Portable Lumipen Projection Maps at 1,000 FPS On the Go

Projection mapping is technology that is used to track objects in the physical world, and then project information onto them in real time. The process is similar to what augmented reality goggles do, the overlays are just projected instead of displayed on a screen. There haven’t been many practical implementations of projection mapping until recently, because computer vision processing speeds need to be high. Portable Lumipen shows just how far the technology has come in a short amount of time.

Portable Lumipen was created by researchers at the University of Tokyo’s Ishikawa Senoo Laboratory. It’s contained within a box that’s roughly the size of a thick paperback book, and is designed to be worn around the neck. It can be setup to recognize and track a wide range of objects, such as a hand or a bug, and then project whatever graphic or data is desired. The device is able to capture images at 1,000 FPS, and then update the projection within just 3ms.

That’s possible thanks to a custom 3D-stacked computer vision chip, and a high-speed optical gaze controller that handles the projections. Portable Lumipen is wearable, unlike most other projection mapping devices we’ve seen. That opens up interesting new applications and possibilities for everyday projection mapping. For instance, you could simply raise your open palm as you’re walking down the road, and Portable Lumipen could project your messages, calendar appointments, or directions to your destination right onto your hand.