Personal projectors based on VCSEL arrays

The proliferation of hand-held devices containing processors and wireless data connectivity suggests the need to explore how to place a large display into a compact package, both so that the user can share visual information with others in the room who might not have similar devices, and to get around the screen size and resolution limits imposed by the form factors of the devices. Particular requirements for this application include ruggedness, low cost, and low power consumption. We propose the use of linear arrays of vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers operating at visible wavelengths as the basis for 'personal projectors,' and explore the engineering and perceptual issues associated with a prototype design.