I found these current MVIS job postings in the local (Seattle) newspaper. Mebbe they can help a techie help us understand more about what MVIS is doing.
seatimes.com
In a related vein, altho I am no techie, I notice (from one of the Kollin-Furness patents, if I recall) that one of the MEMS claims to fame is that the mirror(s?) operate(s?) at their resonance frequency of about 24kHz, and that the operating frequency is tunable within some range (presumably to allow precise matching of the scanning operation to the mirror resonance frequency). That leads me to speculate that the mirrors will run at a constant (and very efficient) speed and that the timing task will be to synchronize the (non-mechanical) the lasers or LEDs to the scan. In other words, the scan will be continuous, with the presence or absence of light information determining the perceived output. It seems to me that it would be easier that way than to have continuous light sources and apply the timing to the motion of the mirrors, BWDIK.
This would be good for four reasons that I can think of. (1) running at resonance frequency will save power needed to control the mirrors; (2) the mirror suspension can be made better and cheaper if it has only well-defined nodes of vibration to deal with; (3) if the scan is continuous, the device can work both ways at the same time without missing anything within its field of view (and at the rates we are talking about it might compare, almost, to a "staring" sensor); and (4) if the LED or laser can be switched fast enough and efficiently enough, it may minimize the power needed to provide the illumination.
BTW, has anyone got any ideas on the integration of MVIS technology with the soon to be ubiquitous "Active Pixel Sensor?"
Just some idle thoughts from Santa's workshop. |
