In the ti (Texas Instruments) in Dallas, Texas DLP products certification and development testing laboratory, Mike Douglass is under supervision and malicious hold a batch of digital micro mirror device (DMD) ─ ─ and all this is intentional. Test fixture and workstations running noise constantly, with researchers than the "real world" conditions, degree of durability test with DMD.

Area responsible for electric shock belongs to microelectromechanical system (MEMS) of the DMD, to test its physical tolerance level. On the other side is a look like meat refrigeration equipment, wafer can be cooled to minus 67 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 55 degrees Celsius). There is a row of special oven to 257 degrees f (125 degrees Celsius) high temperature for baking chip for several weeks. There is also a Master of "Mirror" (Mirror Master) device that can scan each microscopic surface structure of DMD, find out through the microscope to see flaws.

In Douglass damage experiments for many years, has an incredible, arguably the most ambitious and most of testing. In a stuffed with oscilloscope, computer and test equipment of small workshop in the corner, there is a group of Texas instruments, the initial production of DMD, since December 7, 1995, continues to acceptance testing.

For this nine has continued to work for nearly 20 years of DMD, Douglass said: "I want to see how long they will be bad, and I'm still waiting up to now."

TI DLP products and development of the testing laboratory Mike Douglas and nine has last for nearly 20 years of DMD

These highly durable DMD, is Texas instruments produced the first generation of DLP chip. Each on the DMD has about 500000 micro mirror can reverse it thousands of times per second, when the voltage by the reflected light. And the current advanced DLP solution, a DMD may contain tens of millions of micro mirror, can display resolution also rises sharply.

Douglass and his team, day after day painstakingly tormented DMD, to ensure that the application in various fields, such as the theater projectors, looked up and display system (HUDs), or even a 3 d printing machine and spectrometer, can maintain reliable quality: "this team's job is to put the things bad. Our purpose is to will be lifted before failure occurs, if the thing with not bad, just said it in good quality."

If a color ring (color wheel), LED or laser light source, such as micro lens can reach a certain precision, made by the full dynamic image (full motion image), its color and details can also be applied to a variety of applications - even applies to all surfaces.

Douglass said: "this nine represents the original chip we find business opportunities of the moment. At that time in the design, we have been stagnation in the development phase, the invisible prospects. These chips represents our cheering the moment of victory." Over the years, the nine DMD also stay on the same test plate; Douglass admitted that for some time, and even forget had tested these wafers. He suddenly thought of a few months later. These chips are can also be used.

In this way, day after day, year after year, these chips continues to operate. When the wafer testing its 13, 16, and 18 year mark, team also held a party to celebrate this special day. Douglass to email notification every year member state of the DMD, has become a traditional team. By the end of last year's statistics are as follows:

At 149 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius), under the high temperature of continuous run of 161000 hours;

Each micro mirror to the/cycle number up to 8.5 million;

380 billion. Nine DMD were done mechanical movement.

Today, these chips may be older than Texas instruments, some new employees. Douglass, said: "these chips toughness is far more than anyone can imagine. I think when I retired to they are still at work!"

It is important to pay special attention to that the efficiency of the DMD does not represent all products of the DMD. But the annual celebration has become a recognized the achievement and the nine chip surprising strength best way.