Transparent transistors to power next generation of displays

We've been following this trend of making stuff invisible for some time now, and the short of it is that invisibility doesn't really quite work as much as we'd like it to for now. But a new result from Northwestern University may be the closest to true "invisible" electronics that we've seen thus far -- honestly, they're really just transparent. A group of scientists, led by Tobin J. Marks, a professor of chemistry, materials science and engineering at Northwestern, have just published a paper in Nature Materials that says that it's possible to produce "transparent, high-performance transistors" on glass and plastics. Dr. Marks said that it was conceivable to be able to construct "displays of text or images that would seem to be floating in space," -- such as a heads-up display of a map built into your windshield, or a visual aid built into a set of goggles for soldiers -- and that new displays based on this technology could be commercially available via his new startup Polyera within 18 months. Heck, if we could use an upgraded version of our bedroom window as a ginormous display to watch TV or movies on, we'd toss our 30-inch LCDs and/or plasma screens in a second.

[Joe Smith @ Dec 23rd 2006 10:16AM]

dude, cyrus, you must be a strong man to want to SIT in bed and watch a movie on your window. That's a strong back right there. What i'd like is to be lying down on bed and watching movies on the ceiling.

[Alex Wilden @ Dec 23rd 2006 10:56AM]

Just imagine when some little so-and-so puts a brick through it while youre playing GoW.

[Pirateinmymind @ Dec 23rd 2006 11:24AM]

Let me know when you throw out your old TVs I could use a nice TV. Jut please be gentle while hoisting them into the dumpster.

[Lattyware @ Dec 23rd 2006 12:06PM]

Ah, I got a virus, and thought there was a blizzard!

Stupid screens in windows...

[Isaac @ Dec 23rd 2006 12:06PM]

Sweeeeet, now my neighbors can enjoy my porn on the bay window facing them. ^.^

Where I'd like to see this tech put to good use is to finally have a decent head-mounted HUD for watching movies while still being able to be aware of my surroundings, like watching a movie on the subway without missing my stop. Although I guess we really won't be *there* until we get those optical projectors that put images right on your retinas http://www.startrek.com/imageuploads/200303/tng-206-riker-tries-out-the-ga/320x240.jpg

[Xee @ Dec 23rd 2006 3:52PM]

Bah, technology is moving too slow. I'm still waiting for miniaturized displays on contact lenses that can be synced with wearable computers. I mean c'mon, they have it in sci-fi books, how hard can it be . . .

[Geoff Hill @ Dec 23rd 2006 4:50PM]

Wow, Viruses for these windows could be amazing. Imagine tricking someone into thinking that they're about to have a head-on collision with a Hummer.

Now that's entertainment.

[trunksy @ Dec 23rd 2006 5:14PM]

Tom Cruises' screen in the movie, Minority Report, here we come! Oh, wait, nevermind. That's still way off in the future.

[pcbuilderchris @ Dec 24th 2006 1:47AM]

WINDEX glass cleaner crows

Hey where they watching a movie?

i couldnt find the older one though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m_XirT9DHc

that except vice-versa

[shashikant baranga @ Dec 24th 2006 2:23AM]

that's the real one, which can create Virtual into real around us; in full width ! we won't know the diff.
when it is likely to be affordable, i can postpone Calender Tv till then!

[Dennis @ Dec 24th 2006 3:50AM]

hmm.... you could trick your neighbours looking in through your window...

[spaceman @ Dec 25th 2006 1:43PM]

No, No, No you've got it all wrong! What you want is a download directly to the brain of the best parts of the movie. That way you can skip all the crap parts, and feel like you watched it a few months back. That way you don't have to waste any time. You could watch all episodes of Star trek in less than 30 secs! :P