Pico Projector companies

3M

3M is fundamentally a science-based company, producing thousands of imaginative products: from health care and highway safety to office products and abrasives and adhesives. 3M has over $25 billion in sales annually, and are traded in the NYSU (ticker: MMM).

3M have an active pico-projection program, with 3 generations already released, all based on LCoS technology. 3M were one of the first companies to actually offer a pico projector, the MPro-110. In August 2009 they have released their 2nd generation projector, the MPro-120 (here's our review), and have recently added the MPro-150 (here's our review).

You can follow 3M Pico Projector news here.

3M's web site

Oct 05, 2009

Asia Optical

Asia Optical is based in Taiwan and is involved mainly with Optics: lasers, lenses, fiber optics, imaging, DVDs and more.

Asia Optical is working on both Laser-Beam-Steering projectors (making the modules for Microvision) and DLP based pico projectors.

Asia Optical's web site

Feb 02, 2010

bTendo

bTendo is an Israeli company (founded in 2006) working on laser-scanning/MEMS based Pico Projector modules - offering those to stand-alone projector makers or as an embeddable module inside mobile devices.

We have visited bTendo in May 2009, they have given us a nice demonstration and information on their projection modules...

bTendo's web site

Apr 06, 2009

Coretronic

Coretronic is a provider of projection and display solutions, based in Taiwan. Coretronic makes DLP projectors, and claims to have around 15% global market share.

Coretronic also has a subsidiary, Young Optics which makes pico projection modules based on TI's DLP chips.

Coretronic's web site

Feb 19, 2009

Display Photonics Systems

Display Photonics Systems (DPS) is a new start-up that has developed a new single-panel projection technology called Angular Color Projection (ACP). They claim that their solution is more efficient, brighter, smaller and cheaper than current solutions.

DPS has already been granted some patents and created a fully working prototype. They are now seeking funding to complete product development and create a pilot production line in China.

Here's more info about their ACP technology.

Display Photonics' web site

Mar 16, 2010

EpiCrystals

EpiCrystals (based in Finland) are developing laser products for pico projectors based on their DeCIBEL technology. According to the company, DeCIBEL lasers will offer the best image quality and lowest speckle.

EpiCrystals' first product, a green laser diode is expected to hit the market in early 2012.

EpiCrystal's web site

Jun 14, 2011

Explay

Explay was an Israeli start-up focused on Pico Projectors, and were bought by ADM (for only $555,000) towards the end of 2009. Explay were working on a pico-projector module , but also wanted to make standalone projector (to be called the OiO) - but it's not clear whether they are still working on that.

In September 2010, Explay announced that their modules are now shipping to customers, and they expect products at around February 2011.

Feb 10, 2009

Greenlight optics

Greenlight Optics provides engineering services and products to help companies develop or integrate the latest picoprojector technology. They offer custom and off-the-shelf engines, concept evaluation, optical and system design, prototyping, production design, and manufacturing.

Greenlight optics web page

Jul 31, 2009

Himax

Himax Technologies is a fabless driver IC design company founded in 2001, Headquartered in Tainan, Taiwan. Himax designs, develops, and markets complete driver IC solutions for various TFT-LCD applications and the company offers LCoS based pico-projector solutions.

Himax's pico-projector module are being used by several companies, including Nikon in their s1000pj camera. The company announced a new SVGA module in January 2011. You can read the latest pico-projector news from Himax here.

Himax's web site

Mar 26, 2009

Lemoptix

Lemoptix is developing MEMS based (LBS) laser pico projector modules. Lemoptix is based in Switzerland was spun-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL).

In August 2010, Lemoptrix raised $1.4 million, and in September 2010 they have shown a prototype of their light module.

Lemoptix's web site

Sep 14, 2010

Light Blue Optics

Light Blue Optics is a UK based company working towards touch-enabled Holographic Laser Projection modules. These modules support WVGA-QVGA images at 10 lumens. LBO’s proprietary technology has an ultra-wide throw angle and the ability to correct for optical aberrations using software. These features enable LBO’s miniature projection systems to switch between conventional front projection onto a wall and a novel table-down projection mode where the device is placed on a table and the content is projected down onto the surface in front of it. They also incorporate a infra-red touch sensor.

In January 2010, LBO has announced their first product, the Light Touch. We posted an interview with their BizDev manager in August 2009. Read the latest pico projector news from LBO here.

LBO's web site

Jun 02, 2009

Lite-On Technology

Lite-On Technology (based in Taiwan) is a provider of innovative products including imaging products, enclosures, power supplies and LEDs. Lite-On has over 35,000 employees and 37 factories worldwide.

Lite-On is developing LCoS pico-projector modules and stand-alone projectors on an ODM basis. They hope to start shipping modules in Q2 or Q3 2010.

Lite-On's web site

Jan 21, 2010

Luminus

Luminus Devices develops and manufactures high performance, solid state lighting solutions for a variety of illumination applications. Their LED prodcuts are called 'PhlatLIght'.

PhlatLight LEDs can be used to light pico projectors. We know of two such devices: Samsung's Show mobile phone and the BenQ GP1. In February 2010 Luminus raised $19 million from Venture funds.

Luminus' web site

Feb 15, 2009

Maradin

Maradin is an Israeli startup company, working on miniaturized laser-diode projector (MLP), based on MEMS technology. The MLP enables the projection of true colored data, by raster scanning a low power laser beam, to achieve high resolution, video quality images.

Employment of MEMS technology enables the miniaturization of the projection platform without reduction in both resolution and quality, which adds up as a very attractive display technology.

Maradin is still in an early stage, hoping to have products (chips) ready by 2010. In May 2010, they announced that their chipset is "pre-production ready", and in October 2010 they have started shipping samples to key customers.

Check this report on Maradin we made in July 2009.

Maradin's web site

Mar 09, 2009