New “Quantum Dots” Means Roll-Up TVs/Computer Displays Are on the Way

Researchers from NANOCO have not only invented a new way to create flat screen television and computer screens, they're in the process of bringing it to market as soon as this spring. The quantum dots technology would replace the currently crop of LCD and LED flat screens currently sold in most electronics stores. Industry analysts expect the new technology will mean drastically reduced prices for all types of consumer electronics products - from flat screen TV's, to computer monitor's to Smartphone displays. According to the Telegraph, the new technology is actually the brainchild of researchers working out of Manchester University in England.

In addition to reduced production costs, the quantum dots technology is expected to lead to display technology that can be sold in rolls, making possible wall-paper that can display moving imagery such as a rising sun or a windswept pastoral scene; in essence, whatever the user wants.

The new technology is based on a new kind of light emitting crystal that is several orders of magnitude smaller than the crystals currently used in LCD displays. They are so small that a thousand of them could be set on to the end of a human hair. Best of all, they can be printed onto a plethora of materials, making them useful in a large variety of applications. Initial uses for the new technology is expected to be in large screen televisions as there is already a market for them. But NANOCO says that they already have agreements in place with other companies to use the new material in flexible products, foretelling such devices as computer or phone screens that can rolled up and put in a pocket when not in use. For Smartphone users, this could mean freedom from having to stare at tiny screens. If successful, the technology could lead to more applications being written for Smartphones to take advantage of the larger screens, thus further eroding on the market currently served by desktop, laptop, and notebook computers. Portable devices such as the iPad are expected to use the new technology as well, making them less prone to cracking if sat on or dropped.

One hurdle for the new technology will have to jump is the problem of designing a new processor for all those dots. Current processors for both televisions and computer screens only need to figure out which color to display for 1024x768 screens. With the new technology, the number dots that need to be sent signals individually count jump to the billions, necessitating a lot more processing power and speed. For the first crop of products, i.e. flat screen TV's dots will be bunched together creating a virtual 1024x768 viewing area, obviating the need for more processing power.