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The New Window to the World

One day soon you might be able to peer out your window and have it tell you the temperature, traffic and latest news. Samsung has developed a see through flat-panel screen that can be used as a high tech window. Samsung demonstrated this new screen at FPD (Flat Panel Display) International exhibition in Japan, touting it as innovation for the commercial storefronts as well as offices.

Built on OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diodes) technology, the screens could project almost any information you like, while allowing you to see what’s happening on the other side. Samsung’s mock-up featured storefront displays in which a window played videos of models who wore clothes available inside the store. These displays also come with fully functioning touchscreen capability, meaning you can interact with the window displays. This would be particularly handy in a business environment where you could use a window as a large display for your presentations. You needn’t worry about displaying your company financial secrets to the world outside. Samsung claims that the information projected on one side cannot be seen from the other.

Currently the size of the displays are limited to the largest LCD screens in production (about 83 inches X 95 inches or 2.1 Meters X 2.4 Meters). Still, the technology is impressive and when you combine it with other emerging technologies, you could get some amazing applications. For example:

• Integrate it with database information and an operations manager could see real-time inventory statistics while looking out on the production floor.
• These windows could go mobile. Put them in cars, boats, trains and planes, and even sun glasses.
• Integrate sensors, and the window display could give you all sorts of information about the environment before you step outside. This could be particularly useful for first responders.
• Put it on your aquarium and it could tell you when you need to change the water.
• Add a point-of-purchase and you could buy a product before you walking into the store.
• Combined with Augmented Reality and facial recognition to provide you even more information about the people and places around you. Pizza place down the street having a sale? Your window could give you an icon alert.

No matter what the applications, these displays will impact everything from architecture and home design, to computer development, to even transportation and car manufacturing. Sure might make holiday decorating a lot easier (could you imagine the haunted house!)…

© 2010, Ian Bramson. All rights reserved.

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Tags: Displays

This entry was posted on Monday, November 15th, 2010 at 10:41 pm and is filed under Horizon. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.