Smarter coatings for brighter displays

A new research project unveiled today could mean an end to trying to cast a shadow over cash machine, PDA or laptop displays in an attempt to see them in bright sunlight.

Scientists from the University of Abertay Dundee and the University of Greenwich are joining forces with specialist screen and thin film coatings manufacturers in the £600,000 ENDSENSE project, which is part-funded by the Department of Trade & Industry.

The two-year project aims to develop new coatings for flat-panel display screens that will be able to sense light levels and adjust the output of the display to improve readability and efficiency.

Specialist custom electronics manufacturers Micro Circuit Engineering and Thin Film Solutions will develop new designs of screen assemblies with novel coatings, and the two universities will collaborate to provide sophisticated usability testing and computer modelling to test the new designs.

The results of the project will enable traditional and emerging display technologies to be more viewable and energy efficient in a wide range of ambient light conditions. As well as better displays for a wide variety of applications, the research team believes that its new technology could also open up other applications in solar cells and photovoltaic devices.