iLamps: Intelligent, Locale-aware, Mobile Projectors
We have developed a concept of a smart, enhanced projector, iLamps. It can determine and respond to the geometry of the display surface, and can be used in an ad-hoc cluster to create a self-configuring display. In addition, we are exploring various algorithms for new display paradigms, their applications and solving underlying problems.A projector is decoupled from the display and hence the size of the projector can be much smaller than the size of the image it produces. Hence, projectors look like natural fit with handheld devices such as cell phones and PDAs. Cell phones provide access to the large amounts of wireless data, which surround us, but their size dictates a small display area.
Background & Objective: Projectors are currently undergoing a transformation as they evolve from static output devices to portable, environment-aware, communicating systems. An Information display is such a prevailing part of everyday life that new and more flexible ways to present data are likely to have significant impact. A hand-held networked projector (e.g. in a cell phone or PDA) can maintain compactness while still providing a reasonably sized display. A hand-held cell phone-projector becomes a portable and easily deployed information portal.
Technical Discussion: Our basic unit is a projector with attached camera, tilt-sensor and network component in addition to computing, storage and interface. Single units can recover 3D information about the surrounding environment, including the world vertical, allowing projection appropriate to display surface. Multiple, possibly heterogeneous, units are deployed in clusters, in which case the systems not only sense their external environment but also the cluster configuration, allowing self-configuring seamless large-area displays without the need additional sensors in the environment.
Technology Areas:
Off the Desktop Interaction and Display
Computer Vision
Graphics
Modification Date: July 7, 2008