Display Technology News Roundup 8.3.2016

Image via Fortune

Display Alliance is sponsored by Smarter Glass ( www.smarterglass.com ) , a leading distributor and solutions provider with nearly 15 years specializing in the global LCD display industry and PCAP touchscreens. This blog is an open resource for the display industry and welcomes content and sponsorship from readers. Contact us to discuss how we can work together on Display Alliance. For display panels, visit the Smarter Glass display database to search and compare thousands of panels side-by-side.

Microsoft Wants Businesses To Start Playing With Its HoloLens Headsets " Microsoft’s “mixed-reality” enterprise push has begun. Microsoft released its HoloLens augmented reality headsets to software developers back in March, and now it’s trying to drive them into the enterprise. " via Fortune

Talking Tech: Route 66 Solar Roadway " A husband and wife team came up with the idea of lining roadways with solar panels. They’ve raised over $2M in an online crowdfunding campaign to get this project off the ground; they’ve also received funding from the Department of Transportation as well. " via Kasa

LG Display to Invest $1.75 Billion in OLED Display Production " SEOUL— LG Display Co., one of the world’s biggest makers of display panels used in smartphones and televisions, said Wednesday it would invest 1.99 trillion Korean won ($1.75 billion) to produce flexible organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, displays for use in mobile phones. " via Wall Street Journal

Qeexo’s Touchscreen Software Tech Keeps On Improving " Qeexo is a software company building a suite of touchscreen products for the future using existing hardware. Instead of redesigning existing touchscreens and their controllers, the company is using smarter software to determine how the user is operating the device. " via Android Headlines

LG 4k OLED, 1000 times faster than LED " It is a popular saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. But what about a picture that is a thousand times faster than the regular Liquid Electric Display, LED television? This is how you define LG’s new 4k OLED TV. LG’s CURVED 4K OLED TV combines the intense detail of UltraHD with the superior contrast and rich, accurate colour peculiar to the OLED. " via Vanguard

Photocentric to tease future of LCD 3D printing at TCT Show " If you were a visitor to last year’s TCT Show you may remember a 3D printer debut from photopolymer company, Photocentric, who chose the flagship UK show as the place showcase its first entry into the 3D printing hardware market. The machine in question was a sub-£500 Liquid Crystal 3D printer which uses a 10-inch, high resolution LCD screen and specially formulated visible daylight resins to rapidly produce high quality models, particularly for the jewellery industry. " via TCT Magazine

Sharp Pulled Down by Weak Display-Panel Sales " TOKYO—Sharp Corp. on Friday reported a net loss of 27.5 billion yen ($266 million) for the fiscal first quarter because of sluggish sales of its display panels. The loss for the April-June quarter was larger than the Y13.4 billion average loss expected by analysts, according to data provider Quick. That compares with a Y34.0 billion net loss booked by the electronics maker in the same period last year. " via Wall Street Journal

DEAD PIXEL HAVE YOU DOWN? THESE TRICKS MIGHT REVIVE IT " Once you notice a dead pixel, it’s hard to think of anything else -it will keep drawing your eye and driving you a little more crazy with each glance. While you could shell out big bucks in repairs, or replace the display entirely, there’s often no harm in trying a few quick troubleshooting methods to see if you can snap the pixel back into shape without have to resort to costly services and outside alternatives. " via Digital Trends

Apple iPhone 8 Will Boast Amazing Glass Screen " Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) normally gets a lot of the tech world’s attention around this time of the year. For Apple product fans, the arrival of Fall signifies the start of the tech company’s new release season. Expected this September is the iPhone 7 as well as the next edition Apple Watch. However, expert sources and comments from the iPhone-maker’s supply chain suggest a very mild upgrade will come along this year. Apple Inc. is reported to be saving a revolutionary upgrade for its 2017 iPhone. " via ValueWalk

What did you think about today's news? Leave a comment here and share your thoughts.

Display Technology News Roundup 7.18.16

Image via Press Insider Daily

Display Alliance is sponsored by Smarter Glass ( www.smarterglass.com ) , a leading distributor and solutions provider with nearly 15 years specializing in the global LCD display industry and PCAP touchscreens. This blog is an open resource for the display industry and welcomes content and sponsorship from readers. Contact us to discuss how we can work together on Display Alliance. For display panels, visit the Smarter Glass display database to search and compare thousands of panels side-by-side.

IPS LCD vs AMOLED: Here is Everything You Need to Know " The key difference between the IPS LCD and AMOLED display is that IPS LCD produces realistic colors whereas the AMOLED produces saturated colors. The colors are more accurate and the sharpness and clarity are also higher on the LCD display. The viewing angles are better and the contrast ratio is wider on the AMOLED display. Both the displays come with the advantages as well as disadvantages over the other. " via Press Insider Daily

Apple granted 'Flexible Display Panel' patent possibly for iPhone 8, OLED panels can be supplied by LG " More fans are waiting for the iPhone 8 instead of the iPhone 7 and they do have good reasons for anticipating such as the expected OLED display that will be provided by LG. " via Yibada

The rise of OLED displays could lead to shatterproof phones " These days, it seems like gadgets are constantly improving, and now the next big development may be organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. The technology promises to improve your phones' quality, durability and even foldability " via EurekAlert!

New technologies widen touchscreen opportunities " A quiet revolution is taking place in the projected capacitive touchscreen market. Rapid industry developments are delivering touchscreens which are thinner, higher performance, more reliable and lower cost. " via newelectronics

Touch Screen Capability on Your Own Skin Will Soon be Possible " University of Tokyo Professor Takao Someya has been developing various electronics that can be both bendable and stretchable for 10 years now. “The advent of mobile phones has changed the way we communicate. While these communication tools are getting smaller and smaller, they are still discrete devices that we have to carry with us,” Someya said. " via The Source

Touchscreen Monitor utilizes P-Cap touch technology. " With adaptable open-frame metal construction, 15 in. Model LBT-1503OC can be integrated into existing HMI applications. Projected capacitive technology, suitable for indoor and outdoor applications, enables multiple points of contact to be recognized simultaneously. " via Thomas Net

LG is getting ready to mass produce futuristic plastic OLED panels " Perhaps signaling that a future of bendable displays is closer to becoming a reality than ever before, ZDNet is reporting that LG Display recently took steps to ramp up production for plastic OLED panels, or POLED for short. By utilizing plastic instead of glass, POLED panels are much more malleable and bendable, making the technology an ideal fit across a wide array of products, including smartphones, watches and even automobiles. " via BGR

Global supply of 32-inch TV panels to rise in 3Q16, may be in oversupply in 4Q16 " TFT-LCD panel makers reduced production of 32-inch TV panels in the first quarter of 2016 due to a lack of profits and the decreased supply pushed up prices in the second quarter; consequently Sharp resumed production of such TV panels in July while LG Display, Taiwan-based Innolux and China-based fellow makers have begun to increase output, according to industry sources. " via Digitimes

Elo Announces the I-Series for Windows Integrated Touchscreen Computer " Elo, a global supplier of touchscreen solutions, today announced the availability of the I-Series for Windows® fully integrated touchscreen computer. Available in 15.6-inch and 21.5-inch widescreen displays with a mere 1.5-inch depth, the rugged I-Series for Windows computer’s large tablet form factor provides a fully integrated platform for public-facing interactive applications. " via Digital Signage Connection

What did you think about today's news? Leave a comment here and share your thoughts.

DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY NEWS ROUNDUP 6.28.16

Image via EE Times

Display Alliance is sponsored by Smarter Glass ( www.smarterglass.com ) , a leading distributor and solutions provider with nearly 15 years specializing in the global LCD display industry and PCAP touchscreens. This blog is an open resource for the display industry and welcomes content and sponsorship from readers. Contact us to discuss how we can work together on Display Alliance. For display panels, visit the Smarter Glass display database to search and compare thousands of panels side-by-side.

Hybrid display switches between OLED and reflective LCD modes " The Semiconductor Energy Laboratory (SEL) Co Ltd in Japan has developed a smartphone-sized 4.38 inches hybrid display that combines two display technologies into one: OLED for its very high contrast and colour quality indoors, and reflective LCD for its high readability in bright outdoors. " via EE Times

Xiaomi Mi 5s With Pressure-Sensitive Touch Screen Launching Soon " Xiaomi has had a respectable first half this year and released several products including its flagship Xiaomi Mi5. Of course, some latest, trending features like Force Touch display, curved screen, etc. were missing from the phone. Well, it looks like the company is going to release a sequel of the phone to fill in the blanks. " via Mobipicker

Easitech Launches Mini Projector with Finger-activated Touchscreen " The Shanghai company Easitech announced a new mini projector touchscreen that is activated by a finger or stylus. Weighing 5 ounces, the Lazertouch projector can turn a surface or wall into an interactive white board presentation. " via Government Video

The Nubia Z11 is another phone with an edge-to-edge display " Chinese smartphone maker Nubia has announced the Z11, a smartphone with an edge-to-edge display and the sequel to last year's bezel-free flagship Z9. The Z11 comes with a 5.5-inch 1008p display, which isn't that great in 2016 but largely makes up for it with a strong lineup of specs. " via The Verge

Samsung to invest $6.82 billion to boost the production of AMOLED panels " Super AMOLED technology goes way back. Samsung had launched its first Galaxy S smartphone with a Super AMOLED display back in 2010. Six years later and it’s still one of the best looking displays on a smartphone. " via Tech2 on Firstpost

Apple's dual-layer LCD technology promises high-contrast, lifelike HDR images " Apple in a patent application published on Thursday details a method of reducing image artifacts in high dynamic range (HDR) dual-layer LCDs, technology that could theoretically boost a typical display's contrast ratio to 1,000,000 to 1. " via AppleInsider

Apple may soon have an extra supplier of OLED displays for future iPhone: Sharp " With Apple expected to switch to OLED screens for future iPhones, it appears that it may not need to rely completely on the two major manufacturers for long. " via 9 to 5 Mac

80 experts compared this year’s hottest TVs side by side, and the winner was … " When the ballots were counted, LG’s Signature G6 OLED TV won in a landslide. This marks the third year in a row that LG’s OLED took the title. Competing with the 65-inch LG G6 (OLED65G6P) were the 75-inch Sony X940D (XBR75X940D), 78-inch Samsung KS9800 (UN78KS9800), and the 65-inch Vizio Reference Series (RS65-B2). " via Digital Trends

Posiflex Launches New POS Touch Screen Terminal " Posiflex announced the introduction of its new XT3915, a 15-inch resistive touch screen terminal configured by default with a 128 GB solid state drive (SSD), further improving performance and reliability for non-stop POS service. " via QSR Magazine

What did you think about today's news? Leave a comment here and share your thoughts.

DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY NEWS ROUNDUP 6.14.16

Image via Fudzilla

Display Alliance is sponsored by Smarter Glass ( www.smarterglass.com ) , a leading distributor and solutions provider with nearly 15 years specializing in the global LCD display industry and PCAP touchscreens. This blog is an open resource for the display industry and welcomes content and sponsorship from readers. Contact us to discuss how we can work together on Display Alliance. For display panels, visit the Smarter Glass display database to search and compare thousands of panels side-by-side.

Samsung makes 95 per cent of OLED market " While the rest of the world is talking about OLED displays, it seems that 95 per cent of the displays made by Samsung. Samsung appears to have corned the market and made more than 95 per cent of the total shipments in the first quarter (Q1) of 2016." via Fudzilla

Display Enhancements for You " SmarterGlass provides a variety of enhancements that we can apply to your display, applicable to a broad range of FPD technologies including Liquid Crystal (LCD), Plasma, Vacuum Fluorescents (VFD), and organic light-emitting diode (OLED). Our goal is to improve the looks and durability of your LCD or FPD in all the environments in which it will operate. " via SmarterGlass

Trimmable Backlighting Kit accelerates display prototyping. " Along with 0.45 or 0.3 mm thin, 6 x 11 in., Clad Flat Fiber™ (CFF) flexible optical sheets, Cut-2-Size™ Backlighting Kits include PCB with 8 white, side-fire LEDs that can be powered by 9 Vdc supply. Polycarbonate panels can be cut into any shape or size using such standard cutting tools as scissors or knife. " via ThomasNet

Samsung Galaxy S8 Edge to Feature a 5.5-inch 4K UHD Screen for VR Support " As far as Samsung Galaxy S8 Edge is concerned, be prepared to come across a similar size of screen size as the current S7 Edge. However, unlike the 2K QHD resolution found on this year’s curved screen flagship, next year’s version will pack a 4K UHD display. " via Nashville Chatter

Sony demos 8Kx2K giant LED display " Built from Sony's trade-marked CLEDIS™ (Crystal LED Integrated Structure) micro-LED panels measuring 403×453mm each and packing 320×360 RGB LED pixels at a pitch of 1.25mm, the new LED wall display technology could become commercially available early 2017. " via EE Times

iBuyPower just put an LCD display in a gaming PC's side panel " For those who like LCD panels, iBuyPower has put one in a PC’s side panel. The company did this with its new design, known as the Snowblind. The case for this new system combines a traditional clear window display — so you can see all of your no-doubt pricey components — with an LCD readout, letting you put any information you want right where everyone can see it. " via Digital Trends

Hands on with Cadillac’s wide-angle, LCD rear-view mirror " Flip the day-night lever at the bottom of your Cadillac XT5’s rear-view mirror and it becomes…an LCD showing a wide-angle view of traffic behind you, shot from the viewpoint of a camera just above the new crossover’s rear license plate. " via Extremetech

InFocus Adds Impact to Interactive Touchscreen Solutions With Projected Capacitive Touch Technology and 4K Resolution " adding premium capabilities, including projected capacitive touch and 4K resolution, to a variety of its interactive touchscreen and video conferencing solutions, the company announced today. InFocus created the original all-in-one video conferencing touchscreen solutions and the company is once again defining the category " via Twice

Global Trade Electronic (USA) INC. Now Offers an LCD Screen Recycle Program " Global Trade Electronic (USA) INC. (GTE), a prominent developer of smartphone LCD screens and accessory products, announces its new LCD screen recycle program. Through the program, GTE will send a free shipping label to customers wishing to recycle their broken LCD screen. Once the company receives the screen, its professional teams will test the functionality and authenticity of the LCD and, based on those results, will determine a price to offer for the broken screen. " via PR Web

What did you think about today's news? Leave a comment here and share your thoughts.

The Display Industry News Roundup For 10.16.2012

Image via PC World

Fingerprints everywhere! Are we ready for 4 million dirty Windows 8 touchscreens? "Researchers pursue two strategies for making better oleophobic screens (oleophobic literally means “lacking affinity for oils”). Some scientists try to advance the chemical treatment approach now used by Apple and others, while others work on applying new physical textures on screen surfaces, textures that are unfriendly to oil and liquid." via PC World

3D displays: three centuries in the making (interview) "3D technology already existed in the 19th century. However it really took off in 2009. The reason for this was on the one hand the technological possibilities of digital processing / media, availability of content (Avatar), and display technology. It started in digital cinema where the difficulty to create a high-quality 3D image was presented. It then got to the TV market with high refresh rates making it possible to introduce active glasses, especially on Plasma." via Display Alliance

Display technology from AU Optronics stolen and given to Chinese firm, alleges investigation "The two former executives, surnamed Li and Wang, worked in developing panels and OLED technology for AU Optronics, but were lured away with new positions from TCL's China Star Optoelectronics Technology business unit, which also builds displays, according to MJIB. In exchange for supplying the technology, both Li and Wang were also compensated with annual salaries of over US$1 million. ...While China Star Optoelectronics has yet to reach the influence of international rivals AU Optronics, Samsung SDI and LG Display, the company is gradually building up the technology to compete on a wider-scale." via IT World

The 8.5G LCD panel project of China Star Optoelectronics Technology reaches full capacity earlier than scheduled "China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co Ltd., a business union of TCL Corporation -- a world leader in consumer electronics industry, announced that its 8.5G LCD panel production line has reached full capacity three months ahead of the original schedule. ...The success of China Star Optoelectronics Technology is a realization of TCL's strategic goal to completely build its entire LCD display industry chain. Reaching full capacity is also a demonstration of Shenzhen's production speed and quality to the world." via Melodika

Fraunhofer and POG co-developed micrometer-coated OLED structures on glass "The advantage the new design is that the active luminous area is integrated directly into the glass substrate which results in a better field of view, and the whole system is much more simple - and hopefully will result in cheaper designs." via OLED-Info

AUO to take on tablet panel leaders "LG Display and AUO are the two major display suppliers for the iPad mini, the research company said. The mainstream in-plane switching technology was from LG Display, while the advanced hyper-viewing angle technology was from AUO, it added." via The China Post

Possible 2013 Tax Hike May Hit Digital Signage "The new Section 179 of the IRS tax code enables businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased during the tax year. Previously, depreciations were spread out over multiple years. ...In other words, it makes it easier for them cost-justify digital signage deployments. However, the law is set to expire at the end of 2012." via Digital Draw

Do you need display panels? Email jason@displayalliance.com to source with Mass Integrated, Inc.

Micro Optics Display, The Screen In Your Glasses "The MOD (for Micro Optics Display) is straight from the future. It's a mini-screen that clips into your ski goggles and gives you real-time stats about your performance (speed, jump height...) in your field of view, as though it were 14 inches big and 5 feet away." via Digital Versus

Next-gen touchpads respond to pressure "Synaptics gave the forcepad to more than two dozen academic research groups, which were challenged to come up with novel uses for the device. It's like a touchpad, but in addition to the usual swiping gestures it can sense how much pressure is being applied, adding another dimension for control. ...Another project took a novel approach to puppetry, with a marionette controlled not by a puppeteer but by a forcepad." via PC World

The tech defining next-gen computing "Of the different autostereoscopic technologies we've seen, parallax barrier has the most traction, and can be found in the likes of the Nintendo 3DS and LG Optimus 3D. It uses an array of slits in front of the display that mean that each eye views a different set of pixels - a systems that works reasonably well with handheld devices, but is a little less convincing on larger displays like TVs." via Tech Radar

China pushes local adoption to support LCD industry expansion "One such factor that increased domestic panel consumption is the adjustment in the open-cell import tariff that China imposes on 32in and larger LCDs. From 3 percent, it was raised to 5 percent beginning April this year, hitting most panel suppliers as they ship their products in this configuration. This has benefited homegrown companies such as CSOT and BOE Technology Group Co. Ltd. Both provide panels in this size, with BOE also offering 37in units." via Global Sources

Want to submit news to Display Alliance or be interviewed? Email jason@displayalliance.com.

$3 million for Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State "The award will be used for development of new liquid crystal technologies at the Kent State University Liquid Crystal Institute in collaboration with regional businesses. The Liquid Crystal Institute was founded in 1965 and is a comprehensive research and educational center. Kent State will collaborate with four local companies: Kent Displays Inc., AlphaMicron Inc. and Crystal Diagnostics Inc., all of Kent, and Akron Polymer System Inc. of Akron. " via Recordpub.com

Panasonic to Display Smart Solutions and Eco Innovations at GITEX 2012 "GITEX Technology Week 2012 takes place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 14-18 October. ...A key focus for Panasonic this GITEX is its projectors. Panasonic projectors are true multifaceted, multimedia tools, featuring breakthrough innovations such as daylight view technology, and easy-to-use LCD and DLP technology models. Plug-and-play projectors ideal for classrooms, conference rooms or bigger venues like auditoriums will also be on display." via Panasonic

Carl Zeiss Cinemizer 3D OLED Head Mounted Display Starts Shipping "Carl Zeiss explains: “Rich colors OLED displays create crisp images with very vibrant colors, true black and thus very good contrast. Wearing comfort Emphasis was given to a low weight and optimal wearing comfort during development of the cinemizer OLED..."" via Geeky Gadgets

Magic Finger turns any surface into a touchscreen "Created in collaboration with the University of Alberta and the University of Toronto, the Magic Finger relies on a high resolution RGB micro camera and an optical sensor to allow contextual actions to be carried out based on the particular surface being touched. " via Eureka Magazine

What did you think about today's news? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

The Display Industry News Roundup For 10.12.2012

Image via Sean Follmer / MIT Media Lab

What Comes After the Touch Screen? "One was a malleable interface that can be shaped somewhat the way clay can, developed by a team at MIT's Media Lab. Sean Follmer, a PhD student in the lab of Professor Hiroshi Ishii, demonstrated several versions, including a translucent bendable touch screen laid flat on a table." via MIT Technology Review

Nanotubes Presage Holographic Displays "Holographic displays came one step closer as researchers at Cambridge University’s Centre of Molecular Materials for Photonics and Electronics (CMMPE) used carbon nanotubes to produce the smallest ever scattering elements (pixels) to create a static holographic projection of the word CAMBRIDGE." via Display Central

Hands-on with the first IGZO panel smartphone, Sharp's SH-02E "In short, the world’s first phone with an IGZO-based display is a bit of a letdown. But on the plus side, the high-density IGZO displays that Sharp has been teasing us with are now that much closer to market — something that we can all look forward to." via The Verge

Disney Uses 3D Printed Optics for Displays "At the recent ACM conference on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST ’12), Disney Research (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ) and Carnegie Mellon University presented a paper on the production of optics for user interfaces and displays using 3D printing technology." via Display Central

Do you need display panels? Email jason@displayalliance.com to source with Mass Integrated, Inc.

Japan Electronics Emulates Detroit Autos Before Bankruptcy: Tech "Prices for 40-inch LCD panels fell from about $2,700 in the beginning of 2004 to $1,300 in 2005 and kept dropping until they reached $250 at the start of this year. Samsung steadily gained market share, moving to 29 percent in 2012 from 10 percent in 2004. ...“Japanese companies innovated primarily on hardware and the device and they were fantastic at that,” Kenevan said. “The problem is, the key engine of innovation in the world has shifted from hardware to software, to systems, to solutions.”" via Bloomberg Businessweek

Interactive system detects touch and gestures on any surface ""Imagine having giant iPads everywhere, on any wall in your house or office, every kitchen counter, without using expensive technology," said Niklas Elmqvist, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University. "You can use any surface, even a dumb physical surface like wood. You don't need to install expensive LED displays and touch-sensitive screens."" via R&D Mag

Panel Makers Re-Adjust 4Kx2K Panel Plans "As LCD TV panel makers reshuffle their 4K panel plans, it is becoming clear that 4K is a necessity at certain sizes." via DisplaySearch Blog

Flat Panel Display Price Erosion and Performance Improvements Drive Increased Demand, Expediting Industry Recovery "However, with the exception of LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon, a form of microdisplay) all other display technologies, including plasma and passive matrix forms of LCD and OLED, are declining in 2012. In a sharp reversal, AMEPD (active matrix electrophoretic display), which is used in monochrome e-readers, swung from strong growth in 2011 to even stronger decline in 2012, due to competition from TFT LCD-based tablet PCs." via DisplaySearch

Touchscreens: How they work "Capacitive screens sense the tiny amount of electrical charge on your skin that is produced when your finger interacts with the screen's electrical field." via The Washington Post

AU Optronics reaches patent cross-licensing agreement with E-Ink, Hydis "The ten-year deal largely centers around LCD technologies, including Fringe Field Switching (FFS). AUO and E-Ink claimed in a statement that the agreement will “sharpen their competitive edge” in the industry." via TNW

Less business for Korean-based tablet panel makers? "Analysts predict that global tablet users will reach 124 million by 2014, and Apple currently holds nearly 70 percent of the tablet market share. Taiwan is a hotspot for PC OEMs, but the PC market is shrinking, hence, Apple’s move may give Taiwan the much needed boost in its tech sector." via VR-Zone

Want to submit news to Display Alliance or be interviewed? Email jason@displayalliance.com.

Google 10-inch tablet would push display tech envelope "In fact, Samsung is the only company that successfully manufactures both high-volume advanced AMOLED and LCD screens. But the high-density PPI action is currently centered on LCDs -- not AMOLED. Sharp, for example, announced the start of production of a 5-inch 443 PPI display last week. But if Sharp is able to make those kinds of LCDs, you can bet Samsung probably can too -- and will." via CNET

Capacitive Touch Case Makes Your iPhone Very Sensitive "[Canopy] introduced the Sensus iPhone case with a capacitive touch back at the 2012 GDC (Game Developers Conference) on Wednesday. ...Touch-capacitive sensors are located on the back and right edges of the case. From the looks of the video on Canopy’s pre-order page, the company is clearly courting gamers and game developers. The case moves fingers off the front of the iPhone and out of the way of the action." via Wired

High-directionality backlight for head-up displays "A head-up display (HUD) shows signals, data, or messages in front of the windshield of a vehicle and allows the driver to keep their line of sight while looking at the display unit. HUD has been successfully adopted commercially1,2 and has the most potential for use as the human visual interface for vehicles.3 In addition to concerns related to reliability, particularly with HUDs with a large display size, there are two major issues with current HUD design. One is high power consumption. The other is the volume of the display unit." via SPIE

The Information Display News Roundup For 10.1.2012

Image via Slash Gear

Kindle Paperwhite technology explained by Amazon in video "The light you’ve got here around the rim of the display is captured and reflected across the face of the area you’re looking at. This area is called the Light Guide – it’s nanoimprinted and acts like a fiber-optic cable, blasting light through itself and down towards the capacitive touch screen instead of up at your eye. " via Slash Gear

Falling Brightness of New TV Models "Displays can be characterized not only by size, but by their typical brightness. TVs have typically required brightness higher than 400 nits, because TV is generally in the living room and watched from a distance. In contrast, brightnesses of less than 300 nits are typically sufficient for IT devices (e.g. notebook PC, monitor, etc.), because these are usually viewed from shorter distances." via DisplaySearch Blog

Sony-Olympus Alliance Aims for High-Tech Surgery "Sony's new alliance with scandal-tarnished Olympus will focus on producing endoscopes and other surgical tools packed with the Japanese electronic maker's three-dimensional imaging and super-clear "4K" display technologies. ...Technology such as 3D and the futuristic displays known as 4K have not yet produced big results in consumer electronics products such as TVs." via Product Design & Development

Sharp's new screens aim to make HD-LCD pixels mobile "The new LCD panel integrates a new pixel design and revamped manufacturing process to achieve the rate of pixels normally reserved for large LCD television screens. According to Sharp, modern CG-Silicon technology allow the screens to display crisper text, super-clear maps and more realistic HD images. ...Sharp produces the 5-inch screen for Apple's recently released iPhone 5." via ZDNet

Do you need display panels? Ask Jason. I'm the managing editor of Display Alliance but I also source panels for Mass Integrated, Inc. Just let me know what you need: jason@displayalliance.com

New glasses free 3D tech could be a game-changer "The company’s CTO, Richard A. Muller, is a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley and he created the ‘Soliddd equation” after years of research. ...“We soon discovered the other lenses in the world had been highly inaccurate. Nobody realised just how good autostereo displays can be and so people were not trying to manufacture as accurately as they should be doing.” he told us." via 3D Focus

Fraunhofer HHI Opens 3D Innovation Center "Under the general management of the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute, a platform has been created on the salt river in Berlin’s Tiergarten district that brings together some 50 partners from industry and science to drive forward development of 3D technologies and applications. In addition to the fields of entertainment and media, industrial production and medicine will be of key importance for the future." via Display Central

Foxconn ascends, while Sharp struggles "Foxconn is having no trouble drawing new recruits to Zhengzhou, however, and Sharp appears to see little alternative to negotiating with its deep-pocketed Taiwanese rival. ...In its favor, Sharp's in-house technology is highly advanced compared to Foxconn, with the ability to produce items like super-thin touch panels for phones and tablets, highly efficient solar panels, and giant-screen LCD TVs. Still, the future of the Japanese manufacturer may be found in its past." via PC World

Want to submit news to Display Alliance or be interviewed? Get in touch with me: jason@displayalliance.com

Tech Weekly Podcast: Gesture control technologies "This week we discuss gesture control technologies and how this form of interaction with computers is set to give birth to a new user-interface experience." via The Guardian

The Information Display News Roundup For 9.28.2012

Image via Tech Radar

Best projector: 8 top HD models reviewed and rated "For monitor panels, each pixel has three primary-coloured sub-pixel. Not so for LCD projectors, instead they have three individual panels, one for each primary colour. White light from the lamp is split using dichroic mirrors, sent through the three panels and then recombined with a prism." via Tech Radar

Lexus LF-CC Concept shows the future of touchscreen interiors "This is fully touch-sensitive and replaces the clumsy, button-heavy center consoles found in many luxury cars. Think of it as a more organic evolution of the 17-inch touchscreen wedged in the center of the Tesla Model S." via engadget

LG's chairman calls for a major change, will focus on OLED displays "LG is set to release its first OLED TV, the 55" (the 55EM9600) in early 2013. The company is also planning to start mass producing plastic-based flexible OLED panels by the end of 2013." via OLED-Info

Are IPS panels replacing TN panels in monitors? "TN panels have always been cheap to produce and therefore inferior display technology has been foisted upon us by panel manufacturers. Why the change? There are a number of reasons but first and foremost you can thank the smartphone and tablet makers." via Flat Panels HD

Do you need display panels? Ask Jason. I'm the managing editor of Display Alliance but I also source panels for Mass Integrated, Inc. Just let me know what you need: jason@displayalliance.com

Hand-waving can decode invisible images on screen "The system, developed by Hirotsugu Yamamoto and colleagues from University of Tokushima in Japan, uses a newly developed LED panel that can display 480 images per second. In this video, a pair of images of the New Scientist logo (one black, one white) is embedded into the background. When displayed alternately at a high speed, they are invisible to the naked eye. "A hidden image is presented 10 times faster than the frame rate used at the cinema," says Yamamoto." via New Scientist

Continuing to deliver improved performance challenges traditional display manufacturing techniques " The type of transistors and the processes used for their manufacturing determine the performance of the display, the costs, and, to a large extent, the environmental footprint of the device. Today, two transistor types are common in mass production; amorphous silicon (a-Si) transistors are dominant (>95%), while low temperature polysilicon transistors (LTPS) have a niche position." via Solid State Technology

Digging for rare earths: The mines where iPhones are born "Inside the rocks from this mine are rare-earth minerals, crucial ingredients for iPhones, as well as wind turbines, hybrid cars, and night-vision goggles. Minerals such as neodymium are used in magnets that make speakers vibrate to create sound. Europium is a phosphor that creates a bright red on an iPhone screen. Cerium gets put into a solvent that workers use to polish devices as they move along the assembly line." via CNET

AUO to adopt printing process for producing AMOLED panels "Taiwan-based TFT-LCD panel maker AU Optronics (AUO) hopes to increase its AMOLED material usage to 70-80% by using printing processing, which is expected to be the mainstream for producing large-size AMOLED panels in the future, according to industry sources." via DigiTimes

The iPhone 5 Display: Thoroughly Analyzed "While many were hoping for a move to OLED or some other screen innovation, this really is a huge step up that is very easy to quantify. To put this in perspective, in the past few years I've reviewed probably 30-40 different displays, from PC monitors to TVs to projectors. Not a single one, out of the box, can put up the Gretag Macbeth dE numbers that the iPhone can, and perhaps one projector (which listed for $20,000) can approach the grayscale and color accuracy out of the box." via AnandTech

Want to be interviewed for Display Alliance or submit news? Get in touch with me: jason@displayalliance.com

Why the iPhone 5 doesn't have an AMOLED screen "As well as the iPhone 5 being too big a product launch for AMOLED to grace, there's also the small matter of the supply being dominated by Samsung Display, which makes over 90% of AMOLED screens. "Now Apple and Samsung are engaged in intense legal battles," says Werner, "it is unlikely that Apple would want its arch-rival to also be its single source for OLED displays."" via Tech Radar

Cephalopods may be the key to better e-paper screens "When the creature needs to be a little lighter in color, muscle fibers pull the cell membrane outward, reducing the density of the pigment. These fibers relax when a darker color is needed. E-paper screens like the one used on the Kindle use a similar technique with light and dark pigment capsules embedded in each pixel." via Geek.com

HDTV Expert - No OLED-TV Panel Production from LGD until 2013 " The best bet for LGD’s delay is still the oxide backplane. Oxide remains the most promising next-generation semiconductor material for thin-film transistors (TFTs), and Sharp has apparently gotten it to work for LCDs in volume production. But oxide researchers overwhelmingly say there are a few remaining stability issues, at least when oxide TFTs are used with OLEDs, that will take another year or so to resolve." via HDTV Magazine

The Information Display News Roundup For 9.26.2012

Image via Office of Naval Research / Defense News

Marines Get Virtual Explosions in the Real World "The system includes a head-mounted display (HMD) with attached sensors tethered to a backpack computer. The software projects scaled virtual images of objects, such as tanks or helicopters, against the backdrop of the real terrain as seen through the HMD. It can work on any terrain, though the terrain must first be mapped." via Defense News

CE 2012 "Much of what has been going on with composite devices have been facilitated by what is going on with display technology, packing ever-more pixels into the same size screen. That is coming to an end, not because the technology has reached its limits but because the human eye cannot see ever more concentrated pixel densities." via Flat Panel Display Blog

Metal Oxide TFTs - Closer To Realization "When I attended the International Meeting on Information Display 2012 (IMID) a few weeks ago in Daegu, South Korea, a lot of progress was reported on metal oxide TFTs. The favorite material for the active layer is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), which provides mobilities 10-20 times higher than that of s-Si." via Applied Materials Blog

Chimei G150XGE-L04 vs. AU Optronics G150XG01V3 "...the AUO G150XG01V3 with RGBW technology consumes 13% less power than the CMI G150XGE-L04 due to its white sub pixels, making the AUO G150XG01V3 the better choice for applications where operating cost is an issue." via Apollo Display Technologies Blog

Do you need display panels? Ask Jason. I'm the managing editor of Display Alliance but I also source panels for Mass Integrated, Inc. Just let me know what you need: jason@displayalliance.com

Digital Signage Glossary "In an effort to give readers an overall understanding of the sector, the 62 word vocabulary explains the meaning of elements related to all aspects of a digital signage solution- hardware, software, content and installation." via Dynamax Technologies

Free-form Optics May Enable “Glasses-Like” AR HMD "Previous work on AR HUDs based on free-form optical systems have primarily utilized physically large, low resolution microdisplays and resulted in optical systems with a fairly high f#. To address these issues, Hua’s group has developed various tools including new mathematical descriptions of free-form surfaces and surface shape controls. The results were demonstrated in a prototype that utilized a 0.61-inch OLED microdisplay and that had a f/1.875 optical system." via Display Central

Want to be interviewed for Display Alliance or submit your own content? Get in touch with me: jason@displayalliance.com

Mirrors That Double as Computers "Tokyo-based technology company Seraku Corp. is seeing interest from real-estate developers and hotels for its Web-connected bathroom mirror that acts as a one-stop display to read news, check traffic, leave notes for other family members, and keep track of water usage in the home." via The Wall Street Journal

The Information Display News Roundup For 9.25.2012

Image via Max Aguilera-Hellweg / Wired

Glass Works: How Corning Created the Ultrathin, Ultrastrong Material of the Future "The key to Gorilla Glass is that the compression layer keeps cracks from propagating through the material and catastrophically letting tension take over. Drop a phone once and the screen may not fracture, but you may cause enough damage (even a microscopic nick) to critically sap its subsequent strength. The next drop, even if it isn’t as severe, may be fatal. It’s one of the inevitable consequences of working with a material that is all about trade-offs, all about trying to create a perfectly imperceptible material." via Wired

HannStar reportedly enters iPad supply chain "The rumors claimed that since Apple has been decreasing its orders to Samsung Electronics for panels used in the iPad due to disputes between the two companies, the US vendor has begun shifting some of the orders to HannStar." via DigiTimes

Holographic storage may yet knock magnetic media off its perch "To store the data, a laser beam is split into two beams, a signal beam and a reference beam. The signal beam passes through a liquid crystal display, which shows a page of binary information, as clear and black boxes. The beam then travels into a light sensitive polymer or crystal substrate, carrying the information from the LCD." via Tech Radar

Do you need display panels? Ask Jason. I'm the managing editor of Display Alliance but I also source panels for Mass Integrated, Inc. Just let me know what you need: jason@displayalliance.com

CMI, AUO have low AMOLED yields, say sources "The sources indicated that CMI currently has 20% yields for its AMOLED technology, which uses white AMOLED with color filters. ...AUO uses traditional vacuum deposition technology for producing the panels and has had issues with bringing yields up beyond the 50% rate." via DigiTimes

Ultra High Definition Display Manufacturing in Asia Boosted by Three New Linde Plants "Improving electron mobility in transistors is crucial in bringing higher resolutions and higher frame rates to TVs, mobile and computing devices. The manufacture of UHD 3D displays is currently expensive, requiring the use polysilicon transistors, which cost twice as much as those using amorphous silicon." via Herald Online

3-D display screen tilts along multiple axes "Sriram Subramanian, a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction in Bristol University's Department of Computer Science said that the ability to tilt along multiple axes distinguishes the display from previous devices. He believes that such displays could be used in a range of applications such as terrain modeling and gaming. " via Vision Systems Design

Want to be interviewed for Display Alliance or submit your own content? Get in touch with me: jason@displayalliance.com

Tobii and NTT DOCOMO Show Unique Eye-tracking Tablet "Developed in partnership with NTT DOCOMO’s manufacturing partner, Fujitsu, the ibeam prototype uses the most advanced and compact eye tracker in the world, theTobii IS20 (formerly Tobii IS-2), allowing an unsurpassed eye-tracking experience when using the device. The ibeam will also showcase the future possibilities of natural user interfaces for computers and tablets using gaze interaction. With this capability, users can also interact with the tablet hands-free while still retaining complete functionality of the device." via Display Central