A scanning device includes a planar scanning mirror disposed within a frame and having a reflective upper surface. A pair of flexures have respective first ends connected to the frame and respective second ends connected to the mirror at opposing ends of a rotational axis of the mirror. A rotor including a permanent magnet is disposed on the lower surface of the mirror. A stator includes first and second cores disposed in proximity to the rotor on opposing first and second sides of the rotational axis and first and second coils of wire wound respectively on the cores. A drive circuit drives the first and second coils with respective electrical currents including a first component selected so as to control a transverse displacement of the mirror and a second component selected so as to control a rotation of the mirror about the rotational axis.

In an example, a switchable display may include a movable pixel unit having a rotatable motive element. The movable pixel unit may further include a first display unit having a first display characteristic and disposed on a first side of the rotatable motive element. The movable pixel unit may further include a second display unit having a second display characteristic and disposed on a second side of the rotatable motive unit, different from the first side.

In methods and apparatus for increasing efficiency and optical bandwidth of a microelectromechanical system piston-mode spatial light modulator, an example apparatus includes: an electrode with spring legs; a base electrode; a mirror displacement determiner to determine a periodic signal corresponding to a displacement distance of the electrode beyond an instability point of the electrode; and a voltage source to output a periodic voltage to the base electrode in response to the periodic signal. The periodic voltage causes the spring legs to vary displacement of the electrode with respect to the base electrode according to the periodic voltage. The displacement includes distances beyond the instability point.

In some embodiments, a LIDAR system may include at least one processor configured to control at least one light source for projecting light toward a field of view and receive from at least one first sensor first signals associated with light projected by the at least one light source and reflected from an object in the field of view, wherein the light impinging on the at least one first sensor is in a form of a light spot having an outer boundary. The processor may further be configured to receive from at least one second sensor second signals associated with light noise, wherein the at least one second sensor is located outside the outer boundary; determine, based on the second signals received from the at least one second sensor, an indicator of a magnitude of the light noise; and determine, based on the indicator the first signals received from the at least one first sensor and, a distance to the object.

In some embodiments, a LIDAR system may include at least one processor configured to control at least one light source for projecting light toward a field of view and receive from at least one first sensor first signals associated with light projected by the at least one light source and reflected from an object in the field of view, wherein the light impinging on the at least one first sensor is in a form of a light spot having an outer boundary. The processor may further be configured to receive from at least one second sensor second signals associated with light noise, wherein the at least one second sensor is located outside the outer boundary; determine, based on the second signals received from the at least one second sensor, an indicator of a magnitude of the light noise; and determine, based on the indicator the first signals received from the at least one first sensor and, a distance to the object.

A micromechanical device includes an actuator moveable along at least one rotational axis, and an electromagnetic type actuating device. The rotor is composed of a wire coil mounted on a moveable frame, which is rotationally integral with the actuator. The coil conducts the electric current. Protruding strands form a loop proximate the torsional beam. In another embodiment, the coil terminates through its two ends located on the moveable frame. The ends of the coil are each welded to one of the metal plates terminating on the moveable frame. Starting from the power supply pads on the fixed frame, the conductive lines transit through the torsional beam to join the ends of coil on the moveable frame. To make several plates going through one of the torsional beams, the beams are isolated electrically by a groove.

A package includes a support structure having an electrically insulating material, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) component, a cover structure having an electrically insulating material and mounted on the support structure for at least partially covering the MEMS component, and an electronic component embedded in one of the support structure and the cover structure. At least one of the support structure and the cover structure has or provides an electrically conductive contact structure.

In some embodiments, a LIDAR system may include at least one processor configured to control at least one light source for projecting light toward a field of view and receive from at least one first sensor first signals associated with light projected by the at least one light source and reflected from an object in the field of view, wherein the light impinging on the at least one first sensor is in a form of a light spot having an outer boundary. The processor may further be configured to receive from at least one second sensor second signals associated with light noise, wherein the at least one second sensor is located outside the outer boundary; determine, based on the second signals received from the at least one second sensor, an indicator of a magnitude of the light noise; and determine, based on the indicator the first signals received from the at least one first sensor and, a distance to the object.

A LIDAR system may include a processor configured to control a LIDAR light source in a manner enabling light flux to vary over scans of a field of view (FOV). The FOV may include foreground and background areas. The processor may be further configured to receive from a detector input signals indicative of light reflected from the FOV. A representation of a portion of the FOV associated with pixels may be constructible from the input signals associated with a first pixel that covers a portion of the foreground area, a second pixel that covers a portion of the foreground area and a portion of the background area, and a third pixel that covers a portion of the background area. The processor may be further configured to determine a distance to a first object located in the foreground area and a distance to a second object located in the background area.

A LIDAR system may include a processor configured to control a LIDAR light source for illuminating a field of view (FOV), receive, from a group of light detectors, input signals indicative of reflections of light from objects in the FOV, and process a first subset of the input signals associated with a first region of the FOV to detect a first object in the first region. The processor may also process a second subset of the input signals associated with a second region of the FOV to detect a second object in the second region. The second object may be located at a greater distance from the light source than the first object.