Intel
High Speed Digital Imaging
D2M and Intel have been working together since 1997 on projects ranging from high-speed digital image processing to thermal solutions for laptops. Intel first approached D2M to assist Intel in creating a reference platform for ultra-thin notebooks, and more specifically with help on designing the thermal challenges of densely packaged electronics in a laptop. Below is a description of just a few of the projects that D2M and Intel collaborated on.
The Details
T-Cooler:
Intel's Mobile Products Group (MPG) is responsible for forecasting trends in mobile computing usage, anticipating key barriers faced by mobile technologies and driving fundamental technologies to overcome those barriers. D2M worked with MPG to address technology barriers in human interface and thermal design, and supported long term planning with visualizations of future notebook computer trends. A key barrier to ultra thin nomadic computer products - notebooks and tablets, was their limited ability to "get the heat out". D2M worked in conjunction with MPG to develop the T-Cooler, an ultra high efficiency dual path ducted heat pipe notebook-cooling device. The T-Cooler was 5mm high and had a cooling efficiency that delivered 150% of the performance of the best industry solutions for cooling notebooks. D2M's expertise in electronic, mechanical and thermal design was key in realizing this patented Intel design.
LCOS Packaging:
Early in Intel's LCOS development efforts, D2M provided thermal and mechanical models and analysis of packaging alternatives needed to meet performance and cost goals for this innovative micro display technology. As the project moved forward, D2M provided the mechanical and electrical design of the imager substrate, thermal management, and interconnects.
LCOS Driver:
D2M worked with Intel's LCOS group to develop the electronic driver boards for the new LCOS design. These boards accept video data and format it to meet the Intel LCOS requirements, provide power and clocking to the LCOS, and run the firmware that manages the imagers and projection engine. The initial board development centered on a full-featured development board that was used to develop and test the LCOS imagers, system and firmware, and included production fixturing that enables these drivers to be used in a production test and burn-in environment. This hardware design was then extended to produce a very low-cost reference design and associated documentation for design-in and product support of the Intel LCOS imagers with customers.