Microvision has completed the design of its ultraminiature PicoP laser projection display engine and has begun shipping evaluation samples to prospective customers, the company announced this week. The new device’s proprietary ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) chip set is half the original size and weight of its predecessor and consumes one-third less power while delivering vivid-color wide video graphics array (WVGA; 848 × 480) images. It also provides a 5000:1 contrast ratio, which is five times greater than other pico projectors currently available, Microvision said. The company says that projected images are always in focus, without the need for focusing dials or optics - a benefit for mobile consumers. Unlike the traditional brightness roll-off at the edges of the projected image, the PicoP engine delivers images that are uniformly bright across the entire field of view. Microvision designed the PicoP display technology platform to enable next-generation display and imaging products for pico projectors, vehicle and wearable displays that interface to mobile devices. The device also is suitable for product categories including consumer electronics and industrial applications. For more information, visit: www.microvision.com