Final Report Summary - PICODICON (Development of a mobile Pico-projector based data Displaying solution for Construction SMEs enabling the 'paperless construction site')
Executive Summary:
The PicoDiCon consortium is developing a rugged and robust pico projector and PDA based solution for the construction industry. We believe this will enable a step forward to a "paperless construction site". Our solution will enable the display drawings and other construction related documents on-line on construction site without need for large and expensive ruggedised PC's or to be limited with a current PDA's small display area. The solution will be an easy to use, reliable and affordable for construction SMEs, who can project images on any flat surface on construction sites.
PicoDiCon is a project the output of which is a pico-projector based on lasers, two 1D MEMS micro mirrors, state-of-the-art optics and power efficient driving and image processing electronics. Pico projection is an emerging technology that has its applications in many handheld devices such as PDA`s, smart-phones, digital cameras or even tablets or standalone projectors with a capability to project presentation materials, images or even videos.
Lasers
EpiCrystals'patented DeCIBEL® laser platform is especially designed for pico projector applications. Frequency converted passively Q-switched DeCIBEL lasers enable the most compact and cost-efficient projector engines. Thanks to the eliminated speckle contrast and brightest colors DeCIBEL lasers also enable the best image quality.
MEMS mirrors
AIDO (Instituto Tecnol?gico de ?ptica, Color e Imagen), HiperScan and IPMS (Fraunhofer-Institut f?r Photonische Mikrosysteme) have been combining their expertises in optics and MEMS micro-displays, in order to find the perfect shape and position for the micro mirrors, allowing to get the best image quality with the smallest size possible. It brings the consortium the less distorted image possible that will guaranty the PicoDiCon projector to be as good as it is intended to be with still being as robust, small and less power hungry as possible.
Driving electronics
The driving electronics are for controlling both the laser and MEMS micro-display. The MEMS and electronics are designed by IPMS and EII (Eesti Innovatsiooni Instituut), respectively. The development of the laser driver has been done in a close collaboration with a component provider Elgerta Electronics. High reliability, low-power consumption, compact size and low cost were carefully considered while designing the driver.
Image processing
Dual-View feature:
With the dual-view feature the projected image can be rotated in order to improve the reading comfort. The user can always keep the projection in the correct direction.
Picture stabilisation:
While a projector is held in hand the device can have shaking amplitude up to 100 µm. This will result in unwanted and undesirable image shaking that can be annoying for the audience. Using an accelerometer and high advanced signal processing the system compensates the screen deviation in order to have as stable picture as possible.
The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme managed by REA-Research Executive Agency (FP7 2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 232123.
Project background and objectives:
PicoDiCon is a project for development of a pico-projector which is based on EpiCrystals DeCIBEL® lasers, two 1D MEMS micro mirrors, state-of-the-art optics and power efficient driving and image processing electronics.
A pico-projector name derives from the small size of the projector. It is often called also a pocket projector or mobile projector. This is an emerging technology what has it`s applications in many handheld devices such as PDA`s, smart-phones, digital cameras or even tablets, or standalone projector with a capability to project presentation materials, images or even videos.
In other words, PicoDiCon is:
-A mobile device that can project high resolution information such as drawings, models, video, text documents.
-Robust, projector with image stabilisation thus making the device generally compatible with industry standards.
-Laser based pico-projector.
%Project results:
Please, refer to the scientific papers part.
Potential Impact:
The optical design of the PicoDiCon projector is unique and it is designed so that it is as easy as possible to implement any standard laser source to the design. The linear design gives advantage against other designs as the laser driver placement, wiring and heat distribution is easier to control as all the sources are located to close approximation to each other. This also gives advantage to the optical design as all the optical components can be placed linearly. The design also helps EpiCrystals to integrate their full color (3-channel RGB) laser module as the requirement for optics is similar to the PicoDiCon solution. PicoDiCon solution was realised using EpiCrystals green laser source and commercially available red and blue lasers and in the next projector version EpiCrystals full-RGB laser solution will be used. Laser sources from EpiCrystals are innovative and state-of-the-art with an optimal output light wavelength for ultra-compact projector solutions. This is the major sales argument for the small lasers on the market. One key factor of EpiCrystals laser technology is the low speckle contrast which helps produce clear and bright images from projector. Speckle is still one of the biggest problems in laser projectors and thanks to EpiCrystals technology there is finally a solution. Laser drivers developed during the project were a specific design which will allow chip manufacturers to make a more advanced "single chip" laser driver for all three lasers. MEMS-mirrors created for the PicoDiCon solution were a custom made to allow a non-distorted image projection with lasers. The benefit of using two 1D MEMS instead of one 2D MEMS is less distorted ( = better) image. Therefore there is no need for corrective optics making the total projector system smaller, cheaper and more efficient.
All SME project parties have expressed their interest to continue development of PicoDiCon technology from the proof-of-concept prototype created in the project to the next level where a more compact (due to EpiCrystals next generation RGB laser modules) and more power efficient (new RGB laser driver) and more production friendly version will be made. The PicoDiCon SME partners were originally brought together since their own technology and expertise can be combined and used in post-project as a full supply chain for mass-production. The development of the next gen engine is planned to be completed by the year end 2013 after which the sampling to potential customers can be initiated. The total addressable market for PicoDiCon OEM projector engine can exceed more than 100 M pcs. in 2016-2017 based on independent market analysts.
Project website:
http://www.picodicon.com(opens in new window)
The PicoDiCon consortium is developing a rugged and robust pico projector and PDA based solution for the construction industry. We believe this will enable a step forward to a "paperless construction site". Our solution will enable the display drawings and other construction related documents on-line on construction site without need for large and expensive ruggedised PC's or to be limited with a current PDA's small display area. The solution will be an easy to use, reliable and affordable for construction SMEs, who can project images on any flat surface on construction sites.
PicoDiCon is a project the output of which is a pico-projector based on lasers, two 1D MEMS micro mirrors, state-of-the-art optics and power efficient driving and image processing electronics. Pico projection is an emerging technology that has its applications in many handheld devices such as PDA`s, smart-phones, digital cameras or even tablets or standalone projectors with a capability to project presentation materials, images or even videos.
Lasers
EpiCrystals'patented DeCIBEL® laser platform is especially designed for pico projector applications. Frequency converted passively Q-switched DeCIBEL lasers enable the most compact and cost-efficient projector engines. Thanks to the eliminated speckle contrast and brightest colors DeCIBEL lasers also enable the best image quality.
MEMS mirrors
AIDO (Instituto Tecnol?gico de ?ptica, Color e Imagen), HiperScan and IPMS (Fraunhofer-Institut f?r Photonische Mikrosysteme) have been combining their expertises in optics and MEMS micro-displays, in order to find the perfect shape and position for the micro mirrors, allowing to get the best image quality with the smallest size possible. It brings the consortium the less distorted image possible that will guaranty the PicoDiCon projector to be as good as it is intended to be with still being as robust, small and less power hungry as possible.
Driving electronics
The driving electronics are for controlling both the laser and MEMS micro-display. The MEMS and electronics are designed by IPMS and EII (Eesti Innovatsiooni Instituut), respectively. The development of the laser driver has been done in a close collaboration with a component provider Elgerta Electronics. High reliability, low-power consumption, compact size and low cost were carefully considered while designing the driver.
Image processing
Dual-View feature:
With the dual-view feature the projected image can be rotated in order to improve the reading comfort. The user can always keep the projection in the correct direction.
Picture stabilisation:
While a projector is held in hand the device can have shaking amplitude up to 100 µm. This will result in unwanted and undesirable image shaking that can be annoying for the audience. Using an accelerometer and high advanced signal processing the system compensates the screen deviation in order to have as stable picture as possible.
The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme managed by REA-Research Executive Agency (FP7 2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 232123.
Project background and objectives:
PicoDiCon is a project for development of a pico-projector which is based on EpiCrystals DeCIBEL® lasers, two 1D MEMS micro mirrors, state-of-the-art optics and power efficient driving and image processing electronics.
A pico-projector name derives from the small size of the projector. It is often called also a pocket projector or mobile projector. This is an emerging technology what has it`s applications in many handheld devices such as PDA`s, smart-phones, digital cameras or even tablets, or standalone projector with a capability to project presentation materials, images or even videos.
In other words, PicoDiCon is:
-A mobile device that can project high resolution information such as drawings, models, video, text documents.
-Robust, projector with image stabilisation thus making the device generally compatible with industry standards.
-Laser based pico-projector.
%Project results:
Please, refer to the scientific papers part.
Potential Impact:
The optical design of the PicoDiCon projector is unique and it is designed so that it is as easy as possible to implement any standard laser source to the design. The linear design gives advantage against other designs as the laser driver placement, wiring and heat distribution is easier to control as all the sources are located to close approximation to each other. This also gives advantage to the optical design as all the optical components can be placed linearly. The design also helps EpiCrystals to integrate their full color (3-channel RGB) laser module as the requirement for optics is similar to the PicoDiCon solution. PicoDiCon solution was realised using EpiCrystals green laser source and commercially available red and blue lasers and in the next projector version EpiCrystals full-RGB laser solution will be used. Laser sources from EpiCrystals are innovative and state-of-the-art with an optimal output light wavelength for ultra-compact projector solutions. This is the major sales argument for the small lasers on the market. One key factor of EpiCrystals laser technology is the low speckle contrast which helps produce clear and bright images from projector. Speckle is still one of the biggest problems in laser projectors and thanks to EpiCrystals technology there is finally a solution. Laser drivers developed during the project were a specific design which will allow chip manufacturers to make a more advanced "single chip" laser driver for all three lasers. MEMS-mirrors created for the PicoDiCon solution were a custom made to allow a non-distorted image projection with lasers. The benefit of using two 1D MEMS instead of one 2D MEMS is less distorted ( = better) image. Therefore there is no need for corrective optics making the total projector system smaller, cheaper and more efficient.
All SME project parties have expressed their interest to continue development of PicoDiCon technology from the proof-of-concept prototype created in the project to the next level where a more compact (due to EpiCrystals next generation RGB laser modules) and more power efficient (new RGB laser driver) and more production friendly version will be made. The PicoDiCon SME partners were originally brought together since their own technology and expertise can be combined and used in post-project as a full supply chain for mass-production. The development of the next gen engine is planned to be completed by the year end 2013 after which the sampling to potential customers can be initiated. The total addressable market for PicoDiCon OEM projector engine can exceed more than 100 M pcs. in 2016-2017 based on independent market analysts.
Project website:
http://www.picodicon.com(opens in new window)