Nippon Signal Co Ltd recently exhibited a pocket sized color projector that measures in at a small 90 x 55 x 20 mm. Not only did they make the latest version about an eighth of the size of their previous exhibition, but the quality has improved as well. This could indicate that the time for commercialization of MEMs scanner-based compact projectors may soon be at hand.
The scanner required Nippon Signal to work with an optical device manufacturer, and such items as a prism that corrects light distortion from a semiconductor laser diode. This lets the new projector use semiconductor lasers for its light source, allowing for direct modulation without the need of an acoustic optical modulator (AOM). This should translate to a smaller size and potentially lower price.
No word yet on when the projector could be available on the market, but at the Beach we predict it, or a similar product from another manufacturer, will be out there soon. So grab your PMPs and enjoy some quality personal cinema time.
