Philips' transparent OLED lighting for post-modern identity masking, toilets

We're still looking at another 3 to 5 years of development here, but transparent OLED lighting panels are definitely on the way. This 12-centimeter prototype panel developed by Philips Research is transparent until flipping the switch for illumination. Unfortunately, the panels are currently limited in size due to complexities in the manufacturing process that necessitate a clean-room environment. Ultimately though, larger panels will replace "dumb glass" in household windows and stall dividers in trendy Germany toilets. What, haven't been to Berlin lately?

[Via OLED-Display]

[coolblue @ Mar 6th 2009 7:28AM]

How efficient are these compared to current compact fluorescents?

[absinthe party @ Mar 6th 2009 7:39AM]

I'm not sure about this current system, but if you're interested in low wattages with low lumen output, LEDs are your man (men?) for wicked awesome efficiency.

When you cross into higher wattages, LEDs become increasingly less efficient due to the large amount of heat generated by proximity. Maybe in 3 to 5 years, we'll figure out a way to put that behind us without having to use water-cooling for LED headlight assemblies. The tech's there, it's just not readily available yet, you know?

[coolblue @ Mar 6th 2009 7:46AM]

I am just interested in whether it is a good move to replace current compact fluorescent lighting with these oled lighting panels.

Nice development though, although if they give out light from both sides it will not be a very good replacement for windows.

[absinthe party @ Mar 6th 2009 7:56AM]

It's probably not a good idea to go trash your current CFL system yet, seeing as how you're going to be waiting 3 to 5 years for these to enter a production state. And, if I know Philips, you're looking at 5 years rather than 3.

[MarkG @ Mar 6th 2009 8:23AM]

"Nice development though, although if they give out light from both sides it will not be a very good replacement for windows."

True, but if you were to make the inner pane of glass of a double-glazed window out of this LED stuff, you could make the outer pane of glass using Smart Glass:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_glass

Then, as the inner pane lights up, the outer pane becomes opaque.

[OneLove @ Mar 6th 2009 10:46AM]

Now you can pimp your ride and put TV screens in the windows or have auto tinting windows. :)

[spacegravity4me @ Mar 6th 2009 7:40AM]

Well HURRY UP!!! Ga, it's almost 2010! sheesh...

[Vision Aforethought @ Mar 6th 2009 7:41AM]

On a larger scale, this would be perfect for windows. During the day, natural light would suffice. Then when it was overcast or during the evening/night, the windows would gradually lighten up. What would be even better is if like those clever bus/coach window advertising systems that still allow the passengers to see out the OLED panel remained transparent from one side even when lit. The applications of this invention are numerous. Good stuff Philips!

[MarkG @ Mar 6th 2009 8:24AM]

I expect the light is emitted from both sides.

[Pfanne @ Mar 6th 2009 7:43AM]

imagine these replaceing your windows, combined with colored oleds
summer all year long ;)
you could have the view from a nice mountain...
this would even make a great idea for a company... selling viewing points for your interactive windows...
like installing cameras somewhere in the jungle and streaming this onto your windows

[Vision Aforethought @ Mar 6th 2009 7:53AM]

Your are so right. In fact, my employer has been planning something like that since the 1990s. We built a (since taken offline) crude website at TELESERENITY.com listing webcams of scenic locations. However, back then, the feeds were of very low quality and unreliable. But in the next few years, as proven by some of the live nature cams featured on (BBC) TV today, it will be possible to stream live HD video to the web and elsewhere reliably. We hope to do that with an all new version of TELESERENITY. If you would like to be put on our mailing list, fire an email off to 'owonder AT gmail DOT com'. (We're in stealth mode currently.) Don't usually use Engadget to promote, this is a one off.

[ethana2 @ Mar 6th 2009 7:55AM]

Indeed.

[M0les @ Mar 7th 2009 9:22PM]

Mate! that's ferkin' cool! - where do I invest?!

[Daniel @ Mar 6th 2009 8:23AM]

The current size seems just right for certain bars I've been to in Berlin...

[Izzy @ Mar 6th 2009 9:00AM]

This is pretty cool shit!

True, the light would reflect on both sides, but I'm sure a coating can be added to reflect the light back in.

[BratPAQ @ Mar 6th 2009 9:10AM]

then it wouldnt be transparent anymore, would it?

[KarlW @ Mar 6th 2009 10:26AM]

It's cool until you get a power cut

[pfromg @ Mar 7th 2009 4:13AM]

transparent , but only in one direction !

[Flaystus @ Mar 6th 2009 9:05AM]

Is the Cyclops?

[Dan Fruzzetti @ Mar 6th 2009 9:16AM]

This is pretty cool, but what I've always wanted is electro-chromic glass for my car. I want variable tint on all windows. Anyone know of a place that offers this sort of glass? Even EC privacy glass (the kind that turns a frosty white) would be nice -- I could use it to make the car turn opaque whenever I armed the alarm...

[STINK @ Mar 6th 2009 12:11PM]

Market that idea and you'll make a zillion, Dan!

The only issue would be with states requiring law enforcement 'needing' to see inside your vehicle when you're not around.

[Frans @ Mar 6th 2009 12:44PM]

@STINK
actually the tech is already there as implied by Dan. The problem is acquiring it because it probably need to be custom made. As far as car goes, this tech usually comes with the newer and more expensive cars.
Probably most of the application of this tech is being used in Architecture field.

[Nyle @ Mar 6th 2009 9:27AM]

So, If I'm using one of these new bathroom stalls or showers, I better PRAY there is no power outage or my junk will be all over the evening news. ; ^ )

LED and I'd assume OLED are far more efficient than CFLs and don't contain deadly mercury. They are also a more constant light source than, CFL - don't take any time to turn on. The only other contender is Plasma lights. Now, those are actually being deployed in street lighting.

[Yoshi @ Mar 6th 2009 12:03PM]

I've been using power LED from OSLAM for projection, which got 25W power. Though it generate so much heat. In fact it is a 15W
heat generator. To cool it I needed to mount 2"X2" heat-sink and a cooling fan, end up with the housing more or less same size as a halogen lamp. Since it has much larger aria, OLED may have less heat problem in its element still it warms up the room. (Hot toilet !!)
Efficiency is still not high enough.

[TAz00 @ Mar 6th 2009 10:24AM]

Uhm Philips is a bit slow?

http://www.oled-display.net/new-transparent-white-oled-from-osram
Posted: December 13th, 2007

[GodCentMe @ Mar 6th 2009 10:35AM]

This is kind of off topic but W/e...

Has anyone considered using OLEDs as backlighting for LCD's? I'd imagine in one or two years a plain white OLED will be fairly cheap way of having a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio LCD TV in addition to making the LCD thinner. Any thoughts?

[Bagels @ Mar 6th 2009 11:01AM]

I don't think that's off topic?? Isn't that the hypothetical future-development of this tech? First, light up glass, then eventually glass that you can turn on and use as a monitor? Imagine sections of your windshields outfitted w/ clear displays, like a HUD... makes Star Trek look like A Trip to the Moon! lol.

[Weet @ Mar 6th 2009 12:33PM]

No real reason to do it. If you're going to go to the expense of using OLEds you may as well just use an OLED screen in the first place =D Much better image quality.

[GodCentMe @ Mar 6th 2009 5:13PM]

I found the answer to my question:
http://digidelve.com/tech/collimating-microlens-array/

[Wolfticket @ May 20th 2009 5:28PM]

Yeah, OLED displays already exist and don't require a backlight.

[cwj @ Mar 6th 2009 10:41AM]

As though amateur stargazers and astronomers weren't already pissed light pollution.

[STINK @ Mar 6th 2009 12:15PM]

I'm sure the future Carl Sagans will love Tokyoflash-style blinkfests as they're trying to focus in on a star cluster.

I would have said 'focus in on Uranus', but that would be wrong.

[Dr. Spaceman @ Mar 6th 2009 11:55AM]

You shouldn't use a stall with walls made out of those unless you want people to see you taking a shit when the power goes out.

[Benson @ Mar 9th 2009 1:59PM]

But when the power goes out, they can't see you anyway (unless they have flashlights).

In fact, speaking of flashlights... I'm pretty sure these are just as transparent at full blast as they are when turned off -- all you need is to illuminate whatever's on the other side bright enough to see it through the emitted light.

There's a mint to be made by some Chinese firm selling gooseneck HID spotlights to pervs -- shine it over the top of the partition to illuminate the person next to you and you can see them -- shine it on yourself to flash everyone. (Not to encourage this at all -- just saying it'll happen.)

[Sven @ Mar 6th 2009 12:23PM]

gotta love that smile

[taknil @ Mar 6th 2009 3:26PM]

Well thats a nice development.
Think is: I'm in Berlin nearly everyday, what are you guys talking about?

[toyotaboy @ Mar 6th 2009 1:39PM]

For those that think high powered LED's with heatsinks are the future, nobody wants heat because it's a waste of energy. Ideally you want many many tiny surface mount LED's to create a bright array compared to one hot one.

OLED's are efficient, but I question the lumen output. They're great for decoration or highlighting.

[cronick @ Mar 6th 2009 2:42PM]

I was in Europe last year. All the bathroom stalls had holes in the sides. The locals called these "glory holes" and said they were for sharing toiletries, I guess so you wouldn't have to reach around under the stall if you dropped something. So, will these new fangled OLED toilet stalls have "glory holes" too?

[ScooterDe @ Mar 8th 2009 8:31AM]

wow, clearly you traveled the length of Europe, and presumably there are no nasty toilet blocks in America, huh?

[Plothole @ Mar 6th 2009 5:20PM]

I imagine the biggest application for this technology might be in augmented reality.

[loosely_coupled @ Mar 6th 2009 5:33PM]

"and stall dividers in trendy Germany toilets"

What happens when the voltage-regulator fails??