets by any means. Microvision recognizes that right from the beginning; and therefore is positioning the PicoP Display Engines accordingly… by using the “Image by PicoP” insignia on every thing related to its technology.
There will be others with laser pico technology down the road... and that's why Microvision is churning out these patents by the hundreds… to protect its IP turf. Also, the "Image by PicoP" is part of this marketing strategy that positions Microvision PicoP technology as a "core" and not "commodity" right from day one. From what I have seen, and there is plenty of evidence for you to see as well, Microvision is charging a premium price for its PicoP technology. Just look at SHOWwx Commercial Edition currently for sale at $549.
I hope you can appreciate the difference... because it’s worth billions of dollars when it is executed with knowledge, passion, and gumption
Currently, there are several products in development at Microvision… and two of the most visible ones are…
Video and Console Gaming:
Microvision’s wireless 720p laser pico projector-based game controller prototype is being developed in collaboration with Intel. Over the last year, we have heard so much about the “PicoP First-Person Shooter Gaming Gun Prototype” that addresses the multi-billion dollar gaming market.
http://www.microvision.com/displayground/?p=1729
Laser Imaging and Laser Camera:
Microvision and Johnson & Johnson worked on this application for years… going back a few years ago.
Why has nothing ever come of this technology? J&J Ethicon has been working on an endoscope design for years with a number of patents that were awarded along the way. Nothing has ever come of this, I suppose, because they have been waiting on a RGB laser engine like the Microvision PDEs? And now that we have green lasers available, and the supply chain is ramping-up quickly, can we finally expect to see an endoscope or laser camera become reality?
Until recently, the Company was focused on bringing the SHOWwx to market and every thing else was on the back burner. Now that we have had a commercial launch of SHOWwx; and green laser technology and supply has improved, I see a renewed interest in the Laser Imaging and Laser Camera applications of Microvision IPM [photonic modules] and PDE [display engines]. Laser Imaging and Laser Camera is a multi-billion dollar market... and is a captive market for a cost effective innovative solution like what Microvision offers.
The following information is based on an article by a Microvision patent expert [Chris Wiklof, Director of patents from 2000-2006] that explains the Microvision’s Laser Camera concept. Richard Rutkowski, former CEO of Microvision, was a young hippie when this article was published, that's how old it is. There were two "camera" applications that he loved to talk about: confocal cameras and endoscopes, the latter got a lot of attention when Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Endo division signed a contract with Microvision, back in 2005.
http://sis.windhover.com/buy/abstract.php?id=200520002&utm_source=company
Here’s the edited version of information on Microvision Laser Camera from the "past era of days gone by"…
Microvision has developed an innovative imaging platform that uses scanned beams of light and is in effect a versatile “laser camera.” Leveraging technology originally developed for its scanned-beam displays, like the laser projector SHOWwx, Microvision has developed a scanned-beam imaging [such as in laser endoscopes] design that meets demanding size constraints (5-mm total diameter) while also delivering good resolution (currently 720p HD). While recent developments have centered on biological and medical applications, the technology represents a unique and extensible imaging architecture that has applicability across a broad range of medical and non-medical markets, including barcode scanning, machine vision, microscopy, and scientific imaging.
In a conventional digital camera, a field of view is flood illuminated. A small portion of the illumination power impinges upon any particular spot. The rays that impinge upon the spot can be absorbed, transmitted, reflected, or scattered. A very small portion of the light scattered from the spot is imaged through a lens and aperture to a conjugate light-sensor element, where the photons are converted to electrons. To form an image, the process is repeated in parallel, with a small portion of light from each spot simultaneously imaged onto each of a typically large array of corresponding light sensors.
Compared to a conventional digital camera; a laser camera works in reverse. A laser beam illuminates a single spot while a large-numerical-aperture non-imaging detector receives the scattered light energy and converts it to an electrical signal. Because all the illumination energy falls on the particular spot of interest, there is no need to form a conjugate image plane and no need to exclude light from elsewhere in the field of view with a lens and aperture. To form an image, the process is repeated sequentially, moving the beam to illuminate the next spot and the scattered energy is again measured.
Comparing the two technologies, one can see that the direction of light propagation is reversed. Whereas the resolution-determining step in a conventional digital camera involves selectively receiving light energy from a spot, the resolution-determining step in a laser camera involves selectively illuminating a spot. The reversal of the rays does not affect the final image; for example, a spot that looks semitransparent and pinkish to a conventional digital camera looks semitransparent and pinkish to a laser camera.
Whereas conventional digital photography places a technology burden on the CCD or CMOS sensor array, laser photography requires a high-performance beam scanner. The beam scanner must be able to scan at high frequency to provide a high frame rate. Microvision currently uses proprietary single-crystal bulk-micro-machined silicon Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) scanner technology developed for its scanned-beam pico projector.
Here’s the link to information on CCD and CMOS senor array used in digital cameras:
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cameras-photography/digital/question362.htm
Unique Attributes of Laser Camera:
A laser camera is intrinsically self-illuminating, which means that a laser camera cannot capture daylight images taken at long distances. Instead, a laser camera is a strong candidate to capture images at moderate to short distances, and especially high-magnification images. While daylight does not interfere with a laser camera’s operation─ the beam scan rate is so high that the processor simply ignores DC light levels and rejects noise from artificial illumination─ it also does not help it. The image captured by the laser camera is one produced by the laser camera’s scanned beam. Thus, a laser camera will not capture the appearance of speckled sunlight transmitted through leaves. Instead, the laser camera will capture the appearance of a leaf as viewed from the perspective of the light source.
Though not suitable for general-purpose, like ambient-light photography, a laser camera has many attributes that are valuable to a range of medical, commercial and scientific applications.
• No motion blur: Because the dwell time that the beam remains on any given spot is very short (about 20 ns); there is virtually no motion blur evident in any one pixel for most types of images. Thus, it is possible to capture fast moving objects without requiring complex and bulky strobe illumination. Movement in the image that occurs during the frame time will be expressed as a skewing of the image, an artifact that can be removed during image processing.
• Controlled specular reflection: Because the illumination source is a point, the amount of specular reflection [cause of glare] in the image can be reduced significantly. For example, with a ring illuminator typically used for close-up conventional photography; many subjects exhibit a white halo that washes out important details. With a laser camera, even though the detector occupies a relatively large area, glare is virtually nonexistent.
• Small and self-contained laser camera with illumination: Whereas a conventional sensor array must occupy an area large enough to fit its pixels, a laser camera only requires a small sensor area and a scanning mirror. A scanning laser endoscope [for example] capable of 720p resolution is only 5 mm in diameter. Furthermore, because a laser camera is self-illuminating, all the necessary components can be placed in a single package, thus requiring no field engineering to select, install, and adjust a light source. Such a small and self-contained package is useful for many medical, scientific, and industrial applications.
• Long range/large depth of field: Because there is virtually no light lost from the illumination beam, a laser camera has greater range than the illumination range of a conventional digital camera. Similarly, conventional systems using artificial illumination at long range are typically operated with a relatively large aperture to maximize light collection, resulting in reduced depth of field. Conversely, a laser camera detector does not image the returned light and there is no need for an aperture. The laser illumination beam of a laser camera can be substantially collimated across a wide range of applications such that focus stays constant with distance, resulting in significantly improved depth of field.
• Wavelength agility: If the passband of a conventional digital camera filter is narrowed, the amount of light reaching a detector is severely reduced, resulting in a low signal-to-noise ratio. Conversely, the laser illuminators typically used with a laser camera have a very narrow spectral width. This allows the system designer to select particular wavelengths with which to probe and image the field of view. Depending upon individual system architecture, it is possible to allow for a large number of imaging wavelengths, a property that lends the laser camera high specificity with respect to dye or pigment measurements. This may be especially useful in advanced medical and scientific techniques such as photodynamic therapy.
• Large color gamut: Because of the narrow spectral width of the illumination sources, a laser camera’s color sensitivity is placed closer to the perimeter of a C.I.E. chromaticity diagram than the wider band filters used by a conventional digital camera to separate colors. This results in a larger triangle (for an RGB, three-color system) within the color space, which results in the ability to capture greener greens, redder reds, and bluer blues… giving higher 200% NTSC rating to Microvision laser PDEs.
• Variable field of view: The laser camera’s field of view consists of the range of spots to which the scanner directs the illumination beam and is thus determined by the drive waveform delivered to the scanner. Thus, lossless electronic zoom and variable aspect ratio may be achieved by dynamic modification of the scanner drive.
• High magnification: A laser camera’s magnification can be quite high, depending upon beam shape. For example, the laser-beam waist can be made quite small and the scan angle reduced to produce a high-magnification image of a small field of view. By placing a beam splitter between the light-beam source and the scan mirror, and picking off a return image, the laser camera can be easily configured as a tiny confocal microscope and deliver magnification sufficient to resolve embedded objects a few hundred nanometers in diameter or map the surface profile of an integrated circuit.
Laser Camera ─ the New Frontier
The laser-camera technology offers many new performance capabilities and benefits by exploiting a fundamentally new architecture for capturing images. These capabilities, taken individually or in combination, are expected to open a new design frontier for imaging systems with requirements that cannot be cost-effectively met by conventional integrated matrix imagers… in this multi-billion dollar market.
Anant Goel
Showing posts with label Minimal Invasive Visualization Systems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Minimal Invasive Visualization Systems. Show all posts
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Microvision: Personal Mobile TV/Projectors
It is my belief that in the coming short years all sorts of video devices and services will dominate our communications, collaboration, networking, entertainment and learning world… and smartphones, mobile TVs and pico projectors will play a major role.
Mobile TVs for business or personal entertainment are no more a vision of the future… but indeed the reality of the future that is already here.
This is what ABIresearch has to say...
“The mobile TV market is a dynamically evolving convergence of the media, mobile communications, and consumer electronics industries. It consists of a global ecosystem of content providers, service providers and retailers, network operators, and network and device equipment vendors. The mobile TV ecosystem collectively provides an end-to-end, information and entertainment (“infotainment”) service over wireless networks to end-users in mobile environments. The mobile TV market has tremendous long-term promise as a next-generation infotainment experience. It will emerge over the next few years to grow to a value of more than $50 billion by 2013.”
Here’s the link to a reasearch report by ABIresearch...
http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1000842-Mobile+Broadcast+Video+Services
Free mobile TV [on a cell phone] is very popular in many countries in the Asia/Pacific region, specifically Japan and South Korea. However, despite the large number of viewers, these advertiser-supported offerings have problems generating sufficient revenues… but that is not going to change the eventual adoption of mobile TV by the millions.
Currently, mobile TV in the US is not as poplar as it is Asia/Pacific region. Any new effort to promote Mobile TV is likely to run into skepticism, in view of the adoption rate for subscription mobile TV so far and competition. MobiTV Inc., a company based in Emeryville, Calif., has been offering a service that uses conventional cellphones.
MobiTV has around 8 million mobile users. Flo TV, a new startup by Qualcomm, has not disclosed the number of mobile users. MobiTV uses a carrier's data network; Flo TV, a television spectrum and is considered as the desirable technology.
Mobile TV Has Bright Future
As it is with any new technology or service, the product must first find the need and then fulfill it in the most compelling and cost effective way. Here are four very powerful consumers need that, when marketed strategically, can change the mobile TV adoption here in the US and globally…
1. Demand for Mobile TV:
Every survey of mobile TV viewers that I’ve seen lists sports as one of the most popular categories. There are a huge number of sports fans around the world, obviously, and most — if not all — prefer to watch events live.
It’s a major reason why some people subscribe to mobile TV.
ESPN has become a mobile information powerhouse, including transmitting some 63 million mobile alerts every month and receiving more than nine million unique viewers on its mobile Web site, whose traffic is increasing 78 percent annually, according to FierceMobileContent.com
Here’s the link…
http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/espn-opens-its-mobile-playbook/2009-08-31?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal
Smartphones are responsible for 70 percent of the mobile Web traffic, with BlackBerrys at the top of the list, the article says. But the Apple iPhone also represents a major opportunity. To this, now you can add the Qualcomm’s FLO TV available today [November 13th] at Amazon, Best Buy, Radio Shack and other select retailers. Just in case you missed the recent buzz about Qualcomm’s FLO TV, it is a pocket-sized personal mobile TV that is strictly for watching TV on the go.
FLO TV Personal Television, as the product is called, is expected to be offered by retailers this holiday season at a suggested price of $250. Qualcomm also will offer its own programming service, with packages expected to cost $5 to $15 a month.
This is what CES 2010 write-up says about Qualcomm's FLO TV...
"Qualcomm’s FLO handheld television offers users instant access to live and time-shifted content, including CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, Fox News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and Nickelodeon. The $250 device weighs just over five ounces and features a 3.5-inch QVGA touch-screen display."
"Pro: FLO TV renders high-quality video without streaming, buffering, or downloading by tapping into an advanced national mobile television network. The FLO also features a long-life battery that provides over five hours of viewing time and approximately 300 hours on standby."
"Con: The FLO will most likely appeal only to television addicts. In addition, the handheld TV is competing against cheaper portable DVD players and netbooks capable of streaming Hulu and other digital content."
"Recommendation: Flo is the perfect choice for individuals who prefer to watch high-quality videos and live television shows without buffering delays."
Mobile TV is Huge Opportunity… but there are challenges:
2. Free Mobile TV:
Free mobile TV that is financially supported by advertising may help with the adoption rates. However, there is a strong case in favor of “pay for content” mobile TV…
John Zehr, ESPN’s digital media senior vice president of product and product development, views cellular “as a major growth area for us, and importantly, people seem more likely to pay for content on mobile than they are for the PC, so that opens up additional opportunities.”
John Fletcher, an analyst at the market-research firm SNL Kagan, estimates MobiTV subscribers will reach seven million this year, or about 2% of all U.S. cellphone users. He estimates FLO will have about 350,000 users, or a fraction of a percent.
Mr. Fletcher notes that Americans have tended to shy away from buying conventional portable TVs, which have the advantage of free content over FLO's paid offering.
But Bill Stone, FLO TV's president, says it offers an array of content that is available on cable TV but not over-the-air broadcasts. A bigger hurdle, he argues, is that people simply aren't aware of its offerings. By going direct to the consumer, FLO TV has "a lot more control over our destiny and our messaging," Mr. Stone said.
3. Dedicated Mobile TV:
One advantage for a dedicated device is that TVs tend to be a shared resource where cellphones are seen as personal, Mr. Stone added. Parents and kids, might hand a TV back and forth as different kinds of shows air, he said.
Qualcomm, though now known for chips, has had forays in hardware before. The San Diego-based company offered its own cellphones early in its history. Last November, Qualcomm announced that it had developed a design for a home computing device that uses its cellphone chips rather than PC components.
Now consider this…
A personal TV with 3.5 inch diagonal screen is great for personal viewing on the go and its dedicated feature also allows it to be shared between parents and kids, for example. However, the creator at Qualcomm may not realize the bigger picture impact of this dedicted Peronal TV on the traditional TVs in a household… if and when a laser pico projector is embedded for large screen HD viewing.
Can you imagine the impact of this tiny dedicated Personal TV/Projector that can offer all the functionality of a traditional large screen TV plus gives you mobility, transferability, private and public viewing option and at lower cost of overall ownership… that is cheaper to own and cheaper to operate.
Companies that manufacture large screen LCD and Plasma TVs should not only be concerned but really worry about their future. I don’t think these TV and glass plate manufacturers realize the future impact on their business model from faster adoption rates of dedicated mobile TVs that have embedded HD laser pico projectors.
4. Low Energy Cost of Operating Mobile TV:
Another aspect of dedicated Personal TV/Projector is the low power requirement of less than 5watts. PicoP display engine embedded in all things digital and built into Personal TVs and projectors may just extend our resources [financial and natural] and save the planet Earth from slow death. For example, the biggest energy guzzlers on this planet are big screen TVs.
News from October, 2009 says it all…
California appears poised to be first to ban power-guzzling big-screen TVs
The LosAngeles Times
By Marc Lifsher
October 14, 2009
“Reporting from Sacramento - The influential lobby group Consumer Electronics Assn. is fighting what appears to be a losing battle to dissuade California regulators from passing the nation's first ban on energy-hungry big-screen televisions.”
Here’s the link to the news…
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bigtvs14-2009oct14,0,4908205.story
The energy problem is not just in California… it’s a world-wide problem that needs addressing now before the planet destroys itself with too much “carbon footprint” or due to lack of “energy” to fuel and feed the world’s 6 billion population. Energy conservation, in a big way, is coming soon to every single US state… and it’s just the matter of time. Electric brown-outs and rationing is in our near future... that is if we, as a nation, do not make an aggressive and collective effort to conserve.
Talking about conservation...
The use of PicoP display engines in dedicated Personal TVs and projectors that give us high definition; large screen; always in focus display at a fraction of power [less than 5watts] may just be the answer to our worldwide energy problem… where a billion or so TVs suck the energy out of planet in exchange for a few hours of wide screen HD entertainment.
I’m sure you will agree that Microvision’s PicoP display technology is disruptive [of a mega proportion] and of a nature that could cause dramatic shift in “technology paradigm” and the “social paradigm” around the world.
Specifically, for the third world countries, for example, the technology paradigm shift would be…
“20inch energy guzzling TVs replaced with a Personal TV/Projector with external speakers, at HD resolution image projection of up to 80 inches on any surface…always in focus…at miniscule power usage of less than 5watts… and at about $599 US dollars.”
The Personal TV/Projector market in the developing countries is over 1 billion worldwide with an adoption rate ten times bigger than you can hope for the embedded Mobile phone market. Consider this…
• Total population of India and China is over 2.8 billion and growing. Considering an average household size of 5 [for India] and 4 [for China] you have about 650 million households. Ironically, the current Mobile phone market in India and China is also about 700 million. Assuming that the middle-class [only] can afford a Mobile phone then there are 700 million households that fall in the middle class category in India and China.
• Assuming that a household that can afford a mobile phone can certainly afford [and own] a Television. Therefore, in India and China there are at least 700 million TVs. The middle class in India and China is growing at a 10% rate per year. To this growth, you add the rest of the third world and Eastern European countries [for 300 million TVs] and you have potentially 1 billion TVs market world-wide that is looking for low power consuming, high resolution and large screen experience of a Personal TV/Projector.
If Microvision [and an OEM partner like Qualcomm] can mass produce a Personal TV/Projector with external speakers, at up to 80inch projection at HD resolution and consume no more than 5watts of power… you have a billion households worldwide as your potential customers… with an adoption rate of ten times higher than that of PicoP embedded Mobile phone. This is a huge market with tremendous financial rewards for the slow and steady hand that can deliver on the promise of Personal TV/Projector to the energy starved world of ours.
Not only that, the low power requirement of the Personal TV/Projector may just extend our resources [financial and natural] and save the planet earth from slow death.
Unlike the US and other western countries, electric power in highly populated countries like India, China, Eastern Europe and other third world countries is in extreme short supply. Not everyone has electricity and those that do have… face constant brown-outs and rationing. With the world energy supply dwindling, and costs rising dramatically, the electricity is a precious commodity.
Here’s a wish list Personal TV/Projector based on Microvision’s laser based PicoP display engine…
Personal Mobile TV/Projector Model 60:
FEATURES:
• Low power requirement… less than 5watts for Personal TV/Projector
• DVD quality display larger than on a 60″ widescreen TV
• Easy setup — just plug, load and play
• No focus adjustment required
• Built-in handle and carrying case included
The ultimate Personal TV/Projector that delivers all the big-screen drama, sound and excitement you desire — just plug, load and play.
It works with any blank wall or screen and projects DVD movies larger than on a 60-inch widescreen TV.
Model 60 sets up easily— all you need is an electrical outlet. There are no additional cables or equipment to hook up. It features a convenient strap and soft, cushioned carrying case so you can take the show on the road. And, it delivers natural colors and bright, vibrant images with 1-chip, MEMS Laser technology.
It displays a 60-inch, widescreen image from just 5 feet away, or a 100-inch image from just 8 feet away.
SELLING FEATURES: Low power, high definition, always –in-focus, rich colors, short throw ratio, fast refresh, and wide screen multi-media experience.
The worldwide market for such a low power consuming laser based Personal Mobile TV/Projector is huge.
Microvision and Qualcomm have the technology and supply chain partners up and down the line. All they need is the vision and resolve to aggressively work together to pursue this market themselves or do it in collaboration with their global distribution and OEM partners.
While you are thinking about it...
Please go and vote your 25 votes, as many times as you like, for Microvision’s SHOWwx at the CES 2010 contest.
Here’s the link...
http://www.microvision.com/displayground/?p=1297#comments
Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/
Mobile TVs for business or personal entertainment are no more a vision of the future… but indeed the reality of the future that is already here.
This is what ABIresearch has to say...
“The mobile TV market is a dynamically evolving convergence of the media, mobile communications, and consumer electronics industries. It consists of a global ecosystem of content providers, service providers and retailers, network operators, and network and device equipment vendors. The mobile TV ecosystem collectively provides an end-to-end, information and entertainment (“infotainment”) service over wireless networks to end-users in mobile environments. The mobile TV market has tremendous long-term promise as a next-generation infotainment experience. It will emerge over the next few years to grow to a value of more than $50 billion by 2013.”
Here’s the link to a reasearch report by ABIresearch...
http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1000842-Mobile+Broadcast+Video+Services
Free mobile TV [on a cell phone] is very popular in many countries in the Asia/Pacific region, specifically Japan and South Korea. However, despite the large number of viewers, these advertiser-supported offerings have problems generating sufficient revenues… but that is not going to change the eventual adoption of mobile TV by the millions.
Currently, mobile TV in the US is not as poplar as it is Asia/Pacific region. Any new effort to promote Mobile TV is likely to run into skepticism, in view of the adoption rate for subscription mobile TV so far and competition. MobiTV Inc., a company based in Emeryville, Calif., has been offering a service that uses conventional cellphones.
MobiTV has around 8 million mobile users. Flo TV, a new startup by Qualcomm, has not disclosed the number of mobile users. MobiTV uses a carrier's data network; Flo TV, a television spectrum and is considered as the desirable technology.
Mobile TV Has Bright Future
As it is with any new technology or service, the product must first find the need and then fulfill it in the most compelling and cost effective way. Here are four very powerful consumers need that, when marketed strategically, can change the mobile TV adoption here in the US and globally…
1. Demand for Mobile TV:
Every survey of mobile TV viewers that I’ve seen lists sports as one of the most popular categories. There are a huge number of sports fans around the world, obviously, and most — if not all — prefer to watch events live.
It’s a major reason why some people subscribe to mobile TV.
ESPN has become a mobile information powerhouse, including transmitting some 63 million mobile alerts every month and receiving more than nine million unique viewers on its mobile Web site, whose traffic is increasing 78 percent annually, according to FierceMobileContent.com
Here’s the link…
http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/espn-opens-its-mobile-playbook/2009-08-31?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal
Smartphones are responsible for 70 percent of the mobile Web traffic, with BlackBerrys at the top of the list, the article says. But the Apple iPhone also represents a major opportunity. To this, now you can add the Qualcomm’s FLO TV available today [November 13th] at Amazon, Best Buy, Radio Shack and other select retailers. Just in case you missed the recent buzz about Qualcomm’s FLO TV, it is a pocket-sized personal mobile TV that is strictly for watching TV on the go.
FLO TV Personal Television, as the product is called, is expected to be offered by retailers this holiday season at a suggested price of $250. Qualcomm also will offer its own programming service, with packages expected to cost $5 to $15 a month.
This is what CES 2010 write-up says about Qualcomm's FLO TV...
"Qualcomm’s FLO handheld television offers users instant access to live and time-shifted content, including CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, Fox News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and Nickelodeon. The $250 device weighs just over five ounces and features a 3.5-inch QVGA touch-screen display."
"Pro: FLO TV renders high-quality video without streaming, buffering, or downloading by tapping into an advanced national mobile television network. The FLO also features a long-life battery that provides over five hours of viewing time and approximately 300 hours on standby."
"Con: The FLO will most likely appeal only to television addicts. In addition, the handheld TV is competing against cheaper portable DVD players and netbooks capable of streaming Hulu and other digital content."
"Recommendation: Flo is the perfect choice for individuals who prefer to watch high-quality videos and live television shows without buffering delays."
Mobile TV is Huge Opportunity… but there are challenges:
2. Free Mobile TV:
Free mobile TV that is financially supported by advertising may help with the adoption rates. However, there is a strong case in favor of “pay for content” mobile TV…
John Zehr, ESPN’s digital media senior vice president of product and product development, views cellular “as a major growth area for us, and importantly, people seem more likely to pay for content on mobile than they are for the PC, so that opens up additional opportunities.”
John Fletcher, an analyst at the market-research firm SNL Kagan, estimates MobiTV subscribers will reach seven million this year, or about 2% of all U.S. cellphone users. He estimates FLO will have about 350,000 users, or a fraction of a percent.
Mr. Fletcher notes that Americans have tended to shy away from buying conventional portable TVs, which have the advantage of free content over FLO's paid offering.
But Bill Stone, FLO TV's president, says it offers an array of content that is available on cable TV but not over-the-air broadcasts. A bigger hurdle, he argues, is that people simply aren't aware of its offerings. By going direct to the consumer, FLO TV has "a lot more control over our destiny and our messaging," Mr. Stone said.
3. Dedicated Mobile TV:
One advantage for a dedicated device is that TVs tend to be a shared resource where cellphones are seen as personal, Mr. Stone added. Parents and kids, might hand a TV back and forth as different kinds of shows air, he said.
Qualcomm, though now known for chips, has had forays in hardware before. The San Diego-based company offered its own cellphones early in its history. Last November, Qualcomm announced that it had developed a design for a home computing device that uses its cellphone chips rather than PC components.
Now consider this…
A personal TV with 3.5 inch diagonal screen is great for personal viewing on the go and its dedicated feature also allows it to be shared between parents and kids, for example. However, the creator at Qualcomm may not realize the bigger picture impact of this dedicted Peronal TV on the traditional TVs in a household… if and when a laser pico projector is embedded for large screen HD viewing.
Can you imagine the impact of this tiny dedicated Personal TV/Projector that can offer all the functionality of a traditional large screen TV plus gives you mobility, transferability, private and public viewing option and at lower cost of overall ownership… that is cheaper to own and cheaper to operate.
Companies that manufacture large screen LCD and Plasma TVs should not only be concerned but really worry about their future. I don’t think these TV and glass plate manufacturers realize the future impact on their business model from faster adoption rates of dedicated mobile TVs that have embedded HD laser pico projectors.
4. Low Energy Cost of Operating Mobile TV:
Another aspect of dedicated Personal TV/Projector is the low power requirement of less than 5watts. PicoP display engine embedded in all things digital and built into Personal TVs and projectors may just extend our resources [financial and natural] and save the planet Earth from slow death. For example, the biggest energy guzzlers on this planet are big screen TVs.
News from October, 2009 says it all…
California appears poised to be first to ban power-guzzling big-screen TVs
The LosAngeles Times
By Marc Lifsher
October 14, 2009
“Reporting from Sacramento - The influential lobby group Consumer Electronics Assn. is fighting what appears to be a losing battle to dissuade California regulators from passing the nation's first ban on energy-hungry big-screen televisions.”
Here’s the link to the news…
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bigtvs14-2009oct14,0,4908205.story
The energy problem is not just in California… it’s a world-wide problem that needs addressing now before the planet destroys itself with too much “carbon footprint” or due to lack of “energy” to fuel and feed the world’s 6 billion population. Energy conservation, in a big way, is coming soon to every single US state… and it’s just the matter of time. Electric brown-outs and rationing is in our near future... that is if we, as a nation, do not make an aggressive and collective effort to conserve.
Talking about conservation...
The use of PicoP display engines in dedicated Personal TVs and projectors that give us high definition; large screen; always in focus display at a fraction of power [less than 5watts] may just be the answer to our worldwide energy problem… where a billion or so TVs suck the energy out of planet in exchange for a few hours of wide screen HD entertainment.
I’m sure you will agree that Microvision’s PicoP display technology is disruptive [of a mega proportion] and of a nature that could cause dramatic shift in “technology paradigm” and the “social paradigm” around the world.
Specifically, for the third world countries, for example, the technology paradigm shift would be…
“20inch energy guzzling TVs replaced with a Personal TV/Projector with external speakers, at HD resolution image projection of up to 80 inches on any surface…always in focus…at miniscule power usage of less than 5watts… and at about $599 US dollars.”
The Personal TV/Projector market in the developing countries is over 1 billion worldwide with an adoption rate ten times bigger than you can hope for the embedded Mobile phone market. Consider this…
• Total population of India and China is over 2.8 billion and growing. Considering an average household size of 5 [for India] and 4 [for China] you have about 650 million households. Ironically, the current Mobile phone market in India and China is also about 700 million. Assuming that the middle-class [only] can afford a Mobile phone then there are 700 million households that fall in the middle class category in India and China.
• Assuming that a household that can afford a mobile phone can certainly afford [and own] a Television. Therefore, in India and China there are at least 700 million TVs. The middle class in India and China is growing at a 10% rate per year. To this growth, you add the rest of the third world and Eastern European countries [for 300 million TVs] and you have potentially 1 billion TVs market world-wide that is looking for low power consuming, high resolution and large screen experience of a Personal TV/Projector.
If Microvision [and an OEM partner like Qualcomm] can mass produce a Personal TV/Projector with external speakers, at up to 80inch projection at HD resolution and consume no more than 5watts of power… you have a billion households worldwide as your potential customers… with an adoption rate of ten times higher than that of PicoP embedded Mobile phone. This is a huge market with tremendous financial rewards for the slow and steady hand that can deliver on the promise of Personal TV/Projector to the energy starved world of ours.
Not only that, the low power requirement of the Personal TV/Projector may just extend our resources [financial and natural] and save the planet earth from slow death.
Unlike the US and other western countries, electric power in highly populated countries like India, China, Eastern Europe and other third world countries is in extreme short supply. Not everyone has electricity and those that do have… face constant brown-outs and rationing. With the world energy supply dwindling, and costs rising dramatically, the electricity is a precious commodity.
Here’s a wish list Personal TV/Projector based on Microvision’s laser based PicoP display engine…
Personal Mobile TV/Projector Model 60:
FEATURES:
• Low power requirement… less than 5watts for Personal TV/Projector
• DVD quality display larger than on a 60″ widescreen TV
• Easy setup — just plug, load and play
• No focus adjustment required
• Built-in handle and carrying case included
The ultimate Personal TV/Projector that delivers all the big-screen drama, sound and excitement you desire — just plug, load and play.
It works with any blank wall or screen and projects DVD movies larger than on a 60-inch widescreen TV.
Model 60 sets up easily— all you need is an electrical outlet. There are no additional cables or equipment to hook up. It features a convenient strap and soft, cushioned carrying case so you can take the show on the road. And, it delivers natural colors and bright, vibrant images with 1-chip, MEMS Laser technology.
It displays a 60-inch, widescreen image from just 5 feet away, or a 100-inch image from just 8 feet away.
SELLING FEATURES: Low power, high definition, always –in-focus, rich colors, short throw ratio, fast refresh, and wide screen multi-media experience.
The worldwide market for such a low power consuming laser based Personal Mobile TV/Projector is huge.
Microvision and Qualcomm have the technology and supply chain partners up and down the line. All they need is the vision and resolve to aggressively work together to pursue this market themselves or do it in collaboration with their global distribution and OEM partners.
While you are thinking about it...
Please go and vote your 25 votes, as many times as you like, for Microvision’s SHOWwx at the CES 2010 contest.
Here’s the link...
http://www.microvision.com/displayground/?p=1297#comments
Anant Goel
http://www.wealthbyoptions.com/
Thursday, September 24, 2009
PicoP Projectors and Nano Scanners Could Revolutionize the Early Detection and Surgery in the Medical Field
Now that Microvision has commercially launched the world's first laser PicoP projector and its supply chain partners, Corning and Osram, have officially made their commitment to commercialize the Green Laser for Pico projector applications...
"Pico projectors and nano scanners could revolutionize the early detection and surgery in the medical field."
In today's marketplace, endoscopes are increasingly involved in performing some of the most common surgical procedures as well as diagnosing cancer and other conditions. They're also a critical component of minimally invasive (MIVS) visualization systems.
The Key Markets:
The immediate target opportunities for Microvision are…
The market for flexible endoscopes is estimated at $1.2 billion a year. It is dominated by Japanese camera companies, specifically Pentax, Olympus and Fujinon.
Microvision could partner with Pentax to introduce its miniaturized confocal microscope to this market. Pentax has an extensive sales force and service infrastructure throughout Europe, Japan, USA and South East Asia. It seeks to increase its market share by gaining competitive advantage through new and exclusive technology, providing a natural alignment of goals and strategy with Microvision.
Rigid Endoscope Market…
The global rigid endoscope market is estimated to be $1 billion a year. The market is more fragmented than that for flexible endoscopes. Some of the more significant participants include leading microscope companies such as Carl Storz, Leica, Richard Wolf, Stryker, Zeiss and Olympus.
Microvision should look to establish one or more partnerships to identify the likely initial applications. This could be followed by development of clinical pilot investigations and the design of the business models that will capitalize on the market position of those partners.
Research Confocal Market…
The global market for research confocal microscopes is believed to be worth $375 million a year.
The utility provided by Microvision’s miniaturized, high resolution, scanner has the potential to expand the scientific fields that can be effectively researched with confocal microscopes. New in vivo research applications can increase demand from this significant and established market. It also has the advantage of easier entry as there is a lower regulatory threshold.
I think Microvision has full-filled on the original feasibility contract with Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Endo-Surgery Unit. This feasibility agreement was to target Medical Visualization Applications. Now it is up to Ethicon Johnson to take it further. GE imaging may also be involved in some way or form.
This is from Microvision Year 2006 10K [annual report]…
“Working with a development partner, we have also created prototype versions of a high resolution, miniature laser camera for certain medical applications. Under the agreement, we developed prototype units that are being used in product evaluation. We have delivered the prototype units and our development partner is evaluating the units to determine a commercialization plan.”
“In 2006, 51% of revenue was derived from performance on development contracts with the United States government, 24% from performance on development contracts with commercial customers and the remainder from sales of Nomad and Flic units.”
"In 2005, 35% of revenue was derived from performance on development contracts with the United States government, 42% from performance on development contracts with commercial customers and the remainder from sales of Nomad and Flic units.”
“In 2005, Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. accounted for 33% of total revenue.”
Here’s the link…
http://microvision.blogspot.com/2007/03/mvis-10-k-annual-report-for-2006.html
Microvision could rock the early detection and surgery markets in the medical field [with its HD PicoP projector and nano scanner technology] in the next 3 to 5 years.
Anant Goel
"Pico projectors and nano scanners could revolutionize the early detection and surgery in the medical field."
In today's marketplace, endoscopes are increasingly involved in performing some of the most common surgical procedures as well as diagnosing cancer and other conditions. They're also a critical component of minimally invasive (MIVS) visualization systems.
The Key Markets:
The immediate target opportunities for Microvision are…
• Flexible endoscopesFlexible Endoscope Market…
• Rigid endoscopes
• Research confocal microscopes
The market for flexible endoscopes is estimated at $1.2 billion a year. It is dominated by Japanese camera companies, specifically Pentax, Olympus and Fujinon.
Microvision could partner with Pentax to introduce its miniaturized confocal microscope to this market. Pentax has an extensive sales force and service infrastructure throughout Europe, Japan, USA and South East Asia. It seeks to increase its market share by gaining competitive advantage through new and exclusive technology, providing a natural alignment of goals and strategy with Microvision.
Rigid Endoscope Market…
The global rigid endoscope market is estimated to be $1 billion a year. The market is more fragmented than that for flexible endoscopes. Some of the more significant participants include leading microscope companies such as Carl Storz, Leica, Richard Wolf, Stryker, Zeiss and Olympus.
Microvision should look to establish one or more partnerships to identify the likely initial applications. This could be followed by development of clinical pilot investigations and the design of the business models that will capitalize on the market position of those partners.
Research Confocal Market…
The global market for research confocal microscopes is believed to be worth $375 million a year.
The utility provided by Microvision’s miniaturized, high resolution, scanner has the potential to expand the scientific fields that can be effectively researched with confocal microscopes. New in vivo research applications can increase demand from this significant and established market. It also has the advantage of easier entry as there is a lower regulatory threshold.
I think Microvision has full-filled on the original feasibility contract with Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Endo-Surgery Unit. This feasibility agreement was to target Medical Visualization Applications. Now it is up to Ethicon Johnson to take it further. GE imaging may also be involved in some way or form.
This is from Microvision Year 2006 10K [annual report]…
“Working with a development partner, we have also created prototype versions of a high resolution, miniature laser camera for certain medical applications. Under the agreement, we developed prototype units that are being used in product evaluation. We have delivered the prototype units and our development partner is evaluating the units to determine a commercialization plan.”
“In 2006, 51% of revenue was derived from performance on development contracts with the United States government, 24% from performance on development contracts with commercial customers and the remainder from sales of Nomad and Flic units.”
"In 2005, 35% of revenue was derived from performance on development contracts with the United States government, 42% from performance on development contracts with commercial customers and the remainder from sales of Nomad and Flic units.”
“In 2005, Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. accounted for 33% of total revenue.”
Here’s the link…
http://microvision.blogspot.com/2007/03/mvis-10-k-annual-report-for-2006.html
Microvision could rock the early detection and surgery markets in the medical field [with its HD PicoP projector and nano scanner technology] in the next 3 to 5 years.
Anant Goel
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