But so far most of the applications have been in smaller gadgets like projectors and surgical headlamps.

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Pico projectors looked like a short-lived fad.

FORBES: TI Says Pico Projectors Poised For Mobile Phone Resurgence

Joining ViewSonic, Microvision, and Sharp, it looks like Optoma has a trio of its own projectors to lust over at CES, and they're all sporting that trendy DLP sticker as well.

ENGADGET: Optoma announces trio of DLP projectors

Mitsubishi, like everyone else today, is introducing a few new projectors, two of which you'll likely care nothing about.

ENGADGET: Mitsubishi reveals HC5500 1080p projector, other forgettable ones

In developed markets like the U.S., TI says a range of phones would benefit from pico projectors. (The technology will run on any mobile operating system and is compatible with chipsets from companies other than TI.) Business-centric smartphones could include projectors for displaying PowerPoint projections or sales videos while high-end feature phones could incorporate them for social networking for teenagers.

FORBES: TI Says Pico Projectors Poised For Mobile Phone Resurgence

His "Dream Displacement" from 1976 employs four film projectors to cast lozenge-shaped red images that go in and out of phase in a loop, like four animated Rothkos.

WSJ: Wish You Were Here | Albright-Knox | They Shuffled Off to Buffalo | By Richard B. Woodward