Motorola unveils Project Ara for custom smartphones

I have often said, expect the innovation to come in ways we haven't even imagined... this may be part of it.

The highly modular approach aims to let you swap in items such as keyboard, battery, or display so that your handset stays up-to-date much longer than today's smartphones.

Motorola has announced a new initiative to help smartphone users take handset customization beyond ringtones, wallpaper, and body colors to its very form and function.

The Google-owned handset company on Monday announced Project Ara, a free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones. An endoskeleton, or structural frame, holds the smartphone modules of the owner's choice, such as a display, keyboard, or extra battery. The approach should allow users to swap out malfunctioning modules or upgrade as innovations emerge, providing a handset that stays up-to-date much longer than today's smartphones.

"Our goal is to drive a more thoughtful, expressive, and open relationship between users, developers, and their phones," Motorola wrote in a company blog post. "To give you the power to decide what your phone does, how it looks, where and what it's made of, how much it costs, and how long you'll keep it.".....

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Pico Projectors Market Will be Worth US $6.08 Billion by 2014

Be careful with what you believe!

It's from a research company that's selling research, but the assertion is interesting.

"(PRWEB) October 27, 2013

According to a new market research report, "Global Pico Projector Market (2010 - 2015)", the world pico projectors market revenue is estimated to reach 6080.57 million by the end of 2014, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 120.56% from the period 2009-2014. The US market is expected to account for nearly 85% of the total market revenue by production and 41.5% by consumption.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1548392#ixzz2iygZrNvJ"
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"Lasers are more efficient and offer a more natural white light"

BMW Laser Headlights Slice Through the Dark

...The field is blowing open, Rudy and Nakamura say. Beyond cars, projectors, and displays, expect to see uses in cellphone “pico” projector displays and future head-mounted systems, such as those now used in Google Glass. Lasers may even end up lighting our homes, offices, stadiums—you name it.

For general lighting, what makes the lasers attractive is that they can be packed much more densely on a chip than LEDs can. Laser-based lights would not only be more energy efficient on a dollars-per-lumen basis but also more flexible, able to work as spotlights or floodlights at the flick of a switch. If costs continue to fall, Rudy says, laser lights could make the leap to general use in roughly 10 years...

*     *     *     *     *

...BMW intends to introduce the laser-based system on its 2014 i8 plug-inhybrid sports car. As with any plug-in vehicle, the i8 has a particular need to conserve battery electricity for propulsion, as well as for steering assist, entertainment, and heating and cooling. Finding small savings everywhere—even on the order of mere watts—translates directly into more miles of driving range.

Unlike slow-starting, single-brightness HIDs, the laser lights switch on in milliseconds and instantly go to 100 percent illumination. Easy to package in motorized modules, space-saving lasers “offer huge advantages for today’s projection systems,” Levering says.

The full article is very interesting!

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Interesting Comparison of Picoprojector engines

This was published in 2011, so some of the information may be dated, and there have almost certainly been significant improvements in each of the classes. For example, we know that the resolutions have improved since then.

The contrast ratio is very interesting.



The whole article is found at the link below.

From Invest in Taiwan

OML at EURODISPLAY 2013, London

From Optical Microsystems Laboratory

We were at the Eurodisplay conference of SID: 33rd International meeting on display technologies. We have attended the conference with three different paper on new display technologies (Link to the proceeding of the conference):

[1] K. Akşit, O. Eldes, M. K. Hedili and H. Urey, “Paper No 15.1: Augmented reality and 3D displays using pico-projectors,” in EURODISPLAY2013: 33rd International Display Research Conference, September, SID, 2013.

[2] O. Eldes, K. Akşit, and H. Urey, “Paper No 17.4: 3D Auto-stereoscopic display using pico-projectors and rotating screen,” in EURODISPLAY2013: 33rd International Display Research Conference, September, SID, 2013.

[3] P. Surman, B. Day, B. Boby, H. Chen, K. Akşit, and H. Urey, “Paper No 15.2: Head-Tracked Retroreflecting 3D Display,” in EURODISPLAY2013: 33rd International Display Research Conference, September, SID, 2013.

Our presentations from the conference can be found as the video link down below:

Prof. Dr. Urey’s presentation:

Osman Eldes’s presentation:

Pico Projector Roundup

24.10.2013From MegaPremium (Press Release)

Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pico Pocket Projectors

Projectors have become essential business tools; at just about every meeting there’s a projector attached to a laptop displaying spreadsheets or presentations. At home, a projector can replace an LCD TV or Plasma TV by filling a wall with a movie, console game, or YouTube video.

There’s a new class of projector emerging that fits in the palm of your hand. Some of these are being built into phones and it wouldn’t surprise us to see them appear in HD camcorders and digital cameras. Called handheld or pico projectors, these tiny devices can be used for business or personal entertainment.

Microvision

There are still very few of these devices that you can actually buy today but you should see more become available as this hot product category grows. Here’s a rundown of some of the latest of these little gems:

Microvision PicoP

Microvision hopes to see its laser-based pico projectors in everything from cell phones to laptops. Their SHOWWX projector has been shown at trade shows filling a large screen with a fairly good quality image. Early adopters should expect to pay around $ 400 – $ 500 for these when they go on sale.

3M Micro Professional Projector MPro110

The 3M Micro Professional Projector MPro110 weighs 5.6 ounces and can display a 50 inch image using LED LCoS technology. Though the picture is not as high quality as a 50″ Plasma TV, this pico projector has been on the market over 6 months and costs $ 359.

Optomo PK101

Optomo’s PK101 pico pocket projector uses DLP technology with an LED light source. It weighs 4 ounces and can project an image up to 60 inches. It costs around $ 400.

AAXA Technologies P1 Projector

AAXA Technologies sells their P1 Projector for an MSRP of $ 259. It has an SD card slot, built-in speaker and uses LED LCoS technology.

Samsung MBP200

The Samsung MBP-200 is an updated version of the MBP-100. It uses DLP Pico technology to display an image up to 50 inches. It includes a microSd card slot, headphone jack, and 2.2 inch screen. A possible alternative to Samsung TVs.

Toshiba PICO

News on this stylish pico projector has been sparse since its announcement at CES in January 2009. Reports indicated it could shed 10 lumens of light on a WVGA (848 X 480 pixel) image.

Aiptek Pocket Cinema V10

You can actually buy this LCoS pico projector based on 3M technology. It has been on the market for over a year and sells for $ 285. It only gets a 3 out of 5 rating on amazon.com but it will project a 42 inch, 640 X 480 image and includes an SDHC card slot.

Toshiba PICO

This projector is powered by the 3M optical engine that will display a 50 inch VGA (640 X 480) image. It includes a 3.5 mm audio jack and a built-in volume switch. They claim 80 minutes of use on a charge. The projector is innovating like many of the Toshiba TVs out in the market.

Pico Projectors in Cell Phones

If Texas Instruments has any say in the matter, every cell phone will have a built-in projector. TI unveiled its latest generation OMAP chip set at Mobile World Congress 2009. The OMAP 4 claims to be three times faster than its predecessor which will enable mobile devices to project images faster as well as record video and play it back at high rates. TI’s chip set has powered mobile devices like Samsung’s recently launched phone (available in South Korea).  The phone can beam video or photographs from the phone to a flat surface.

Projectors Built In to Eyeglasses

An Israeli company named Lumus has developed eyewear that uses LOE (light guide optical element) to make a pair of glasses that you can see through as well as view an image on. A tiny projector located inthe temple of the glasses spreads an image across the lens using light guide technology. If it works as well as they say it does it could be a good alternative to bulky goggles that you can’t see through when they’re off.

TechSci Research: Continuous Wave Laser Diodes Market Set To Cross US$ 5.9 Billion by 2018

Growing market for consumer electronics, display applications and automotive are expected to drive the laser diode market over the coming years.

(PRWEB) October 23, 2013

Rapid growth and increased acceleration of display applications market has been driving the market for laser diodes for several years. Over the last few years, the market for diodes has witnessed noteworthy changes in terms of output enhancement and scope in various industries. Continuous wave based laser diode is one of the key markets in the laser diode industry and is growing profusely as a result of its introduction in applications such as consumer electronics, defence/aerospace, telecommunications, industrial, etc.

According to a recently published report by TechSci Research “Global Continuous Wave Laser Diodes Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2018”, the global continuous wave based laser diodes market is expected to cross US$ 5.9 Billion by 2018. Increasing applications such as Pico-Projectors, Head-Up Display, Biomedical Instrumentation, Blu-Ray and Gaming Consoles are expected to drive the market for continuous wave laser diodes globally. Osram Opto Semiconductors, Coherent, Newport and Nichia are the leading players in the laser diode market.

The continuous wave based laser diodes are being deployed for material processing, telecommunications, storage devices, laser pointers, etc. Global continuous wave based laser diodes market is expected to see dramatic changes over the next five years because of the increasing applications in consumer electronics and defence sectors. Emerging applications such as head-up display and panels in automotive market are also contributing significantly to the growth of laser diodes market.

“Green laser diodes are the newest technology in the continuous wave based diode market and the market is still at a nascent stage. During the next five years, it is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the laser diode market because of its increasing usage in head up display and Pico projector applications. These diodes are capable of providing more polarized output and this segment’s growth is likely to be driven by the growth in automotive, consumer electronics and defence applications”, said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm.

“Global Continuous Wave Laser Diodes Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2018” has analyzed the potential of laser diode market and provides statistics and information on market sizes, shares and trends. The report will suffice in providing the intending clients with cutting-edge market intelligence and help them in taking sound investment decisions. Besides, the report also identifies and analyses the emerging trends along with essential drivers and key challenges faced by the industry.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11255859.htm

Apple's plan for Auto Hud

How Apple plans to turn car dashboards into giant touchscreens fitted with LASERS that track eye movements

How Apple plans to turn car dashboards into giant touchscreens fitted with LASERS that track eye movements

• Patent reveals plans for in-car touchscreen system called Digital Dash
• Dash is fitted with lasers and cameras to track head and eye movements
• Onscreen buttons designed to feel like 'real knobs, switches and sliders'

By VICTORIA WOOLLASTON

PUBLISHED: 07:14 EST, 10 July 2013 | UPDATED: 08:52 EST, 10 July 2013

 
 
 
 

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comments

Apple could one day turn car dashboards into giant touchscreens.

According to a patent it has been granted, the 'Digital Dash' system would be fitted with laser pointers that track the driver's eye movements as well as cameras that track head movements, and voice controls. 

It also has 'textured' onscreen buttons - created by notches and grooves in a screen overlay - that have been designed to feel like real knobs and switches and can be used to control car temperature and wipers, for example.

+4

Apple's Digital Dash patent is an extension of its iOS in the Car feature of iOS 7, pictured. The feature was announced last month and is due to be released in 2014. It connects wirelessly to iPhones and can be used to take calls on a hands-free kit, for example

+4

This image, taken from an Apple patent, is an early design for a 'Digital Dash' - a car dashboard fitted with a touchscreen. The patent has been granted by the U.S Patent and Trademark Office and the system is an extension of the iOS in the Car plans announced with Apple's iOS 7

GARMIN'S HEADS-UP DISPLAY SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM

Talking satnavs and taking your eyes off the road to peer at a small screen could soon be a thing of the past after engineers have developed a portable device that beams directions onto the inside of a car windscreen. 

Satellite navigation expert Garmin has created a portable heads-up display (HUD) that sits on a car's dashboard and projects turn-by-turn directions on a transparent film attached to the windscreen. 

The directions are sent to the HUD over Bluetooth from a smartphone running the Garmin StreetPilot or NAVIGON satellite navigation apps.

The Garmin HUD will go on sale in September and cost £139. 

These plans are in addition to the iOS in the Car system announced as part of iOS 7, which is set to launch next year. 

The plans filed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office credit Canadian Tim Pryor as the inventor of the dash system.  

It contains a mix of original designs dating back to 1971 and more modern plans. 

More...

• The satnav device that beams driving directions onto the WINDSCREEN to stop drivers taking their eyes off the road
• Samsung confirms it is 'investing heavily' in wearable computers to take on Google Glass and Apple's rumoured iWatch

The patent is called 'Programmable tactile touch screen displays and man-machine interfaces for improved vehicle instrumentation and telematics', or 'Digital Dash' for short.

According to the plans, the dashboard would have a heads-up display (HUD) fitted into the driver's armrest to display maps, directions and so on. 

A touchscreen on the dashboard would respond to laser pointers that can track the driver's eyes and switch layouts and screens accordingly, based on where the driver is looking. 

It would also have cameras that detect a driver's head position so that onscreen information can be moved within the line of sight, for example. 

Many of the other examples used in the patent involve images being projected onto the touchscreen, and because these images could be customised and changed, depending on what tools and features the driver wanted, the whole system could be programmable.

+4

Under Apple's 'Digital Dash' plans, an in-car system is fitted with laser pointers that track the driver's eye movements, cameras that track which direction their head is facing, as as well as voice controls. A heads-up display could be built into the driver's armrest, too

The touchscreen itself is shown as having 'raised ridges, indents or other tactile properties to facilitate operation without diverting attention away from the road.'

This would mean that the driver could run their hand over a textured touchscreen and be able to work out where they need to press or slide without having to look down at the screen.

Elsewhere, transparent buttons designed to feel like real knobs, switchers and sliders could be added onto a screen overlay to make it easier for drivers to navigate the controls while driving. 

Similarly lights behind the screen could illuminate the controls or switch off when the controls are not in use. 

Textured buttons on the screen of the Digital Dash could be used to control the car's temperature, the wipers, the radio and so on. They would be added to a screen overlay to make them feel like real-life knobs, switches and sliders. The images on the left show early designs while the right-hand image shows a more modern look

In the patent, Pryor said: 'One problem is how to interact with the display, without having a keyboard - which is generally too cumbersome, switch filled, and space consuming for a car dash, armrest, or other interior location. 

'And a mouse is pretty much impossible as well.

'I feel a key part of the answer lies in a form of tactile display or touchscreen with tactile properties not hereto fore seen. 

'This display could, depending on its construction, occupy some, or even most of the dashboard (also called dash, or instrument panel).'

He continues that the Digital Dash would create improve productivity because 'people in the USA spend over 500 million hours it is said in their cars, and much of this time is wasted, from a business point of view.'

+4

Apple's iOS in the Car will also display maps and directions on a touchscreen built into the car's dashboard. BMW has announced it will make the system a standard feature in its new models set for release next year

The patent is an extension of the iOS in the Car features of Apple's new iOS 7 software, announced last month. 

According to Apple: 'iOS in the Car seamlessly integrates your iOS device - and the iOS experience - with your in-dash system.'

It is expected to launch in 2014 and drivers of vehicles fitted with the iOS in the Car system will be able to connect their iPhone 5 and interact with the dashy using the car's built-in display controls or Siri Eyes Free.

BMW has announced it will make the system a standard feature in its new models set for release next year.

Apple adds that with iOS in the Car: 'Now you can easily and safely make phone calls, access your music, send and receive messages, get directions, and more. 

'It’s all designed to let iPhone focus on what you need, so you can focus on the road.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2359312/How-Apple-plans-turn-car-dashboards-giant-touchscreens-LASERS-track-eye-movements.html#ixzz35re6Gz5D
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2359312/How-Apple-plans-turn-car-dashboards-giant-touchscreens-LASERS-track-eye-movements.html

Pen Book

Thank you to Pico-projector.info

Picoprojectors in Board Room

Pico Projectors Headed for the Boardroom

Ben Munson

In terms of external hardware, there isn’t a whole lot a tablet needs to be a success. The iPad restarted the whole tablet market and brought along for the ride only a headphone jack, microphone, volume rocker and connector port. That sparse packaging—still pretty much the formula for all tablets—has led to a svelte form factor standard almost across the board. But as SmartDevices’ U7 deftly illustrates, a tablet can tack on some intriguing hardware bonuses and still manage to keep its figure. In the U7’s case, it’s an embedded pico projector.

Pico projectors—whether external or internal—have gained ubiquity across the industry, mostly marketed toward travel business types or folks who want to go cinema-scope with the entertainment on their mobile devices. Plenty of pico projectors are available for attachment to a smartphone or a tablet but to this point, the highest profile example of an embedded projector is the Samsung Beam.

The Beam—Samsung’s attempt to combine phone and project—is a spec-starved Android phone that looks a bit too big to fit comfortably in your pocket. 

The U7 looks like a run-of-the-mill 7-inch tablet and feels like one, too. It’s similar in size and weight to the Nexus 7 but that’s about the end of the similarities in the spec department. The U7 sports a 1024x600 display, a dual-core 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 or 16 GB of memory with the option to add 32 GB via microSD and a 4,800 mAh battery, all teaming up to run Android 4.1. Not much to write home about unless you’re putting down your gripes about the rear-facing camera, shooting at an archaic 2 megapixels—the front-facing sensor packs the same.

But the U7 has enough muscle to show off what can be accomplished with an embedded Texas Instruments DLP projector, which turns out to be a good deal.

The projector is mounted on the side of the U7. An on/off switch sits on one side of it and a focus slider on the other. SmartDevices claims the projector works for about four hours on a full charge. Of course, it’s ideal for quick PowerPoint presentations and with the lights off in our conference room, we were able to project a big, clear image of the device’s screen from six to eight feet away from the wall. The 854x480 resolution projection can go from five to 50 inches—though why anyone would project an image smaller than the actual display is a mystery.

There didn’t seem to be any latency between the display and the projection, which really came in handy for watching videos at home. This is where the fun really comes in and it’s nice to know that the audio and video will sync up. The U7 is a blast for movie night, especially with a decent set of speakers that can plug into the auxiliary port. Of course, my three-year-old daughter isn’t much of a stickler for audio quality and was happy just to see her shows all big on the wall of her room. In a case like that, though, supervision is recommended to make sure your little one doesn’t pick up the tablet and shine the projector directly into their eyes.

The U7 also seems like a fun, almost old-school way to show off photos and videos to family and friends. Dig back to memories of a relative rolling out a massive slide projector and you’ll get the picture.

However, without a peripheral controller, the U7’s projector is mostly superfluous for mobile games since your eyes will be glued to the touchscreen. It’s mostly a moot point since the U7’s projector only works in landscape anyway, eliminating any game that’s built for portrait mode. Landscape works best for the key functions of the U7 so it’s not a huge disadvantage. But still, considering how a device like the Samsung Beam uses its gyroscope to adjust its projector between landscape or portrait, it’s a little strange the U7 skips portrait all together.

Orientation aside, the U7 holds a big advantage over smartphones with embedded projectors in that it isn’t too big. The projector doesn’t extend past the edge of the U7 because most of the module is built into a small bump on the back of the device. That bump houses speakers and the rear-mounted camera as well as the internal workings of the projector. Because the Texas Instruments chip powering the projector is so small—it’s roughly the size of a Tic Tac despite packing millions of micro mirrors—the bump is barely a nuisance. Strangely though, the U7 has a protruding strip on the bottom of the back. It’s likely there so the device will lie flat when placed on its back. But without it, the projector might be at a better angle. As it stands, you’ll need to find something to prop up the front of the tablet to project from a flat surface.

At $299, the U7 isn’t ridiculously priced but it still runs a fair bit more than other more functional 7-inch tablets. On top of that, it’ll be tough to find it outside of SmartDevice’s website and some small online retailers—though a rep for the company says SmartDevices expects to the see the U7 on Amazon before too long.

Where the U7 literally shines is with its projector. Not only in the projector’s performance—which is more than adequate—but in its ability to blend the projector into the standard build of a small tablet. On any given consumer tablet, an embedded pico projector might be tenth on the list of most used features. But if it’s possible to tuck it into the body of the tablet so it’s basically out of sight until you need it—like the U7 has done—then there’s no reason we won’t see it popping up in more tablets in the future.

http://www.wirelessweek.com/articles/2013/10/pico-projectors-headed-boardroom

New Article at PicoPros -worth reading!

http://www.picopros.com/content/1080p-resolution-really-necessary-pico-projection

New Video From Microvision

Those of us who have seen the Gen2 in action know.. it's much better than the gen1.

2014 Mini Cooper

It's looking a lot like Microvision is in the 2014 Mini Cooper

"Model gains several new safety features

MINI has released new details about the 2014 Cooper, ahead of its debut on November 18th.

First and foremost, the model will be offered with a new head-up display that projects information onto a small folding screen on the dashboard. It can show the vehicle's speed, navigation instructions, entertainment information (ie: music track or radio channel) and various alerts...."

Full Article from World Car Fans

Article from CNet

Engadget

Tiniest Car Chase

...relocated this video today...

It does show another use for an infinite focus PicoProjector.

Picoprojectors will be used in a lot of ways that we haven't thought about yet. This is one.

Automobile Infotainment --- an area for PicoP to shine

The dashboard in 2013

And the dashboard in 2001

Compared to many high-technology markets—such as wireless communications—time often seems to progress slowly in the automotive business, with even a period of 10 years sometimes bringing only incremental changes to cars.

However, that all has changed during the past decade, as new infotainment technology has completely revolutionised cars and the automotive business as whole, according to the Automotive Technology Portals and Services from IHS.

As sweeping as these changes have been, they are set to be eclipsed by events during the next decade, as a new wave of technologies sweeps through the market.

“The radical changes wrought by the rise of infotainment technology are dramatically illustrated by the transformation of automotive dashboards during the past 10 years,” said Ben Scott, technology solutions analyst for IHS Automotive.

"In 2002, an owner of a new Ford Focus gazed down upon a proprietary dashboard that had no connectivity and that was adorned only with an AM/FM/CD music player.

"In 2012, the proud owner of a new Focus beheld a dashboard rich with infotainment features, including multiple displays, a wealth of apps and services and various means of connectivity. The major question that automakers need answered now is, ‘What will the Focus dashboard of 2022 look like?’”.....

Full Article Here

So, where can you buy the Microvision Powered HUD?

On kakaku.com

And a write up about it...

PC Gaming Headset

Introducing Real-World Advice For pc gaming headset

October 1, 2013 | Author: AntwanCastellan | Posted in Software

Recently they have become more cost efficient, mostly because of new editions or series of gaming accessories hitting the market, causing the price in older versions to decrease. Ventrilo server hosting puts players at an benefit in relation to gaming strategy. These Xbox 360 headsets are driven by USB so there’s no need for batteries or AC adapters. By using a hand-held pico projector in combination with a laser pointer, image software and a webcam, the ability to control entire computer systems by the means of a laser pointer have been proven. You can get surround sound form a stereo headset if you use a virtual surround sound device like the SIIG USB Sound – Wave 7. The head band adjusts for larger or smaller heads and has a nice range which for me amounts to being able to go smaller because most headsets fit larger on my head.

What is more, the service sound and visual quality are excellent. While different people perceive sound differently, you can use these few guideline to distinguish a headset with good sound quality from a bad one. A further fantastic unique aspect this headset supplies is the tremendous substantial ear cups make this unit good for gamers with substantial ears (far more widespread criticism than you might feel). Sporting atmospheric LED lighting, thе XANTHOS Stereo Console Gaming Headset should be аble to deliver sensational stereo sound around the PS3, Xbox 360 system and PC. Now with enhanced chat, video and voice communications, a snazzy looking interface in keeping with Windows Vista, and sharing facilities, users of Live Messenger now have even more choices. This accessory provides for an easier and more productive connectivity.....

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