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MEMS Array Chip Can Project Video the Size of a Grain of Sand (spectrum.ieee.org)
jmward01 1 hours ago [-]
I wonder if this has implications for custom home chips/prototyping. I'm sure a big issue is vibrations but something like this could remove the need for masks at least. (again, not my area so I am clobbering terminology I am sure). It may open up home fab capabilities.
volemo 31 minutes ago [-]
I think abusing a write-off electron microscope to side step the need for masks is also an interesting idea, however, I believe acquiring wafers of sufficient quality and depositing layers to be etched could be the bigger challenge here.
Joel_Mckay 1 hours ago [-]
In general, hobby photo-lithography projects already use DMD/DLP projectors, and some inexpensive optics.

Huygens Optics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w0Z2Y5vaAQ

Sam Zeloof:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxz_ENnmgtI

In general, getting vanity silicon made is usually much less expensive than trying to bootstrap a fab line. =3

antimatter15 1 hours ago [-]
This reminds me of the original patents that Magic Leap had, which involved pumping light through a single optical fiber that was wiggled by piezoelectrics into a spiral to project light (https://kguttag.com/2018/01/06/magic-leap-fiber-scanning-dis...).
cubefox 1 hours ago [-]
> The chip projected a roughly 125-micrometer image of the Mona Lisa.

This may seem small (barely visible as a dot to the naked eye), but that's also the geometric mean of the Planck length and the diameter of the observable universe. So average size actually.

1 hours ago [-]
1 hours ago [-]
dmitrygr 3 hours ago [-]
What is this, a movie theater for ants?
chihuahua 57 minutes ago [-]
It has to be at least 3 times bigger than this!
m3kw9 3 hours ago [-]
We can finally say yes to this question
numpad0 3 hours ago [-]
or AR glasses?
cordwainersmith 2 hours ago [-]
How do you even fit a video projector onto something that small, the physics feel like they shouldn't cooperate.
CoolThings 2 hours ago [-]
This might be relevant for Augmented Reality headgear.
cyberax 45 minutes ago [-]
This is actually getting close enough to manipulate the _phase_ of light! And doing that would allow creating true holograms.

Or alternative true augmented reality glasses that are not limited to one focal plane.

volemo 39 minutes ago [-]
Electro-optic modulators already exist — still no StarTrek. :(
darfo 5 hours ago [-]
Oh wait. It does have the correct title. My fruit flies are cheering.
SilentM68 2 hours ago [-]
[dead]
darfo 5 hours ago [-]
Cool. Now I can show videos to my fruit flies! /s

Srsly title should be "MEMS Array Chip the Size of a Grain of Sand Can Project Video"

not

"MEMS Array Chip Can Project Video the Size of a Grain of Sand"

projektfu 2 hours ago [-]
It is actually about a 0.125mm projection, not the size of the chip. But more about steering lasers, which is really what they wanted to do.
gurumeditations 1 hours ago [-]
This is revolutionary. No other way to put it.
topspin 60 minutes ago [-]
It certainly looks like something that will find novel applications.
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