Most microdisplays are used in rear projection TVs (RPTVs). But some devices, also known as "near-to-eye" microdisplays, are taking the home theater out of the house and on the road.
Products based on near-to-eye microdisplays can be found in many everyday items like digital cameras and camcorders, as well as head-mounted displays. They also can be found in these products' viewfinders. Head-mounted displays can be built with twin electronic viewfinders for viewing DVD players, home location-based entertainment, and game playing. Typically simpler and smaller than the microdisplays used in HD RPTVs, near-to-eye devices generally employ a single source of light like an LED.
Microdisplay manufacturer Kopin Corp. teamed up with personal display solutions company Icuiti Corp. to create a piece of eyewear that incorporates a full-color video system. Resembling a pair of futuristic sunglasses, the Icuiti V920 employs Kopin's CyberDisplay color-filter VGA microdisplays. It creates a sharp image for the viewer that is equivalent to a 42-in. flat screen viewed from a distance of 7 ft.
Liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) microdisplay manufacturers have their eye on other applications for their products besides RPTVs. They include niche markets for neartoeye displays in home video-game consoles, pocket projectors, and cameras and camcorders.
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