A Safety Heads-Up – Texas Instruments aims to make HUDs technology even better with DLP chip
Fighter pilots don’t need to take their eyes off the sky in a dogfight just to check speed or fuel levels displayed on the plane’s instrument panel, thanks to a technology that displays the information on the pilot’s visor. Now, automakers are applying a similar technology to luxury cars with the new Head-Up Display (HUD). Pertinent information like car speed is projected on the windshield so drivers can keep their eyes on the road.
Texas Instruments has partnered with Lincoln to improve and implement this new technology. While other automakers use LCD to build their HUDs, Texas Instruments developed a Digital Light Processing (DLP) chip for Lincoln’s HUDs. LCDs are big and take up the size of the windshield. In contrast, DLP chip-based HUDs are easier to install since they are smaller. These HUDs also use less power and are more durable, withstanding temperatures as cold as -40 to as hot as 221 degrees. It is also faster at projecting images, making it useful for real-time applications. For instance, the HUDs technology could detect a pedestrian walking in the dark and highlight that person to the driver. Lincoln spokeswoman Amanda Park said the HUDs are “visible in more ambient lighting conditions than its competitors, even while the driver is wearing polarized sunglasses, which makes it unique in this segment.” HUDs don’t obstruct driving since images are displayed in a translucent format. Texas Instruments is constantly investigating ways to boost the clarity, brightness, and visibility of the HUDs’ graphics.
Experimenting with HUDs and DLP chips? Did you know that your prototypes even if unsuccessful are eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today.
Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE credits as well as CPE credits for CPA’s. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.
