"We take great pride in offering comprehensive solutions for educators and are extremely satisfied with the progress we are making particularly in the education sector," said Matt Mustachio, general manager of Casio's Business Projector Division. "Casio will continue to be an innovator within this sector, looking to expand our lineup through the development of additional educator tools and projectors with LampFreeTM solutions."

Tools for Educators
Ideal for classroom use, Casio's Short Throw projectors are equipped with a 0.68 throw ratio lens that allows a 60" image to be projected from as close as three feet from the screen. No longer required to replace unsafe mercury lamps, educators and IT managers will be able to streamline costs and count on a 20,000 hour estimated life due to Casio's LASER & LED Hybrid Light Source technology.

Keeping in pace with today's enhanced technology features, Casio's Short Throw projectors are DLP™ 3D ready and can display 3D content from a 3D capable computer. Educators can now engage students on an entirely new level by bringing challenging lessons and lectures to life with vivid and exciting images that jump off the screen. Educators can also convert and view their own 2D material with the optional 2D-3D conversion software, which will help produce imaginative and relevant visuals and lesson materials. Additionally, the Intelligent Brightness Control features an ECO function that conserves power while illuminating sharp imagery, automatically adjusting the brightness to suit the environmental lighting conditions of any lecture hall and classroom.

"Industry statistics show that the education market has been one of the first to embrace LampFreeTM solutions, based on the overall market share for Casio's Short Throw projectors," stated Mustachio. "We believe this is based on the need for a solution that is cost effective, portable, and easy to use. Our complete line of LampFreeTM projectors answers these criteria and then some."

This year, Casio will introduce a portable Interactive White Board (IWB). Available in two sizes, 72" and 82", and compatible with Casio's entire portfolio of projectors, the new IWB can be installed easily, without cables or additional hardware. Casio's IWB enables educators to interact with students in a multitude of ways.

Courseware can be pre-printed with a unique dot-matrix pattern that is recognized by the IWB and correlates the page being viewed for easy annotations to the projected screen. Students can follow along, making notes and comments on screen without getting up from their desk.

With the special pen, educators and students can annotate on screen or paper, as it can be used as a stylus, mouse, or actual pen. The IWB can also be used as a conventional white board using dry-erase markers.

School Implementation

Casio's innovative projection technology has been integrated in classrooms across the United States and Canada. Just over a year ago, the Department of Education in Nova Scotia, Canada switched fifty percent of its projectors to Casio, a percentage that is expected to rise.

The major attraction behind Nova Scotia's switch was the total cost of ownership. Nova Scotia paid slightly more for Casio's LASER & LED Hybrid Light projector than for a comparable lamp-based projector, but over a projector's lifespan, the total cost including replacement lamps, technician time, and repair service was expected to be at least 35 – 40 percent less.

"We're consistently testing new technology, and we adopt it when there is a good fit for our educational requirements," said Wayne Hamilton, chair of the technology committee at Nova Scotia schools. "If these new LASER & LED Hybrid Light Source projectors did not give us the clarity or the brightness, we would never have gone with them. But if you can contribute to a healthier environment, achieve all of your curricular goals, get better performance, and save money, why wouldn't you?"