Posted on November 9, 2016
The Governing Board of the Laser Illuminated Projectors Association (LIPA) held their quarterly meeting at Barco’s new worldwide headquarters on 8 September. The group was very impressed with the beautiful new campus, high-quality demo areas, the open workspace and conference concept, and the very professional, yet welcoming, Barco staff. The LIPA Board consists of representatives from Christie Digital, Dolby, Texas Instruments, NEC, Panasonic, Real D, and Sony, who enjoyed Barco’s hospitality and the lively city of Kortrijk and surrounding areas. This was LIPA’s first board meeting outside the US.
Simplifying laser safety regulations
Since its formation as an industry consortium in 2012, LIPA is tackling pre-competitive issues that obstruct the general acceptance of selling laser-illuminated projectors. The issues include safety regulations, laser projector characterization, speckle and color measurement procedures. Safety regulations around the world has been one of the most process challenging as new technologies are never easily understood by bureaucracies established to ensure public and workplace safety.
Handling and designing laser projectors safely
Just the word ‘laser’ raises concerns to the uninitiated in the control, versatility, and impact of these powerful devices. Through its member companies, LIPA is striving to alleviate these concerns by creating a true understanding of the safe handling and design for projectors. LIPA has sponsored several studies by world-renowned photochemical and photobiological experts on the safety-related differences between lamp and laser projectors in order to recommend sensible regulatory schemes. Close study has revealed minor differences, but overall, conclusions were that they should be regulated similar to lamp projectors which have been used for over 60 years with no reports of harm to the users.
How to measure speckle?
On the speckle topic, LIPA has sponsored work to determine a method to measure speckle. In March 2016, the laboratory method was demonstrated to key people in the projector and theater world at RealD’s facility in Boulder, Colorado, US. There, many variables could be controlled and evaluated to show the practicalities of measuring this elusive anomaly. Work on creating a measurement method in theater or professional environments will begin within the next few months.
Thank you Barco, and especially Jan Daem, for your excellent hospitality and opportunity to view and tour your beautiful new building and products.
Heidi Hoffman, Managing Director, LIPA