19-inch sunlight-readable rugged LCD monitors for vetronics, avionics, and railways introduced by TRU-Vu

"TRU-Vu Monitors Inc. in Arlington Heights, Ill, is introducing the SRM-19 19-inch sunlight-readable liquid crystal display (LCD) for demanding industrial and commercial applications that operate in direct sunlight such as military and law-enforcement vehicles, ships, and aircraft.

The SRM-19 rugged display offers 1,000 nits brightness. By comparison, laptop screens average 150-200 nits, and standard desktop monitors average 200-250 nits, company officials say.

The rugged monitors are built with industrial-grade components and feature 1,280-by-1,024-pixel SXGA resolution. The monitors come with VGA, and BNC composite video inputs, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and operate on 12-volt DC and 90-to-240-volt AC power supplies (story continues below).

Monitors also are available in touch screen and open-frame configurations, and also are for outdoor surveillance systems, trains, and other outdoor applications that require good video image quality in bright sunlight.

The SRM-19 series sunlight-readable monitors can be customized to specific requirements, and can be private-labeled with model number, company name, and logo.

For more information contact TRU-Vu Monitors online at www.tru-vumonitors.com." via Avionics Intelligence

Frost & Sullivan: Deluge of In-vehicle Information to Trigger a Revolution in the Design of Automotive Display and Instrument Clusters

Image via Avionics Intelligence

"The exponential growth of in-vehicle information is triggering a revolution in the design of display systems in the automotive infotainment market. The ubiquitous presence of Smartphones has led to a demand for the same functionalities to be present inside cars. Technologies such as touch screens and large displays have become a commodity in the automotive infotainment domain. As vehicles rely more and more on sophisticated forms of technology, the requirements for onboard information displays are becoming increasingly comprehensive and diverse.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.automotive.frost.com), Strategic Analysis of European and North American Markets for Display and Instrument Clusters, finds that in Europe, the market size for central displays, touch screens and head up displays is estimated to reach 9.5 million, 2 million and 0.5 million, respectively, by 2017. In North America, the market size for central displays, touch screens and head up displays is anticipated to reach 6 million, 3 million and 0.4 million, respectively, by 2017.

"The availability of Internet connectivity has led to the proliferation of various web services, Smartphone applications and entertainment-related functions inside vehicles," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Krishna Jayaraman. "This has led to the need for large and intelligent information display systems, which could house all the information content."

The ever growing consumer demand for in-vehicle information related to comfort, convenience and safety has led to an information overload. It has spurred the development of new technologies and bigger displays to portray this information." via Exec Digital

4K TVs are coming, but they face an uphill battle in the home

Image via Ars Technica

"TV makers are at a bit of an impasse: for the first time ever, demand for LCD TVs is down year-over-year. After years of increasing sales and declining prices, the market is finally beginning to become saturated, and the incremental improvements and new features that the television companies have added since LCD TVs became mainstream—things like OLED lighting and 3D TVs—have either been well out of consumers' price ranges or too niche to attract a wide audience.

The TV industry is looking for that must-have feature that will get people with existing LCD TVs to upgrade their sets, and one of those features is the 4K resolution standard. While 4K TV sets are slowly making their way to the market, both the discussion panels and vendors at Consumer Electronics Week seem a bit unsure about the standard's prospects in the home

...

Carlton Bale has published an excellent chart and explanation that sums up 4K TV's problems in a nutshell: at some distances and screen sizes, even the difference between 720p and 1080p to the human eye can be negligible, and this is even more true of 4K. To get any benefit out of a 4K TV, you either need to have a very large screen (the benefits begin to become apparent—barely—at around 50 or 60 inches), be sitting very close, or both, and small differences like this might appeal to true home theater enthusiasts or videophiles, but it's going to be a hard sell for the average consumer." via Ars Technica

NPD DisplaySearch Emerging Display Technologies Conference to Cover Interactivity and Touch Trends

"The fourth annual Emerging Display Technologies Conference will be held August 13-14 in Santa Clara, Calif., NPD DisplaySearch announced today. With display and related technologies shaping the future of mobile devices and other products, it has become increasingly critical for the electronics supply chain to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in touch screens, OLED and low power displays, solid state lighting, and materials for all of these technologies. This year’s conference will feature in-depth market and technology assessments from NPD DisplaySearch analysts and insights from industry leaders on strategies for addressing existing market needs or creating new applications.

“The Emerging Display Technologies Conference continues to serve as a forum that draws speakers from industry-leading companies to discuss key developments in materials and component technologies,” noted Jennifer Colegrove, PhD Vice President, Emerging Display Technologies for NPD DisplaySearch. “This year’s event will be no exception, with a focus on touch technologies as well as related topics in solid state lighting on the agenda.”" via DisplaySearch

TV New Technology

"Trinitron, Black Matrix, 36% Transmission (black) glass... In 40 years (1964-2004) the TV had relatively few new technologies that were native to the set that stuck. Of course, there was the VCR and Home Theater, which were literally outside of the box that had tremendous impact. But there was also blue glass, picture in picture, and numerous other must have features that came and went. 

Since 2004 and the near simultaneous introduction of HDTV (encapsulating both digital broadcast, aspect ratio change and resolution increase)and flat panels there have been a number of continuing developments. A few of them are discussed here:

...

3D TV

3D TV produces a 3D image by giving one eye a different view of the image than the other. Since there is only one screen, this is accomplished by glasses that aid in filtering the image each eye sees. There are two major types of 3DTV, active glasses type and passive glasses type. The active glasses type actively switch the lenses from transmitting the TV image to blocking (one lens is transmitting while the other is blocking). The passive glasses type rely on the polarization of the LCD light to give different images to each eye.

Auto-stereoscopic (glasses free) 3D TV
For those of us that wear glasses all of the time, wearing glasses to watch 3D TV is not much of an issue. However, for many, it is uncomfortable and the glasses can also be expensive. Further, if the flat panel is being used as a digital sign, where passers-by will not have on 3DTV glasses, #D becomes much more problematic. Consequently, there has been much attention paid to auto-stereoscopic or glasses-free 3D. I have seen many examples that mostly rely on lens stripes on the screen. The lens stripes (lenticular lenses) tend to work only if the viewer is standing in a particular location or one of several locations that align with the lenses. This in not a solution that generally works well and an invention is needed to make this technology real." via Flat Panel Display Blog

Commentary: China panel makers need to improve production technology

"China's ability to further compete in the global high-end panel market is hindered by the technology most of its panel makers are using. As a result, China's major panel makers are tackling the low-end smartphone market, which will limit their profits and decrease their chances of taking on major Korea- and Japan-based makers in the future.

China has seen a boom of 6G and 8.5G LCD production lines from major panel makers such as BOE; however, while this may prove to be helpful for China in the short run, local panel makers still face intense competition from OLED makers, which is gaining rapid popularity.

China-based panel makers are largely seeing success due to government assistance, which has allowed them to expand their sales via subsidies to the public that are almost entirely for locally-made products. However, the overall technology being used by the panel makers is lacking, and at present, approximately 50% of panels being used by China-based TV brands are procured from Taiwan-based panel makers such as Chimei Innolux and AU Optronics (AUO)." via DigiTimes

LG reportedly researching 60-inch+ transparent flexible 4K displays with government funding

"The South Korean government is plunging $55 million dollars into LG to promote the development of 60-inch+ transparent flexible 4K displays, if reports are to be believed. DDaily says that LG beat out Samsung for the deal after applying last year, and it's set to be officially announced next month. The project should generate 3840 x 2160 flexible displays in various sizes, and they'll have a 10cm radius of curvature with over 40 percent transparency. LG will reportedly research the manufacturing and materials with various unnamed partners before putting the displays into production.

We've seen LG make strides in flexible displays before, with its 0.7mm-thick e-paper screen going into production a couple of months back, but the company could have bigger ambitions — DDaily says it's aiming to capture 70 percent of the transparent flexible display market by the year 2020." via The Verge

Corning Pounds Its Chest To $16.50 With Bigger Gorilla Glass

"Corning (NYSE:GLW) recently showcased its large-sized Gorilla Glass at Infocomm 2012 held in Las Vegas. The larger Gorilla Glass offers potential new revenue streams for Corning namely, large screen multi-touch devices and large screen display solutions. Both the opportunities arise from the enhanced toughness of the larger Gorilla Glass. We have a Trefis price estimate of $16.50 for Corning, approximately 30% above its current stock market price

Corning has partnered with Perceptive Pixel to offer large-screen multi-touch devices and with Chillin Solutions to offer large-screen display solutions. ...These large-sized multi-touch and outdoor display devices are required in the public display market, which is growing due to increased penetration in retail, transportation, educational, hospitality, media, entertainment and several other industries.

According to projections of NPD DisplaySearch shipments of public display market are to increase by 15 percent to reach 3.1 million units in 2012. And the projected 10-year compounded annual growth rate for the same stands at 25 percent to reach 12 million units in 2018." via Trefis

NanoMarkets Announces Release of Latest Report on OLED Materials Market, Sees $7 Billion Opportunity by 2019

"Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets has announced that it will begin shipping its latest report that analyzes the opportunities for OLED materials suppliers in both the display and lighting sectors over the next eight years. The report, “OLED Materials Markets 2012,” estimates that the total market value of materials used in OLED lighting and OLED display applications will grow quickly from over $500 million ($US) in 2012 to over $7 billion by 2019. Of the total OLED materials market value, the active OLED materials -- emissive materials, hosts, and hole/electron injection and transport materials are expected to account for nearly $3 billion. Additional details about the report are available here" via SFGate

Bi-Stable LCD Displays Making a Power Play

"Imagine an LCD Display module that requires no power to display an image even if you leave the image on the screen for two weeks. That seems impossible, right? Well not any longer.

A new display technology called bi-stable or cholesteric liquid crystal display is now a reality and is available to designers of products. The display technology is unique in that it only requires power to change the image on the screen, but does not require any power to hold the image in place indefinitely.

This is the same technology that is being use on the Amazon Kindle and other e-readers. These zero-power displays are now available to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers). Their cost and MOQ’s (Minimum Order Quantities) are decreasing as they become more popular. This makes the new technology more and more attractive for consumer products that require minimal power usage." via Product Design & Development

SWEDX Introduces Innovative Gesture-controlled Digital Signage Solution

Image via Digital Signage Connection

"The new SWEDX Wave offers not only an innovative way to attract audiences but also an innovative way to control the content on a digital signage display via gesture. SWEDX Wave is a combination of an edge-lit LED display and eight control buttons. Each button is associated with a video file stored on a flash memory connected to the screen.

Waving the hand above the buttons will load and display the associated video automatically. When the video displaying is completed, SWEDX Wave will load the main video and display it repeatedly until a button is interacted. Thanks to SWEDX Wave technology, the buttons can be placed behind any material, such as glass, fabric, wood, etc. According to the Sollentuna, Sweden-based company, the interaction is still there, surprising and delighting the user." via Digital Signage Connection

The Modbook Pro returns, morphing a MacBook Pro into a pen-based tablet

Image via Engadget

"You may recall a little product called the Modbook, an after-market mod for Apple's MacBooks. The mod kits — which have previously cost upwards of $5,000 — turns a MacBook Pro into a tablet computer by ripping off the keyboard and LCD, giving what's left a new casing and LCD. 

Well, the company is back, announcing today a refresh of the Modbook Pro which will have all the current 13.3-inch MacBook Pro's specs, plus a Wacom digitizer which adds pen input tech.The tablet will apparently get 7 hours of battery life on a single charge, and will be available "early this fall."" via The Verge

Chinese Phone Makers Buy Lots of AMOLED Panels From Samsung Supplier

Image via M.I.C Gadget

"There was a time, not so long ago, when China-based handset makers were making phones with crappy hardware to compete with Apple’s iPhone. Today, several Chinese handset makers have their own flagship phones that feature impressive hardware, and they are no longer a piece of crap.

...

Recently, there are reports that Coasia Microelectronics, which mainly distributes IC components for Samsung such as CMOS image sensors, multi-chip package (MCP) memory and OLED displays, is expected to get new AMOLED panel orders from several Chinese phone manufacturers. Who are they? Coasia is currently in talks with Xiaomi, Oppo, Gionee and two other Chinese companies (probably Huawei, ZTE, or Meizu). According to industry sources, the shipments to these Chinese phone makers will start later in 2012, probably the fourth quarter, and the deals are estimated at several hundreds of millions of US dollars. On the other side, Coasia did not confirm the orders and customers, but said that its business in China will expand, including its customer base in China." via M.I.C Gadget

LCD monitor vendors to focus more on smart applications in the future

"LCD monitor vendors have been discussing how to stay competitive in the global market by researching ways for tablets and smartphones to have better connectivity with large-sized monitors.

Sources said the focal point of the LCD monitor firms' research is growing popularity with smartphone and tablet use and the need for consumers to display information on a large display via their smart device.

Meanwhile, the vendors have been planning to introduce new products this summer to accommodate the boom season that will have features such as new sizes, reduced thickness, LED-backlights and enhanced resolution." via DigiTimes

Google Glasses Designer Gives Us An Up Close Look

"Olsson is the senior industrial designer on the Google Glass project and has spent the last year working at Google's X Lab to design a piece of technology that will sit in front of people's eyes. The glasses, according to Google's video, will be able to do everything from search the Internet and show you maps right in front of your eyes.

...

On the front of the glasses, in the top left (or right depending on which way you view them) corner is a small camera and a small glass-looking box, which is a tiny display. On the top of the glasses is a power button and a camera button. You control the screen's interface with the touchpad on the leg of the glasses.

"The touchpad is all hidden. There's no texture, it extends all over," Olsson describes. She explains that when she adjusts it sometimes it looks like she is deep in thought.

...

Olsson also wouldn't discuss what the display looked like from the other side -- the interface and what it looks like overlaid in the real world. However, she did come back to that distraction point and emphasized that her and her team made sure to put the display above the eye. "We placed the display above the eye not in front of it; I want this to be immersive, but not distracting."" via ABC News

A look inside Leap Motion, the 3D gesture control that's like Kinect on steroids

"Leap Motion's not the household name Kinect is, but it should be — the company's motion-tracking system is more powerful, more accurate, smaller, cheaper, and just more impressive. Leap CTO David Holz came by the Verge's New York offices to give us a demo of the company's upcoming product (called The Leap), and suffice to say we're only begrudgingly returning to our mice and keyboards.

The Leap uses a number of camera sensors to map out a workspace of sorts — it's a 3D space in which you operate as you normally would, with almost none of the Kinect's angle and distance restrictions. Currently the Leap uses VGA camera sensors, and the workspace is about three cubic feet; Holz told us that bigger, better sensors are the only thing required to make that number more like thirty feet, or three hundred. Leap's device tracks all movement inside its force field, and is remarkably accurate, down to 0.01mm. It tracks your fingers individually, and knows the difference between your fingers and the pencil you're holding between two of them.

...

Leap Motion's plans are huge (Holz mentioned a few times wanting to totally upend traditional computing methods) but the company's playing its cards close. The Leap will cost $70 when it's released — sometime between December and February — and Leap Motion is also working with OEMs to embed its technology into devices. The Leap is about the size of a USB drive, but Holz says it could easily be no larger than a dime, so adding it to a laptop or tablet shouldn't be difficult.

Developers are apparently beating down the company's doors for access to the technology — Holz said thousands of Leaps will be given away in the next few months, before it's released to the public. That's no surprise: after only a few minutes of cutting fruit, scrolling around maps and webpages, and navigating through huge 3D spaces, all without ever touching a thing, we're pretty sure we've seen the next big thing in computing." via The Verge

Video Conferencing Display System Sizing and Location

Image via Unified Communications Strategies

"As video conferencing systems become more widely installed, there are often questions about what size monitors and how many are required. While fixed Telepresence systems make this choice easy, most video conferencing systems come as a base unit (generally a small box the size of a mini-PC), and a camera and a table-top speaker. The selection the video displays and mounting/positioning is generally left to the customer or an integrator. The challenge is that often the resulting placement and room set-up leave much to be desired. To best understand the placement, distance and positioning of video monitors in a meeting space, a basic understanding of how humans see and use video is required. Using simple trigonometry it is possible to define the variables to assure optimal positioning and impact of a videoconferencing system. This white paper will review those factors and then cover basic room set-up. It will also discuss how the new 4K displays may enhance the room video experience." via Unified Communications Strategies

Dell Updates as Industry-leading Supplier of Displays Portfolio with Focus on Exquisite Performance and Value

Image via HotHardware

"Dell today announced the immediate availability of new displays that combine performance and value to enable customers amazing viewing experiences. The six new displays join Dell’s industry-leading portfolio of solutions, which has once again ranked #1 in flat-panel display market share in North America[i], and #2 in flat-panel shipments worldwide[ii], according to DisplaySearch.

The newest additions to Dell’s industry-leading portfolio of displays, the new P and E displays offer customers diverse solutions that help them get the most out of every environment.

“Our new displays have been enhanced with low-mount designs and LED backlights to deliver crystal clear viewing experiences for a variety of environments, enabling greater productivity for those looking to get the most out of their workforce,” said Tim Griffin, Dell’s vice president of displays and client peripherals. “Combined with Dell Display Manager and their eco-friendly design that includes mercury-free panels and lower power consumption levels, these new displays enable an optimal viewing experience no matter the situation and continue Dell’s strong tradition of leadership in the displays market.”" via Dell

Latin American Defence Procurement Pushing Ahead Despite Global Recession

"Latin American countries’ stocks currently comprise a lot of Cold War and even WWII-era platforms. Long overdue modernization drives are now being pushed by governments, and the global recession’s comparatively light touch on the region is helping them to do so.
...

End-users in Latin America are extremely price conscious, in many cases even preferring to buy second-hand platforms and domestically refurbish and upgrade them. There is an increase in the popularity of modular platforms, and demand for upgrade components and packages will remain high.

“Governments in these under-developed countries look favorably on defence procurements with clear domestic industrial and technological benefits,” concluded Ball. “In order to foment incentive, companies should enter the market via partnership with local companies or by establishing a domestic manufacturing base.”" via Defence Talk

Medication Kiosks Offer Efficient Healthcare Option

Image via Phoenix Kiosk

"Over the last few years health care and technology have combined to provide more convenience for consumers. Rather than wait in long lines at the doctor’s office, patients can now opt for “minute clinics” to get treated for common ailments. Clinics offer online medical consulting, patients can access their own medical records through secured sites, and the list of advances doesn’t end there. Now, medication kiosks allow patients to fill their own prescriptions without the hassle of long lines at the local pharmacy.

Phoenix Kiosk, a leading provider of kiosk software and services, believes medication kiosks can aid consumers in their need for efficient health care services. Kiosks are already serving a vital role in the medical field. Patients can test their blood pressure at health kiosks, check-in for a doctor’s appointment and use computer-assisted kiosks to learn about health problems. Medication kiosks are a logical next step in user-friendly health care." via Phoenix Kiosk