Digital Micromirror Device

The Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) was recognized as an ASME Mechanical Engineering Historic Landmark in 2008. Its development began in 1977 with the forming of a small team at Texas Instruments headed by noted physicist Larry Hornbeck. Texas Instruments was given a project from the Department of Defense to create a device that could modulate light. Through years of research and development Hornbeck came up with an idea to use micromirrors as a sort of on-off switch to modulate digital light pulses. DMD - DLP Cinema ProjectorIn 1987, the first Digital Micromirror Device was created at Texas Instruments. Hornbeck was granted the first patent for the DMD design in 1991. This initial design was the basis for current Digital Micromirror Devices. Soon, Digital Micromirror Device chips were incorporated into Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors. Each micromirror in a DMD represented 1 pixel in a projected image. The DLP projectors included either one or three DMD chips and weighed in under two pounds, less than half the weight of previous projectors. DLP projectors were incorporated into many companies’ offices, modernizing the conference room. The DLP projector, made possible by the Digital Micromirror Device, also impacted the movie industry. Reels of film used in old projectors became obsolete with the introduction of DLP projectors. The Digital Micromirror Device changed the projection and film industry forever. Researchers continue to develop DMD technology and explore its future uses in a variety of fields.

ABACUS II Integrated-Circuit Wire Bonder

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 07:32:35 +0000

ABACUS II Integrated-Circuit Wire Bonder

(not verified) Wed, 07/25/2012 - 03:32

Society

ASME

Main Category

Mechanical

Sub Category

Communications and Data Processing

Date Created

1972

Address1

Texas Instruments

City

Dallas

State

Country

USA

Website

https://www.asme.org/about-asme/who-we-are/engineering-history/landmarks/160-ab…

Creator

Texas Instruments

The ABACUS II, designed and built by Texas Instruments, was the first practical automated production machine for the assembly of integrated circuits. Using heat and pressure, it bonded fine gold wire to microscopic contacts on the silicon chip and pin connections on the package.

The ABACUS II could maintain a positioning accuracy of ± 0.00025 inch while bonding up to 375 devices an hour. Following the success of this prototype, almost 1,000 ABACUS II wire bonders were built, making the economical mass production of integrated circuits a reality.

World's first practical production machine for the assembly of integrated circuits, making possible their economical production

Image Caption

ABACUS II Integrated-Circuit Wire Bonder