Enabling Innovation in Display Applications
In today’s fast-paced digital age, the prominence of digital displays extends far beyond our personal devices. They are instrumental in non-consumer sectors such as medical, transport, defense, industrial, and marine operations, enhancing efficiency, productivity, and safety. However, a central challenge these industries often grapple with is how to make these displays visible from specific viewing angles when it isn’t possible to position the display appropriately. This is where the innovative engineering concept of display redirection comes into play.
What is Display Redirection?
Display redirection is the technology of adjusting an image’s orientation or direction on a digital display screen to optimize visibility from a specific angle. This concept becomes crucial in environments where the display is not always directly in the viewer’s line of sight. Vehicles are a good example, but displays in marine, other transport and industrial installations can also face similar challenges.
The technology behind display redirection films relies on the principles of refraction and reflection. Image direction films are designed to control the direction of incident light at specific angles. This method ensures nearly all the light that falls on the film is transmitted through it, leading to redirected images that are virtually distortion-free. It’s this science that empowers the high-performance solutions offered by companies like Luminit and 3M.
Fused fiber optics is another method, a speciality of Incom, a company I have seen at Display Week. They group, fuse, and cut glass and polymer fibers enabling very innovative light and image redirection.
The Necessity of Display Redirection in Non-Consumer Sectors
Whether it’s a medical professional viewing a patient’s vital signs, a soldier checking navigation on a device, or a seafarer monitoring marine navigation systems, display visibility is pivotal in these sectors. Display redirection technologies play an essential role in ensuring clear, undistorted visibility, thus enhancing user experience and operational efficiency.
Technological Innovations in Display Redirection
Numerous companies are pioneering advancements in this field, developing state-of-the-art technologies that facilitate display redirection.
1. Luminit
Luminit’s groundbreaking light shaping diffusers can redirect images by up to 20%. Their thin film products alter light propagation, ensuring ergonomically optimized viewing experiences. The technology is invaluable in numerous industrial settings, where displays must be visible from specific positions and angles. Instrumentation in aviation, marine and industrial installations are applications that come to mind.
2. 3M
Although information is somewhat limited, 3M produces a range of Vikuity films designed to optimize image redirection. Enhancing image clarity and minimizing glare, these products have critical applications in sectors ranging from medical to defense. I saw these display films at DisplayWeek 2022 where 3M were showing example applications such as for the use in vehicles.
3. Incom
Incom utilizes a novel fiber optic technique for image redirection. Their fused fiber optic solutions capture, transport, and magnify images to provide optimal visibility and optical performance. This approach offers significant potential for customization and is employed across various non-consumer sectors including defense, aviation, automotive and gaming.
Enabling Innovation Through Display Redirection
With an understanding of these display redirection technologies, engineers can revolutionize existing applications and inspire creativity for new possibilities. For instance, a medical device might be re-engineered with redirected displays for better visibility, providing important legibility or clarity for healthcare professionals. Similarly, a military device could incorporate a redirected display, making it easier to read in challenging outdoor lighting conditions.
Conclusion
The need for display redirection in non-consumer sectors underscores the crucial role these technologies play in our interconnected world. Engineers equipped with knowledge of redirection techniques have the potential to significantly enhance user experience and operational efficiency across various industries.
Incorporating these redirection technologies into design processes can lead to innovations that could redefine the way we interact with digital displays, pushing the boundaries of accessibility, ergonomics, and overall user experience. As we continue to explore the full potential of display redirection technologies, the future promises to be even more vibrant, immersive, and user-centric.
Digital View
Digital View provides LCD controller boards to drive the displays used in applications like the above. Our goal is to enable displays in all types of installation and application.