What is a Pico Projector

Pico projectors can transform the viewing experience with handheld devices from a tiny screen to a much larger projected image. Their compact size ushers projection technology into a new roles as a mobile personal projector and communication tool for smaller, more casual social/business meetings. Beyond this it is entirely possible that pico projectors may be a platform technology for a completely new genre of handheld devices used to create a Real World Web.

Pico projectors can be used to project your photos, video, presentations, or electronic documents onto any convenient, suitable surface for viewing by oneself or a small group. Personal audio will mostly be via headphones/earbuds while for a small group some devices come with a small speaker (eg. half a watt). Pico projectors can be distinguished from other small projectors (some have been called “palm size” or “pocket” projectors) by their small pocket size and LED light source. They are about one eighth the size and one quarter the size of current pocket projectors (marketing teams were really stretching it when they came up with pocket projector).

Pico Projectors

In their simplest form a pico projector can be a standalone projector such as the 3M MPro 110 or the Optoma DLP EP-PK-101. Pico projectors can also be integrated into other handheld devices, such as with the Samsung MBP200 Media Player/ projector or the exciting new Samsung W7900, the first cellphone with an integrated projector. As an aside, the MBP200 was named the CES Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Best of Innovations in the wireless handset accessories category. Consider how many devices the digital camera has been integrated into and you have an idea of the potential. In the very near future brighter, laser light pico projectors such as the Microvision’s PicoP will be available.

Performance

Projectors are built for a purpose and the low brightness (ANSI lumens) of current projectors limits them to projected image sizes which might seem miniscule compared to a home theatre screen but, large compared to a mobile devices display. Expect to see a high single digit ANSI lumens rating when looking at pico projector specifications. So when using a projector with such low brightness for acceptable projected image quality you need to manage the image size for the ambient lighting and projection surface quality. Zoom doesn’t exist in this size product yet so your image size is limited by the focal range of the projector. As an example, the PK-101 can have an image size of 6 to 60 inches (0.15 to 1.5m).

Native resolution for pico projectors can be up to 640 x 480 pixels (3M MPro110) but, could be something like 480 x 320. However, through scaling they can render VGA, SVGA, XGA and WXGA covering most resolutions you are likely to encounter in a mobile device. The contrast ratio can be fairly impressive with the PK-101 rating at 1000:1. It is the LED light source life of some 20,000 hours which is most impressive when compared to the 2,000 to 3,000 hours common with many conventional projectors.

Those pico projectors which are stand alone units generally have composite video or RGB connections to video sources. While you can hold the projector while projecting an image you will notice any hand shaking and they will quickly get quite hot. A mini tripod stand (sometimes included) or improvised projector support is a good idea for stabilization and positioning.

Competing Pico Projector Technologies

Pico Projector Technology Contenders include Texas Instruments’ DLP Pico projection technology, LCoS and a MEMS Mirror/laser light source combination by Microvision.

Texas Instruments’ DLP Pico projection technology has made it to the market in devices such as the Optoma PK-101. The technology is based on an even smaller version of the DLP chipset, called the DLP Pico chipset, combined with and LED light source.

Both 3M and Butterfly Technology use their own slightly different LCoS based projection engines for their MPro110 and Focupix TablElf respectively. The LCoS projectors are not as bright as DLP based technology. Both are changing to an RGB (tri color) light source to improve color vibrancy over the initial single white LED light source.

Microvision’s PicoP pico projection technology is the combination of a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) mirror and a laser light source instead of a LED. While DLP is also micro mirror based, their mirrors are placed in an array with micro mirrors dedicated to individual pixels within the resolution. Microvision’s patented MEMS scanning mirror creates each color pixel by combining the three (RGB) modulated laser light sources. A complete palette of colors and shades is produced by varying the intensity of each of the light sources. The MEMS scanning mirror is a silicon device with a tiny mirror at its center. Small flexture are connected to the mirror enabling it to oscillate. To reproduce an image the MEMS scanner oscillates vertically and horizontally creating it pixel-by-pixel. It’s worth noting that the PicoP projector does not require a focus wheel. Image size is adjusted simply by moving the pico projector.

Future Tech Powered by Pico Projectors

Some applications for pico projectors, such as integration with cameras, computers, media players and cellphones are easy to anticipate there is one application being developed by MIT’s Media Lab which will likely have a profound impact on our daily lives. The video below shows the integration of micro-projectors into an augmented reality infrastructure – like a Real World Web. The higher brightness and infinite focus of the Microvision laser pico projector would be ideal attributes for the application. The TED Video entitled “Sixth Sense” shows a device, cobbled together out of off-the-shelf items, which can provide projected annotations to the world around us. There are some stunning and profoundly life changing applications contained within

TED Video – Sixth Sense