Computer Flatscreens - Will They Dissappear?

Discussion in 'General Science & Technology' started by Verse, Oct 3, 2012.

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  1. Verse Registered Member

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    The computer flatscreen seems destined to go the way of the CRT. Especially for mobile applications.

    There are theories (besides the 'transluscent' or ultra-thin, flexible 'thin screens, possibly that unroll) that the next thing in the line of sceen evolution, will be where the physical backing structure is replaced by a pair of bars that together emit a sort of interference pattern to create the image, then from there, disappearing to a single bar, and from there, no bar at all.

    I've searched but have been unable to find anything substantive on this as far as anyone that is currently working on this.

    Anyone have likely theories on monitors in this realm of things?
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2012
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  3. phlogistician Banned Banned

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    'translucent' looks real cool for an artists impression or mock up of a device,.... but is pretty useless in real life, when you want to show black backgrounds. You don't want to see the world behind the screen when watching a horror movie after all.

    Onto interference patterns, that's real tricky physics. Photons of light move, cross, interfere with each other, and move on. Such a device as you mention also requires them to scatter, so they can be seen from a plane not aligned with the frame you describe. Photons don't scatter when they interfere though, you need some medium to make that happen. I suppose you are describing projecting a hologram, and we're quite a way off understanding how to do that, it was only fairly recently the maths were solved for projecting sound, ie, making it appear a sound was originating at a place that wasn't where it was created, using interference (I'll try and find a reference, it was quite interesting, the researcher was lucky enough to find a shortcut in the maths via a complimentary solution to the equations for interference iirc). Doing that in 2D, without a medium per se (Sound is scattering of air, air doesn't scatter enough long wavelength light, so red light won't be scattered. Greens and purples can be, you can see a beam of green laser light in air, you just need to make two lasers that interfere to produce that wavelength at the point they intersect, which means two short wavelength lasers (ie energetic and potentially dangerous), differing by the wavelength you want to see. Producing full colour images would be a real chore, as you'd need to be able to vary the wavelength of one of the lasers if you used the other as the 'carrier', and still you'd have problems displaying reds). We can alter laser wavelengths using various techniques (frequency doubling crystals, 'pumping' compounds, dyes), but you won't get one single device capable of producing an entire spectrum at present. It sounds like very expensive R&D to get where you want to go, when I think most people are quite happy with a screen at present. I'd be happy with a Hi Res head up display on some glasses for some time to come I think.
     
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  5. phlogistician Banned Banned

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    Sorry, double posts somehow. Thought the BB code had safeguards against that
     
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  7. Verse Registered Member

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    Almost sounds like this would require its own breakthrough technology to make it practical.

    Then there is the question of distraction - if people become more absent of the physical device backing the image (without consciously grasping it) seeing images as they walk and drive so conveniently, I could see where it might lead to other things...

    The virtual lit keyboards didn't seem like such a bad idea, but they didn't have much tactile response either, besides requiring an adequate surface on which to tap the fingers.
     
  8. Gustav Banned Banned

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    i see lots of funky interfaces on film. minority report had some cool stuff. some have "tabletop" touch screens. are these actually marketed or just fake shit?

    gee.........Technologies in Minority Report
     
  9. Verse Registered Member

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    I've heard of plans to use the so called cheap, thin, active film displays like you saw on the cereal box for advertising applications. Of course prices would have to drop dramatically to make this feasible.

    Some of the very thin displays are being developed, like the thin-film transistor by Sony.
     
  10. phlogistician Banned Banned

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    Yeah, that might happen. Take pocket calculators, 40 years ago they were basic and fairly costly, now you can pick up a graphing scientific calculator for about £7, and basic ones are given away free as promotional items often. Not too much of a stretch to see such cost reductions in the realm of .mp4 players, after all, we already have greetings cards with pre-recorded message circuits in them.
     
  11. Verse Registered Member

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    I think too there is a question of when this starts to become too much, I'd rather have a static cereal box on the table rather than have someone constantly try to sell me something.

    They may try to make it too-way -- for promotions and games and registering for other offers. Some of this stuff, if it happens, might end up being just a novelty.
     
  12. tashja Registered Senior Member

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    In the future, they will probably project images into your brain.
     
  13. seagypsy Banned Banned

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    What are you talking about here? I have never seen or heard of any kind of interactive screen on a cereal box.
     
  14. billvon Valued Senior Member

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    Well, they've made it onto gas pumps and cellphones.
     
  15. wlminex Banned Banned

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    Humor here--> yes . . . . and most everything ELSE . . . on December 21, 2012!!!
     
  16. Verse Registered Member

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    That was on minority report.
     
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