Casio America (Dover, NJ) and its parent company Casio Computer (Tokyo, Japan) have created a mercury-free, high-brightness laser and light-emitting diode (LED) hybrid light source under its “clean & green” concept for use in next-generation projectors. While not a miniature picoprojector, the GREEN SLIM projector is small and thin (see also related story, “Lasers and MEMS take video projection beyond HDTV”).
Currently, high-pressure mercury lamps are used as the light source for data projectors capable of producing 2,000 or more lumens. Semiconductor light sources that do not contain environmentally harmful mercury such as lasers and LEDs offer promising light sources for next-generation DLP projectors. Until now, however, they were only usable as light sources for small, low-lumen projectors because high-output sources capable of producing green light have not been possible for mass production.
Casio has changed all this by creating an original mercury-free hybrid light source capable of generating high brightness by combining a laser, a fluorescent element, and an LED. Casio has achieved high output of green light, which has been considered difficult with conventional semiconductor light sources, by very efficiently converting blue laser light into green light, using the fluorescent element. The high-brightness light of 2,000 or more lumens was then attained by projecting blue laser light, green light converted from blue laser light with the element, and light emitted by a red LED through a DLP chip onto the screen.
Use of the laser and LED hybrid light source makes Casio’s GREEN SLIM projectors the world’s first data projectors bright enough (2,000-3,000 lumens) for projection in a well lit room without using a high-pressure mercury lamp. Usability features have also been greatly improved: the body, no bigger than the size of a standard 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper, is slim (1.7 inches) and lightweight (5 lbs).
The projector produces bright colors through upgraded color purity, the light source has a life of approximately 20,000 hours, projection at maximum brightness is possible in a minimum of eight seconds, and no cool down is needed when turning the projectors off.
“Casio is thrilled to introduce this entirely new lineup of eco-friendly Super Slim projectors,” said Toshiharu Okimuro, Chairman of Casio America. “The advances we have made to provide superior brightness and energy-saving features make it the perfect tool for the road warrior, instructor, gamer and general consumer for home entertainment.”
