Mitsumi Electric today exhibited a reference automotive laser projector using a 2-axis MEMS scanning mirror uniquely developed by the company at CEATEC JAPAN 2013. This device promises wide viewing angle, higher contrast and higher image quality than conventional LCD windshield projectors. As informatization of vehicles continues, there are greater and greater demands for information visualization methods that do not distract drivers from looking ahead at the road. Originally used in fighter aircraft and the space shuttle, head-up displays are systems that display information on the windshield.
Because these displays reduce the amount that the driver has to move their vision away from the road ahead, they also contribute to safety. Having been deployed only in aircraft, these information displays have begun to appear appearing in luxury automobiles. Mitsumi Electric demonstrated the vehicle laser projector using the 2-axis mirror created with the company’s MEMS technology. Compared to currently available LCD projectors, this system has advantages such as high luminosity maintained even across a wide viewing angle, high contrast, and higher image quality.
Using 3 RGB laser diodes for the light source, the display exhibits colors of high purity. The technology produces an image without distortion at any corner thanks to the flying spot method with laser beams scanning the 2-axis mirror, and supports images equivalent to 720 scan lines, while the 60 Hz frame frequency ensures there is no flickering in the image.
