Mezmeriz, a MEMS developer headquartered in Ithaca, New York, publicly showcased for the first time their prototype projector at CES 2013, demonstrating the capabilities of their patented carbon fiber scanning mirror technology.
Mezmeriz’s optical engine occupies a volume of 30mm x 15mm x 5mm, with the scanning mirror package taking up 5mm x 5mm x 3mm within that space. A unique attribute of the carbon fiber mirror technology is its ability to produce very large deflection angles at very high frequencies. The large deflections at high scan speeds enables ultra short throw projection without the need for optics. Mezmeriz demonstrated this in their prototype, which stands 5” tall, and projects a 9” x 5” video image, downward and directly in front of the device.
The displayed image measures between 80 and 100 cd/m2 at 525p (848×480) resolution. Resolutions up to 1080p (1,920×1,080) are also achievable. To validate the ease with which Mezmeriz MEMS technology can be integrated, the demonstration projector was built using currently available standard components, including optics, electronics and red/green/blue lasers.
Since Mezmeriz is currently addressing the needs of partners with custom applications, no availability date was disclosed. Optical engine pricing was said to be in the US$30 range for volumes above 1 million.
PMA Research’s projector market analysis has been following the development of MEMS based imager technology. Mezmeriz is among the first to bring this technology and its advantages to market.