STM Tech Tour

I will be there, seeing what they have to offer. If they allow pictures I'll get as many as possible.

From DisplayGround


ST Technology Tour 2017
Our co-marketing partnership with STMicroelectronics enables us to be part of a technology day they are hosting right in our own backyard in Seattle on April 18. We will be demonstrating our interactive display capabilities along with our small form factor display engine. Attendees at the event will also hear a presentation by ST on Laser Beam Scanning technology, which ST and MicroVision are promoting globally. Learn more: http://www.st.com/techtour

PicoP Scanning Engine Target Specifications

Got this from a friend.

Interesting specs, the date is up there.  

Apple to get "Time of Flight" Sensor from STM

I urge a great deal of caution when dealing with any Apple rumor. Generally they're very unreliable until very close to the release date, and even then a lot of it is wrong.

That Reuters is reporting that STM has a big deal that will substantially increase revenues in the second half of the year, is interesting from MVIS. The timing is familiar. That it may also involve lasers and "time of flight" sensors makes it even more interesting.

MobilenApps

According to Reuters, STMicroelectronics has inked a deal with a tech biggie and that can generate substantial revenues in the second half of 2017. Tech experts and analysts believe that the company is none other than the Cupertino-based tech giant Apple. The company may supply iPhone 8 parts and that includes a component inside the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Reports have confirmed that Apple has placed a new type of proximity sensor at the front side of the phone.

STM at CES -- Updated

Got something forwarded to me that looks awesome, and we have a huge player in our corner.

ST Microelectronics published a guide to their display at CES. 

Microvision is mentioned in it twice: 

• "Internet of things" display, in the section "experience smart things." Where they showed the "Microvision interactive Pico Projector" Which mentioned portable use and "in home IoT devices."
• "Smarter Driving" area, where they showed the "Microvision Virtual Image Heads up display." (which also mentioned "wearable" devices")

This was of course mixed with various other STM Products. That they mention multiple uses in difference spaces in both cases, is great news for us. Yes it will be mobile and portable, but certainly not restricted to cell phones. Bigger displays everywhere. 

Lenovo Smart Glasses

This space is going to get more and more crowded. 

Given the Lenovo SmartCast and now the STM connection, Lenovo is certainly one of those companies to watch.

That the demand for this in industrial settings is high, and the application of this concept for gaming has been 

Lenovo C200 At ZDNet

Toymakers give AR a boost

AR for Fishing

...many other smartphone OEMS....

I scraped this article to be sure I didn't lose it.

Take everything with a grain of salt.... There's some interesting stuff in here!



EE Times -- Check the source.
LAKE WALES, Fla. — The skyrocketing popularity of augmented reality (Potkemon Go) and virtual reality (Google VR) may be the boost microelecromechanical systems (MEMS) projectors into the mass market, according to Microvision (Redmond, Wash.) at the MEMS Executive Congress (Scottsdale, Ariz). Microvision aims to break into the mass original equipment manufacturing (OEM) market in cooperation with STMicroelectronics (Geneva). Microvision's always-in-focus laser projector is so tiny and cheap that any smartphone can afford to add it (to project Pokemen for everyone to see) and for inexpensive VR glasses that anyone can afford.

Sony, ahead of the curve for once, has already been licensing Microvision's laser-based projector for two years as have many other smartphone OEMs who are too competitive to allow their names to be mentioned. Microvision has also been making a name for itself in the micro-lidar (3-D imaging system using invisible infrared beams) market. The advantage of its 5-millimeter sized projector allows not just smartphones and head-mounted displays (HMDs), but also even the tiniest un-manned vehicle to navigate using it.

"We have been public since 1996 on NASDAC as MVIS, but we expect our $1.35 stock price to rise once our deal with STMicroelectronics lands us major OEMs worldwide," Director of Technical Marketing and Applications Development Jari Honkanen told EE Times.

Jari claimed that their agreement with STMicroelectronics was also landing them major deals in other areas besides consumer electronics. For instance, heads-up displays can be projected onto windshields using their laser projector, images can be directly written onto the retina for AR projected from the hinge of your normal glasses, warehouse robots can more accurately navigate, industrial robotics can more accurately see in 3-D at variable resolutions traded off for frame rate.

The biggest advantage of Microvision's 0.65 cubic centimeter projector is that it requires no lenses, but is in focus and appears normal on any surface, even those that are rough or radically curved.

For range-finding 3-D lidar, the smallness and cheapness of the unit allows eight to be deploy economically around a vehicle to more accurate navigation and collision avoidance systems that are superior to radar-based Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in use today, according to Honkanen.

— R. Colin Johnson, Advanced Technology Editor, EE Times

New contract with Original Design Manufacturer -- Updated

So, the phone and the Facebook messenger are pinging like crazy this morning.

My first suspicious about who this might be is Foxconn -- (this is partly based on who I would like it to be.) If you factor in the location - and the connection with Sharp, they seem like a likely candidate. They're also comfortable not being named. I could very well be wrong about this.

This was the kind of announcement I expected to see out of the STM announcement -- but I expected this is March.... so, for the first time in a long time Microvision is faster than expected.

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS), a leader in innovative ultra-miniature projection display and sensing technology, today announced that it has signed a license agreement for its PicoP® scanning technology with a Taiwanese ODM.

MicroVision Signs Patent License Agreement with Taiwanese ODM

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MicroVision and the ODM have signed a patent license agreement under which the ODM has a license to make and sell Laser Beam Scanning (LBS) engines. The engines the ODM is making incorporate components it is purchasing from third parties. Under the agreement, MicroVision would receive a royalty payment from the ODM for each LBS engine the ODM sells. This agreement is related to MicroVision’s recently announced co-marketing relationship with STMicroelectronics.

“We are pleased to enter into a patent license with this ODM for our LBS technology,” said Bharath Rajagopalan, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at MicroVision. “We believe this agreement demonstrates the value of MicroVision’s LBS intellectual property and provides for new opportunities and potential products for LBS technology in the market.”

The Fool Takes Notice

I've been waiting for a long time for the Motley Fool to notice Microvision. 

The Motley Fool is a place where some serious traders and investors go to learn about what is up and coming. Their investing record is very good.

So, a mention by them in any way is good. When they do a feature on Microvision, hang on tight.

Motley Fool

STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics manufactures a wide variety of chips for connected cars, wearables, and Internet of Things gadgets. It also makes motion sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) for smartphones and tablets. 

STMicro lost ground in motion sensors to its smaller rival InvenSense over the past few years, but it recently launched an ultra-low power 6-axis gyroscope and accelerometer combo device designed specifically for VR and AR devices. The device has already been certified for use with both the Project Tango and Daydream platforms.

As the AR and VR markets grow, rising demand for more motion sensors should enable STMicro to leverage its scale and offer its sensors at lower prices than InvenSense. STMicro is also heavily invested in the computer vision market -- it manufactures ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) leader Mobileye's EyeQ computer vision chips, and produces LIDAR technologies for autonomous driving, AR, and VR uses with Microvision.

A Single, tiny, innovative Mems Scanning Mirror

The STMicroelectronics relationship with Microvision is getting some attention. 

Thanks Dave!

EDN Network -- Much more at the source

A single, tiny, innovative MEMS scanning mirror technology: Moving to improve automotive safety with HUD and ADAS

Industry moves to acquire LIDAR technology for ADAS


This is a hot topic in the industry and big players are positioning themselves to get a big piece of the pie.

Infineon has acquired LIDAR expertise in October with the recent Innoluce takeover.

Analog Devices has also just announced, on November 17, the acquisition of LBS Technology from Vescent Photonics for the purpose of enabling mainstream adoption of automotive LIDAR systems.

I expect more companies to make similar announcements soon as this market heats up.

The unique MicroVision MEMS scanning mirror construction and operation

Vuforia with Hololens

Microvision produces displays.

A lot has to happen with other hardware and with software before those displays can be used. Object recognition, visual overlay and gesture control all have to work together to make it work.

The particular kind of use is moving (I believe) much faster that most people expected. 

Considering the kind of productivity improvements that can come with this kind of tech, it doesn't surprise me how much work is accelerating with it.

Companies are using Vuforia said:

• “We see huge potential in the combination of object recognition and graphical overlay, especially when such information is fed to the HoloLens in real-time, for instance, in connection with maintenance or manufacturing lines.”
  • Mads Troelsgaard, CEO, Unity Studios

• “We have leveraged Vuforia for HoloLens proof of concept projects and were able to achieve great precision. We were pleased how easy it is to setup and get up to speed. We had great success and expect to use it in future projects.”
  • René Schulte, Director of Immersive Experiences, Valorem Consulting

The company has also published a video, showing off one of the apps built with their SDK running on the HoloLens:

Photonics Media

Basically straight from the press release, but featured in a good source.


From PhotonicsMedia

MicroVision, STMicroelectronics to CollaboratePhotonics.com
Nov 2016

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 17, 2016 — Laser projection microdisplay developer MicroVision Inc. has signed a deal with STMicroelectronics, a Geneva, Switzerland-based electronics and semiconductor manufacturer, to collaborate on MEMS-based laser scanners.

The co-marketing agreement covers technology development and seeks to build on an existing arrangement pertaining to pico projectors and head-up display applications.

"ST and MicroVision anticipate targeting emerging markets and applications including virtual and augmented reality, 3D sensing and advanced driver assistance systems,” said MicroVision in a statement.

The companies plan on targeting a variety of applications including lidar sensors for autonomous vehicles.

STMicroelectronics Supply Chain

From STMicroelectronics

What our customers expect

• The right product, at the right place, and at the right time 
• Continuous improvement in our processes to reduce our delivery cycle time 
• Flexibility in adapting to their customer supply-chain models 
• Efficient capacity planning to meet their demand 
• Early warning in case of supply-chain bottlenecks and full transparency while working to solve them

Our answer

• ST has implemented a series of supply-chain business models adapted to the large variety of customer expectations in terms of industry domains, geography (globalized and regional accounts) and channels (OEM, sub-contractors, distributors).

• ST business models rely on advanced planning systems and tools to manage customer demand, backlog scheduling and manufacturing capacity over a broad range of technologies and products.

• ST has the capability to handle the whole product realization in-house from conception to production keeping the full control of operations, offering strategic independence to its customers. ST has developed outsourcing partnerships to offer flexibility, to mitigate market variations or to respond to specific demands.

• The ST Supply Chain organization and the company Central Planning drive the planning performance of the company to fulfill customer supply-chain requirements while optimizing asset utilization.

• ST supply chain and customer service teams are located in our sales offices in order to closely manage customer demand and to interact directly with the customer.