2 days ago
Eazeye's UHR Technology Makes Computer Displays More Efficient And Reduces Eye Strain
Using a display outdoors can be almost impossible in bright sunlight. With RLCD screens, the ... More brighter the better.
When LCD flat displays were first launched some 20 years ago, they were the epitome of innovation. Over the ensuing years, that technology has matured and developed with new features like OLEDs and micro-LED backlighting.
Now, according to Eazeye, a Hong Kong-based startup, the next big development in display technology could be Ultra-High Reflectivity which makes Reflective LCD screens more efficient and effective.
Eazeye has developed the Eazeye 2.0, a 24-inch RLCD computer screen that addresses some of the issues and drawbacks with traditional LCDs that use artificial backlighting, which can cause eye strain and consume a lot of energy.
With UHR technology, Eazeye claims to have increased the transmissibility of natural light when used to illuminate computer screens. The company says that its technology offers many benefits, including a reduction in eye strain and much lower energy consumption.
Reflective LCDs perform far better in strong ambient light.
Traditional LCDs used in television screens, computer monitors and smartphone displays exploit the unique properties of liquid crystals. LCDs use the precise control of light polarization by using an electrical field. When a voltage is applied to LCDs, molecules align themselves and alter the polarization of any light passing through them. It's this controlled polarization of the LCD that produces images on the screen.
However, to get a viewable image, the LCDs require a backlight. Backlighting typically consists of either cold cathode fluorescent lamps or LEDs that illuminate the LCD panel from behind to produce enough brightness to illuminate a clear and visible image.
The type of backlighting used with LDCs can significantly affect the quality of the display. There must be enough light to overcome the polarization filters while producing a uniform illumination across the entire width of the screen. Over the years, there have been many improvements in backlight technology which have led to a boost in display quality using more efficient and brighter LEDs.
These developments have been good for the global market for LCDs. It's growing exponentially and the global market was valued at $148.60 billion in 2021. That figure is projected to rise to $1,422.83 billion by 2029, expanding at a CAGR of 32.63%, according to Data Bridge Market Research.
The new Eazeye 2.0 display has video inputs for USB-C and HDMI.
All these LCD devices rely on artificial backlighting which has its drawbacks in terms of eye strain and high-energy consumption. To address this, Eazeye 2.0 has integrated a Reflective LCD screen into a portable and easy-to-use monitor.
RLCD technology is different from the backlit screens used in laptops and phones. Instead of using a powered backlight, RLCDs use reflected ambient light from the front to create a more paper-like appearance that's easier on the eye and uses much less energy. The slight downside is that colors are not quite as saturated as a regular backlit display which means it's not ideal for critical color applications like Photoshop editing or the color-grading of videos.
RLCD displays typically have a reflectivity index of about 20%. E-Ink displays used in devices like e-readers have a reflectivity index of over 50%, the lower reflectivity of RLCD creates a significant challenge. The reason for this lower reflectivity is that much of the light reaching the RLCD screen is reflected off the liquid crystal substrate layer.
This inefficiency in RLCD technology can be overcome by applying a UHR coating to the substrate. UHR minimizes unwanted reflections while maximizing the interaction of ambient light with the liquid crystal layer to make the display brighter and more efficient.
Reflective LCD screens can be slightly less saturated so may not be suitable for color critical ... More applications.
The UHR coating in the Eazeye 2.0 display fundamentally changes how RLCD displays interact with light. The design is based on the concept of the interference phenomenon of light, which happens when light interacts with surfaces that have different refractive indices.
When light strikes the interface between two materials with different refractive indices—such as glass and air—some of the light is reflected while the rest is transmitted through the material. In conventional RLCD displays, much of this reflected light is wasted, leading to dimmer and less-efficient screens.
UHR enables increased light to pass through the LCD screen and it's this optimization that boosts the Eazeye 2.0's ability to utilize ambient light more efficiently which provides a brighter and more vivid image while also reducing glare.
According to Eazeye 2.0, there are many benefits to using ambient light to illuminate LCDs. Firstly, ambient lighting results in the display's colors and brightness intensity blending in with the surrounding environment. Additionally, the light source is not directly next to the viewer's eyes, as in the case of LED backlit displays.
The 24-inch Eazeye 2.0 display has a handy kickstand and is light enough to be portable. It can be ... More powered from a host computer's USB-C port.
Eazeye 2.0 says RLCDs offer greater comfort during prolonged usage. Furthermore, a standard portable LCD monitor typically uses 40W of power to produce the ambient light. Eazeye's 2.0 use of ambient light in its RLCD uses just 7W of power to apply a voltage to the LCDs, which is around a third of the power used in traditional displays.
Traditionally backlit monitors often display dim and unsaturated images when they are used outdoors because the viewing side must be brighter than the surroundings. Conversely, Eazeye's 2.0 display technology relies on the brightness of the surrounding environment to produce a vibrant image and yet uses only a fraction of the energy consumed by traditional displays.
With its lightweight and thin form because of the absence of backlights, an Eazeye 2.0 display is more suitable for outdoor use. Eazeye 2.0 says RLCDs can shine brighter than any phone or laptop currently on the market when used outdoors in bright conditions. This enables the user to carry on working wherever they are. With traditional monitors, users are often restricted by the need for a constant power source or charged battery.
The Eazeye 2.0 display can be used without an external power supply so it can be used almost anywhere and can be set up in seconds. All users of the display need to do is pull out the kickstand and connect the screen to a host device using a USB-C cable. Eazeye says the screen can work all day without draining the battery of the host phone or computer it's being used with.
The Eazeye 2.0 24-inch RLCD display is shipping now and priced at $999 / £753 / €874. New customers can sign up to receive a 10% discount.
