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BASF, Philips team up to create transparent OLED car roof
If you're the sort who wished your car had a transparent roof when the rain falls down but want some shielding when the sun's up (or, you know, vice versa) then BASF have good news for you. It's showing off the transparent OLED technology it developed with Philips that behaves like glass when inactive, turning opaque when activated. We're already familiar with the technology here, because it's the same kit that the chemicals giant showed off on its custom Smart Forvision it produced with Daimler back in September. As before, it's also been able to pair them up with transparent solar cells, for environmentally friendly sky watching: just remember that people will be able to see you pick your nose from all angles now, okay?
Samsung gets tired of neighbors watching its Transparent Smart Window, installs blinds
Sammy's transparent OLED displays may not be the freshest piece of tech at CES, but its still pretty dang awesome. We first saw Samsung's 46-inch 1920 x 1080 digitally augmented window back in March, but dropped by its CES booth for a second look. Although the touchscreen window still teases to fulfill our fevered sci-fi dreams, not much has changed -- it's still clear, it's still loaded with widgets, and it's still not anywhere near being installed in your home. Samsung told us this was still a concept device, although they did mention that the technology could be scaled down for use in military visors and heads up displays. Hit the break to see a video demo of a few new apps, including a rather slick set of digital blinds.Joe Pollicino contributed to this report.
Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com. The quality of a mobile phone's display is arguably the most important factor to consider when you establish a relationship with a handset. It's inescapable, really. Whether you're playing a rousing game of Robot Unicorn Attack or (regrettably) drunk-dialing an ex, it's the one interface element that you're consistently interacting with. It's your window to the world and your canvas for creation, and if it's lousy, it's going to negatively influence everything you see and do. Today, we're delving into the world of mobile displays, where we're aiming to entertain and edify, and hopefully save you from making regrettable decisions -- when it comes to purchasing new phones, anyway. In this edition of Primed, we'll be examining the different qualities and underlying technologies of several displays, starting with the ubiquitous TFT-LCD and moving through the nascent realm of glasses-free 3D and beyond. We'll also be addressing the importance of resolution and pixel density. Finally, we'll be scoping out a handful of upcoming technologies -- while some are thoroughly intriguing, others are just plain wacky. Go ahead... buy the ticket, take the ride, and join us after the break. It's Primed time.
TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer
TDK is taking those transparent OLED screens we saw back in October and putting them into mass production. The 2.4-inch, QVGA (240 x 320) UEL476 display has a transmittance of 40 percent, but obscures light passing through the front so others won't be able to read your text messages from behind. Obviously, these aren't going to find their way into high-end Android handsets, but they may have a home in fashion phones like Lenovo's S800. And, you know, they seem perfect for SMS addicts who can't stop their thumbs from flying even while walking. Check out the full PR after the break.
Eye-tracking microdisplay delivers Terminator vision, distracts joggers
The folks at Fraunhofer IPMS have done it! After years of tireless research and promises of Borg-like eyewear, the group has delivered a prototype of the world's first bidirectional, eye-tracking OLED microdisplay (got all that?) at SID 2011. The rig is much like a monocle, except with a transparent OLED display inside, which overlays digital information on top of the reflected light that usually hits your eyeballs. What's more, there are integrated photodetectors inside and special software to monitor the direction of your gaze, allowing you to interact with your newfound augmented reality using only the flick of an eyeball. Fraunhofer foresees joggers taking in movies while out for a run, which sounds more than just a little dangerous. We, on the other hand, envision a world in which the first thing anyone does upon meeting someone new is discreetly check their relationship status on Facebook -- finally fulfilling the social network's full creep potential. One more pic and the poorly translated PR after the break.
Kia Naimo concept EV debuts: 93mph, 124-mile range, and suicide doors
Kia's really been cranking out the cute little concepts lately, and they unveiled another one today at the Seoul Motor Show. Dubbed the Naimo, this four suicide-door EV is trimmed to the nines with tech, including an "air wiper" -- a powerful air jet at the base of the windshield -- instead of regular squeegees, mini cameras in the A-pillar instead of sideview mirrors, and a transparent OLED instrument panel. Get up and go is provided by an 80kW motor and a 27 kWh Lithium ion polymer battery pack, a combo that hustles you up to 93mph and gets you 124 miles on a charge thanks to some fancy low-drag alloy dubs -- though we're pretty sure it can't do both at the same time. We like the looks of this slick little four-seater, but time will tell if the Naimo ever actually hits the streets. Check the gallery below, and press release after the break. %Gallery-120187%
TDK flexes its transparent OLED muscles with CEATEC demonstrations
Finally a bit of competition to pep up the transparent OLED market. Samsung and LG seem to have had this party all to themselves until now, but TDK is stepping in with a 2-inch passive matrix screen and a humble QVGA (320 x 240) resolution. Sure, those aren't groundbreaking specs, but a claimed 50 percent transmittance -- meaning that half of what's behind the screen can be seen through it -- beats its Korean competitors rather handily. Another prototype being shown off by the company is a 3.5-inch flexible OLED panel that redefines thinness with a slinky 0.3mm profile. It's made using a resin substrate and covers an unimpressive 256 x 54 pixels at the moment, but again, that's just how good things get started: with small steps of awesome. We'll keep an eye out for both of these as we prowl the halls of CEATEC 2010.
Kia Pop recharges in 6 hours with 87mph top speed and 100-mile range
After an August tease the all-electric Kia Pop concept car is now getting a proper reveal at the Paris Motor Show. Pop is a three-meter long three seater featuring a number of futuristic touches like rear-view cameras in each door, a full length glass roof, and an otherwise transparent OLED panel that displays all your instrument readouts only when the car is running. A second touch panel to the right of the steering wheel controls the vehicle's other functions including audio, sat-nav, and climate. Under the hood you'll find a 60-ps, 190-Nm motor powered by lithium polymer gel batteries capable of charging in just six hours. Combined we're looking at an 87mph (140kph) top speed and 100-mile (160-km) max range. Of course, knowing the auto industry, by the time it hits the assembly lines it'll likely resemble an unimaginative shoebox using whatever off-the-shelf parts Kia can find. But a boy can dream can't he?%Gallery-103731%
Microsoft hints at touchless Surface combining camera and transparent OLED (video)
We've always wondered whether Microsoft's multitouch table would actually ever arrive, dreaming of Minority Report hijinx all the while, but after seeing what the company's Applied Sciences Group is currently cooking up -- a touchless telepresence display -- we'd rather drop that antiquated pinch-to-zoom stuff in favor of what might be Surface's next generation. Starting with one of Samsung's prototype transparent OLED panels, Microsoft dropped a sub-two-inch camera behind the glass, creating a 3D gesture control interface that tracks your every move by literally seeing through the display. Combined with that proprietary wedge-shaped lens we saw earlier this month and some good ol' Johnny Chung Lee headtracking by the man himself, we're looking at one hell of a screen. Don't you dare read another word without seeing the prototype in a trifecta of videos after the break.
Samsung demos 19-inch transparent AMOLED display
We don't know what kind of display-making genii Samsung has locked away in its R&D labs, but the Korean giant is once again demonstrating a world's first. This time we're looking at a 19-inch transparent AMOLED display, taking the technology up from the 14-inch model we saw live at CES in January. The company has now achieved a 30 percent transparency on its designs, and its ideas for how they may be used are fittingly futuristic. Samsung envisions storefront advertising, à la your favorite sci-fi movie, as well as HUDs for helmets and car windshields -- maybe if TomTom can secure a supply of these screens, the dedicated GPS device can find a way to live on after all.
Samsung's 14-inch transparent OLED laptop (video)
If you thought the XPERIA Pureness was wild with its meager 1.8-inch transparent screen, wait'll you get a hold of Samsung Mobile Display's prototype 14-inch notebook -- complete with what's being touted as the world's first and largest transparent OLED prototype. When the thing is off, the panel is up to 40 percent transparent (as opposed to the industry average of below twenty-five percent). Not much more to say about it (we'll let you know as soon as our friends from Korea tell us more), but there is plenty to see: so get a load of the video after the break.
Transparent OLED rearview mirror both dazzles and distracts
Although we've been hearing about transparent OLEDs for years now, mum's been the word on an actual product. So far the focus has been on Germany, but it looks like some interesting things have been going down in Korea as well. Researchers at ETRI (the flexible OLED folks) have apparently applied for 51 patents both nationally and internationally for the tech, including one for a transparent oxide resistor that helps increase the aperture ratio of AMOLEDs. And while all this is going down, NeoView KOLON has unveiled a new prototype rearview mirror that utilizes a transparent OLED display for -- well, displaying things. Just be sure to keep your eyes on the road, eh?Read - "Korean Researchers Develop Transparent Transistors OLED Displays"Read - "Neoview Kolon transparent OLED prototype"
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]
German researchers develop another transparent OLED technique
Looks like Fraunhofer's researchers aren't the only Germans able to get in on the transparent OLED thing. It appears some researchers at the Technical University of Braunschweig are claiming to have developed a technique for embedding OLED pixels on layers of transparent TFTs, creating see-through displays that could be manufactured cheaply with flexible plastics capable of withstanding extreme temperatures. Apparently the transparent displays, which were up to (and over) twice the brightness of today's displays, should be ready to rock in two years -- just in time for us to renovate the Department Of Precrime set we use act out Minority Report in during our lunch hour. Is it now?
