Lighting the World – The Future of Lighting
MicroVision's PicoP display technology is at the heart of laser-based Head Up Displays
At University of California Santa Barbara a group of researchers is exploring the future of lighting. One technology in particular they are looking at is lasers – a topic of great interest here at MicroVision.
University of California Television (UCTV) recently profiled UC Santa Barbara’s Solid State Lighting and Display Center (SSLDC) in an episode of “Lighting the World.” The episode highlights their research with different types of lighting and display technology focusing on LED and laser diodes.
According to the center’s co-director, Shuji Nakamura, the next generation of lighting will be based on laser diodes. Professor Nakamura is widely regarded as a pioneer in display technology and is credited with the discovery and development of nitride based semiconductors responsible for blue LEDs and blue laser diodes. In the episode, he predicts that the market will shift from LED to laser based display, as lasers are much more efficient and use less power (5:37). Nathan Pfaff, a graduate student at SSLDC, talks as well about how lasers can provide a more efficient white light with more optical power out for less electrical energy in (4:43).
Energy efficiency is one reason why lasers are at the core of MicroVision’s patented PicoP® display technology. Not only are lasers efficient, they enable images to be projected from a compact form onto any type of surface while staying in focus– as Professor Steven Denbaars, co-director of SSLDC, discusses in the video (1:56). When we were asked to provide images for the project, we were pleased to comply. Check out how our images illustrate the points Professor Denbaars makes about projected displays using lasers.
You can watch the full episode of the video and see for yourself how these researchers are touting lasers as the future of lighting.
Harvard Business Review, Jan/Feb 2013
Thanks to the mass adoption and acceptance of smartphones and tablets, the way we consume information has changed drastically over the last five years and is set to rapidly continue the transition to mobile devices in the next five years. In fact, if the latest forecast from Cisco Systems holds true, mobile data consumption (based on data traffic) could increase 13-fold by 2017 with mobile video showing some of the most dramatic increases.
Whether it’s catching up on a Forbes article, enjoying the latest hit from a favorite recording artist or watching the newest episode of “Homeland” on a flight, it’s crystal clear that mobile devices are about so much more than just making calls, sending a text or even browsing the web. A recent report from TDG states that based on product sales and use, consumers will watch nearly 58 billion hours of TV and video on tablets by 2017, which is nearly 10 percent of all current TV and online video consumption. Taking this one step further, mobile devices no longer imply mobility by users; 68 percent of this type of mobile use happens in the comfort of our own homes and is described by viewers as “me time.”
When we at MicroVision look at these statistics and industry growth expectations, we get even more excited about the opportunity for pico projection. Downloading and watching visual content, like movies and TV shows, is easier and faster than we could have ever imagined; nonetheless, the screens where we view this content are some of the smallest to date. Even a 7” tablet is limiting when watching video content. With PicoP® display technology, users will be able to enjoy all the benefits and freedom of mobile data in high definition without the limitations of the small screens.
We just touched on the tip of the iceberg for mobile data predications in this post. Dive into the articles we’ve linked to above for more information.
MicroVision is committed to developing innovative display technology that lets consumers see outside the box. Because of our dedication to research and development to keep our patented PicoP® display technologyon the cutting edge and offering our customers leading features today with a roadmap for future advancements, we boast an expansive technology portfolio that now includes more than 500 patents. That’s why we were excited to learn that MicroVision’s patent portfolio has been included in the Ocean Tomo 300 Patent Index for the second year in a row.
The Ocean Tomo 300 Patent Index is the first index based on the value of intellectual property and includes well-known technology companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm, Nvidia, and MicroVision partner, Intersil. To be included in this respected list is a true testament to the hard work of our world-class employees and experienced engineers, who are committed to developing pico projection display solutions that deliver value to our customers and an enhanced viewing experience to their end-consumers whether they are using a head-up display in a vehicle or sharing visual content from a mobile device.
MicroVision’s patent portfolio has also been widely recognized by associations such as IEEE and the Patent Board (in association with the Wall Street Journal) as top patent portfolios among global industrial companies. As we continue to license our technology to OEMs and ODMs, our leadership in IP supports our business model and assures our customers they are receiving best-in-class technology.
Because of our IP portfolio, we can truly say that our proprietary PicoP display technology is unlike any other, offering significant display advantages over other pico projector display systems and providing a wide array of benefits for various applications such as mobile, automotive, gaming and eyewear.
