By Chris Chinnock, March 05, 2001
One of the hottest technology sectors right now is the all-optical switch for fiber-optic communications and data networks. Interestingly, its developers are leveraging technologies produced for microdisplays in a quest to supply components to drive...
By Chris Chinnock, January 08, 2001
Researchers at the University of Central Florida in Orlando have developed a new type of laser-based display. The early-stage work uses a near-infrared laser to upconvert doped polymer materials embedded in a screen so they emit light in red, green,...
By Chris Chinnock, December 04, 2000
One trend in the flat-panel display world continues unabatedthe move to higher resolution and larger-area displays. Several companies have made progress in liquid-crystal-display (LCD) panels over the last few months, but they remain costly...
By Chris Chinnock, November 06, 2000
There's no doubt that in the near future, 3D systems will hit many different venues. Less clear is which type will dominate. There's also much confusion about what's meant by 3D. For example, some think rendered 2D images can qualify as 3D. On the...
By Chris Chinnock, October 02, 2000
The introduction of high-definition rear-projection TVs and the coming rear-projection computer monitors has placed new demands on screen technology. Plus, many new systems will use flat-panel display technology instead of CRTs as the...
By Chris Chinnock, September 05, 2000
What's an ASIF, you ask? According to Jonathan Waldern, CEO at DigiLens, Sunnyvale, Calif., an ASIF is an application-specific integrated filter. Based on holographic technology, the device can...
By Chris Chinnock, August 07, 2000
The projection market encompasses products ranging from small portable devices that hook to laptops for business presentations to big behemoths for large-venue applications. Over the last 10 or so years, this market has been driven by rapid...
By Chris Chinnock, July 10, 2000
My column "Microdisplay Industry Close To Igniting" (April 3, p. 62) explained how liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) microdisplays are finally reaching the point of initial mass production. This technology will open up new product categories...
By Chris Chinnock, June 12, 2000
One year ago, I reported that the digital cinema era began at the ShoWest Exhibition in Las Vegas. At that same event last March, several producers of large-venue projection platforms announced plans for products tailored to the needs of digital...
By Chris Chinnock, April 03, 2000
The fledgling microdisplay industry got a big boost last month from a declaration by display heavyweight Philips Flat Display Systems. The company, based in San Jose, Calif., announced its plans to produce liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) displays...
By Chris Chinnock, March 06, 2000
To improve visual performance, active-matrix liquid-crystal displays keep a thin-film transistor at each pixel. Such displays have proven to be big hits for notebook computer screens and, more recently, as desktop PC monitors. But for the most part,...
By Chris Chinnock, February 07, 2000
I've just returned from this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. It's an amazing show with so many new gadgets, I can't possibly describe them all. Therefore, I'll focus on one aspect, removable solid-state memory cards. This show...
By Chris Chinnock, January 10, 2000
One year ago, I wrote a column on microdisplays that covered why they're important and what products they might soon impact. Since then, I've written a lot more columns on this hot technology. Now, however, it's time to go in a different direction....