ACHIN BHOWMIK, SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION DISPLAY (SID)
The technical and commercial breakthroughs that have characterized progress in visual display technologies during the past six-plus decades have revolutionized the viewing experience. These advancements have also served to redefine our relationships with technologies, and in doing so, they have significantly influenced our societal dynamics.
Beginning with the explosion of early televisions based on cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) in the mid-20th century, then evolving into today’s sophisticated liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens, each innovation along the way has reshaped entertainment, education, and communication. The Society for Information Display (SID) has been an active champion for these and other advancements, pushing for innovation, collaboration, and fostering ideals that aim to set the pace for what once seemed to be impossible in display technology.
A look into past, present, and future trends in display technology innovations illuminates their pivotal role in shaping the frontiers of human-technology interfaces and interactions. Perhaps on a microscale, such investigation also
unveils how advancements in display technology are enabling continual streams of consumer devices that themselves play a leading role in such interactions.
A historical overview
In many ways, the history of display technology mirrors the story of modern innovation. The era began with CRTs, which were pivotal in bringing television to the masses. This technology, based on electron beams illuminating phosphor dots inside vacuum tubes, dominated for decades and ultimately became a cultural mainstay. Distinct advancements from the 1950s to the 1970s spanned the advent and improvement of color broadcasting as well as major improvements to picture quality and television set design.
The evolution of the television during the past half-century illustrates the progress in display technologies. Courtesy of iStock.com/simonkr and iStock.com/Stockbyte (top).
The introduction of LCDs dawned a new era in the late 1970s. Using liquid crystals to modulate light, LCDs marked a shift from bulky CRTs and yielded thinner, lighter, and more energy-efficient screens. LCDs also emerged as a baseline component in everything from digital watches and calculators to monitors and televisions in this era.
In the 1990s, plasma display panels marked another major leap in display technology. Offering superior color accuracy and wider viewing angles, plasma screens accelerated the transition to larger flat-panel televisions. This shift changed home entertainment and public display environments, such as airports and shopping centers. The eventual decline in plasma displays occurred in parallel to continued advancements in LCD technology. Superior energy efficiency, thinner profiles, lighter weights, and better overall performance — at a lower cost — were the most notable areas of improvements to LCDs toward the end of the 20th century.
Now, the 21st century is ushering in its own revolution, characterized by LEDs and OLEDs. LEDs, known for their low energy consumption and long lifespan, are dominant in various applications, including lighting and digital signage. OLED technology, featuring self-illuminating pixels, offers unparalleled contrast ratios, color accuracy, and design flexibility for devices. Ultrathin, flexible, and curved displays, aiming to redefine the aesthetics and functionality of electronic devices, are an ongoing area of technological progress.
Societal influence and new devices
Display technologies are among the direct drivers of the ever-changing societal dynamics. In the entertainment arena, they have transformed cinematic and television experiences. High-definition and ultrahigh-definition displays are now standard, dramatically enhancing visual quality and viewer immersion. This technological evolution has also led to the rise of streaming services and on-demand content, vastly reshaping the media landscape.
In the sphere of personal computing and mobile devices, compact and efficient displays have catalyzed a digital revolution. Smartphones, tablets, and ultralight laptops reshaped communication, work, and leisure, fostering a globally interconnected digital ecosystem, spanning both professional and personal interactions.
The next wave is already emerging, with the rise of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices. Unsurprisingly, LCD and OLED technologies are pivotal enablers of these systems, providing high-resolution, low-latency, and energy-efficient display capabilities that enhance the immersive and interactive experience. Indeed, the permeation of cutting-edge displays extends to a full range of sectors, enveloping industry, education, the life sciences, and more.
In health care, for example, high-resolution displays enhance medical imaging and diagnostic capabilities, improving patient care and enabling better treatment. Advanced display technologies provide clearer, more detailed visualizations, aiding more accurate diagnoses and precise surgical procedures. And they improve medical training through effective simulation-based learning to elevate the standards of medical practice and care.
The education sector also benefits from interactive and digital displays. Traditional learning environments have evolved to incorporate digital whiteboards, tablets, VR, and AR, making education more accessible and compelling by supporting previously unattainable levels of interactivity and interconnectedness.
Future of display technologies
The future of display technologies holds boundless possibilities. Emerging micro-LED technology offers numerous benefits compared with existing devices, producing superior brightness, contrast, pixel density, and color accuracy. These displays also boast higher energy efficiency and longer lifespans. With continued progress in manufacturing capabilities, especially in scalability, micro-LEDs are poised to revolutionize applications ranging from lightweight eye-worn displays to large-scale digital signage and television screens. This is expected to provide more immersive and visually stunning experiences.
Innovations in flexible, transparent, and 3D displays are meanwhile establishing paradigms in design, as well as in functionality. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in display technologies and systems promises to yield more adaptive, responsive, and immersive user experiences. This integration signifies a move toward visual interfaces that not only continue to present information, but that also understand and interact with their environments and users no matter the setting.
The role of SID
The journey from CRTs to OLEDs to micro-LEDs, and possibilities for the future that these advancements foreshadow, illustrate a vibrant field. Still, these advancements neither take place nor offer their maximum benefits in a vacuum.
As a hub for professionals in academia, industry, and R&D, SID fosters ongoing innovation for the display technologies community. Through its conferences, publications, and collaborative projects, SID advocates for imaging and display technology innovation, sets industry standards, and fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Moreover, the organization is committed to the education and training of skilled professionals. This begins by preparing specialists to tackle emerging challenges and opportunities in this dynamic field of human-technology interfaces.