Table of Contents Veritas et Visus Vol 8 No 3 April 2014.pdf · Veritas et Visus High Resolution...

Table of Contents

NASA, p6 BAE Systems, p20 K-Glass, p21 RIEGL, p23 Von Ardenne, p47 Letter from the publisher: Celestial diamond ringsby Mark Fihn 2

High resolution news from around the world 4

International Display Workshops, December 4-6, 2013, Sapporo, Japan 27

Multimedia, October 21-25, 2013, Barcelona, Spain 34

Plastic Electronics Conference, October 8-10, 2013, Dresden, Germany 38

EuroDisplay, September 16-19, 2013, London, England 41

Printed Electronics Asia, July 9-10, 2013, Tokyo, Japan 45

Large-area Organic Printed Electronics Convention, June 11-13, 2013, Munich, Germany 47

IMI Inkjet Technology Showcase, June 5-6, 2013, Barcelona, Spain 50

International Symposium on Pervasive Displays, June 4-5, 2013, Mountain View, California 53

SID Touch Gesture Motion Conference, May 22, 2013, Vancouver, British Columbia 57

Interview with LX Rudis from NanoTech by Andy Marken 58

Why Full-Gamut Color is a Required Capability for LCD TVs by Seth Coe-Sullivan 62

Last Word: LG OLED TV display technology shoot-out by Raymond Soneira 68

Display Industry Calendar 72

High Resolution is focused on bringing news and commentary about the developments associated with high performance displays and the human factors that create demand better display products. High Resolution is published electronically 10 times annually by Veritas et Visus, 3305 Chelsea Place, Temple, Texas, USA, 76502. Phone: +1 254 791 0603. http:/www.veritasetvisus.com

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Mark Fihn [email protected] Managing Editor Phillip Hill [email protected] Operations Manager Cheryl Fihn [email protected] Contributors: Seth Coe-Sullivan, Andy Marken, Ray Soneira

Subscription rate: US$47.99 annually. Single issues: US$7.99 each. Hard copy subscriptions are available upon request, at a rate based on location and mailing method. Copyright 2014 by Veritas et Visus. All rights reserved. Veritas et Visus disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks or names of others.

High Resolution

Veritas et Visus April 2014 Vol 8 No 3

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Veritas et Visus High Resolution April 2014

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Celestial diamond rings

by Mark Fihn The first well-documented use of a diamond ring to signify engagement was by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria in imperial court of Vienna in 1477, upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy. This then influenced those of higher social class and of significant wealth to give diamond rings to their loved ones. But the custom did not really become commonplace until De Beers, the international diamond group, began an active marketing campaign in 1947, A Diamond is Forever. Ultimately, the De Beers campaign sought to persuade the consumer that an engagement ring is indispensable, and that a diamond is the only acceptable stone for an engagement ring. The campaign was very successful. Reportedly, in 1940 only 10% of engagement rings had diamonds. By 1990, 80% did. OK, so what do diamond rings have to do with the topic of high resolution? Well, not much, except that ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) recently captured the remarkably round planetary nebula Abell 33, located some 1500 light-years from Earth. Being perfectly round is uncommon for these objects usually something disturbs the symmetry and causes the planetary nebula to display irregular shapes. The strikingly bright star located along the rim of the nebula creates a beautiful illusion in this VLT image. This is just a chance alignment the star, named HD 83535, lies in the foreground of the nebula about halfway between Earth and Abell 33, in just the right place to make this view even more beautiful. Together, HD 83535 and Abell 33 create a sparkling diamond ring.

This image of a Video Wall Solution by DDW captured my imagination. Im quite sure that no such video wall exists, but I am also a firm believer in the notion that if you can imagine something, it quite likely is possible. Displays like this one are quite imaginable and I suspect will exist in the not too distant future. I count 20 by 8 displays. If they are 72-inch displays at 3840x2160 pixels, that comes to a 108-foot diagonal at 1.3-gigapixels. Now imagine they are

100-inch displays at 7680x4320 pixels


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High resolution news from around the world

compiled by Phillip Hill and Mark Fihn

Gospell and Celeno establish strategic relationships to design Wi-Fi high definition video solutions Celeno Communications, a provider of high-performance Wi-Fi chips and software for home networking applications, and CVW, a provider of wireless video transmission modules and products announced the integration of Celenos industry leading Wi-Fi chipsets across a range of new CVW products launched at CES: long range, robust Wi-Fi high definition video connectivity enabling content sharing for tablets, smart phones, cameras and set-top boxes, as well as for enhanced wireless surveillance solutions. The increased focus on HD Wi-Fi capabilities connects to a wide trend that emphasizes high quality, robust and long-range connectivity across devices. As ownership of multiple personal and professional HD devices increases, the importance of delivering quality-assured wireless content grows, and effective bandwidth management becomes critical in ensuring consumers are able to enjoy consistently seamless connectivity across the full range of their devices. http://www.celeno.com http://www.gospell.com

Amazon Studios to shoot original drama and comedy series in 4K Amazon Studios, the original film and TV production arm of Amazon.com, announced that it plans to shoot all 2014 full original series, including comedies and dramas, in 4K Ultra HD. 4K utilizes displays with an aspect ratio of at least 16:9 and capable of showcasing video at a resolution of 3,840x2,160 pixels or 8.3 million pixels. 4K means customers can enjoy their favorite movies and TV shows with unprecedented picture clarity. Amazon has also introduced a 4K Ultra HDTV Guide at www.amazon.com/4K. Customers will find helpful information about the differences between 4K and regular high definition, an HD pixel comparison chart, a graph that illustrates the various jumps in resolution from standard definition all the way to 4K, factors that impact picture quality, and a guide on relevant terminology. Customers will also find Amazons selection of the latest models of 4K TVs and 4K compatible receivers and Blu-ray players. http://www.amazon.com

Spike S-512 Supersonic Jet will have screens instead of windows Spike Aerospace, designers of the Spike S-512 supersonic business jet, has just announced another innovation in aircraft design they plan to incorporate into the jet. The new supersonic jet will feature a revolutionary windowless passenger cabin so no more glaring sun and no more shades to pull down or push up. Instead, the interior walls will be covered with a thin display screen embedded into the wall. Cameras surrounding the entire aircraft will construct breathtaking panoramic views displayed on the cabin screens. Passengers will be able to dim the screens to catch some sleep or change it to one of the many scenic images stored in the system. There are several reasons for removing the windows from the cabin. It has long been known that the windows cause significant challenges in designing and constructing an aircraft fuselage. They require addition structural support, add to the parts count and add weight to the aircraft. But until recently, it has not been possible to do without them. With the micro-cameras and flat displays now available, Spike Aerospace can eliminate the structural issues with windows and reduce the

aircraft weight. In addition, the very smooth exterior skin will reduce the drag normally caused by having windows. The supersonic jet design already incorporates the latest technologies including composite material, advanced avionics and propulsion system. The interior design and windowless cabin is one more innovation the company is incorporating into the design. http://www.spikeaerospace.com/

Spike Aerospace has announced that its S-512 will feature a windowless cabin

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NASA's gigantic Milky Way panorama captures more than half of the galaxys stars in 360-degree view Touring the Milky Way now is as easy as clicking a button with NASA's new zoomable, 360-degree mosaic. The star-studded panorama of our galaxy is constructed from more than 2 million infrared snapshots taken over the past 10 years by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The 20-gigapixel mosaic uses Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope visualization platform. It captures about three percent of our sky, but because it focuses on a band around Earth where the plane of the Milky Way lies, it shows more than half of all the galaxy's stars. The image, derived primarily from the Galactic Legacy Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire project, or GLIMPSE, is online at: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/glimpse360. Spitzer launched into space in 2003 and has spent more than 10 years studying everything from asteroids in our solar system to the most remote galaxies at the edge of the observable universe. In this time, it has spent a total of 4,142 hours (172 days) taking pictures of the disk, or plane, of our Milky Way galaxy in infrared light. This is the first time those images have been stitched together into a single, expansive view. Our galaxy is a flat spiral disk; our solar system sits in the outer one-third of the Milky Way, in one of its spiral arms. When we look toward the center of our galaxy, we see a crowded, dusty region jam-packed with stars. Visible-light telescopes cannot look as far into this region because the amount of dust increases with distance, blocking visible starlight. Infrared light, however, travels through the dust and allows Spitzer to view past the galaxy's center. Using GLIMPSE data, astronomers have created the most accurate map of the large central bar of stars that marks the center of the galaxy, revealing the Milky Way to be slightly larger than previously thought. GLIMPSE images have also shown a galaxy riddled with bubbles. These bubble structures are cavities around massive stars, which blast wind and radiation into their surroundings. All together, the data allow scientists to build a more global model of stars, and star formation in the galaxy -- what some call the "pulse" of the Milky Way. Spitzer can see faint stars in the backcountry of our galaxy -- the outer, darker regions that went largely unexplored before. The Spitzer team previously released an image compilation showing 130 degrees of our galaxy, focused on its hub. The new 360-degree view will guide NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope to the most interesting sites of star-formation, where it will make even more detailed infrared observations. Some sections of the GLIMPSE mosaic include longer-wavelength data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, which scanned the whole sky in infrared light. http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/news/1624-ssc2014-02-NASA-s-Spitzer-Telescope-Brings-360-Degree-View-of-Galaxy-to-Our-Fingertips

The 20-gigapixel panorama is compiled from more than 2 million individual snaps. Though the image is undeniably huge, it actually only shows around three percent of the sky. However, due to the images focus on the dense flat

plane of our home galaxys spiral disk structure, it actually captures more than half of the Milky Ways stars.

NTU solar cell material can absorb light during the day and emit light at night In the future, when a mobile or tablet runs out of battery, you could just recharge it by putting it out in the sun. Nanyang Technological University (NTU) scientists have developed a next-generation solar cell material which can also emit light, in addition to converting light to electricity. This solar cell is developed from perovskite, a promising material that could hold the key to creating high-efficiency, inexpensive solar cells. The new cells not

http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/glimpse360http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/news/1624-ssc2014-02-NASA-s-Spitzer-Telescope-Brings-360-Degree-View-of-Galaxy-to-Our-Fingertipshttp://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/news/1624-ssc2014-02-NASA-s-Spitzer-Telescope-Brings-360-Degree-View-of-Galaxy-to-Our-Fingertips


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only glow when electricity passes through them, but they can also be customized to emit different colors. This discovery, published in Nature Materials, was discovered almost by chance when NTU physicist Sum Tze Chien, asked his postdoctoral researcher Xing Guichuan to shine a laser on the new hybrid perovskite solar cell material they are developing. Assistant Professor Sum said to the teams surprise, the new perovskite solar cell glowed brightly when a laser beam was shone on it. This is a significant finding as most solar cell materials are good at absorbing light but are generally not expected to generate light. In fact, this highly luminescent new perovskite material is also very suitable for the making of lasers. This newly discovered property is expected to enable the industry to feasibly adopt the material for use into existing technology. What they have now is a solar cell material that can be made semi-translucent. It can be used as tinted glass to replace current windows, yet it is able to generate electricity from sunlight. Such a versatile yet low-cost material would be a boon for green buildings. It is pretty straightforward to modify the procedures to fabricate light emitting devices as well. More significantly, the ability of this material to lase has implications for on-chip electronic devices that source, detect and control light. The advanced material, which is currently patent pending, is five times cheaper than current silicon-based solar cells. This is due to its easy solution-based manufacturing process, which works by combining two or more chemicals at room temperature. http://media.ntu.edu.sg

A new perovskite solar cell has been found have light absorbing and light emitting properties

TowerJazz and Gpixel announce worlds highest resolution 150-megapixel full-frame CMOS image sensor

TowerJazz and Gpixel, a custom IC design house in China, announced the release of Gpixels worlds highest resolution CMOS image sensor using TowerJazzs TS18IS technology. Gpixels 150-megapixel full-frame CMOS image sensor (GMAX3005) will target the demanding medical, industrial and scientific imaging markets. According to a 2014 image sensors report by Yole, sensors for automotive, machine vision, security and surveillance were ranked as fast emerging markets with a CAGR over 20% each. The new sensor from Gpixel and additional products expected to be released this year will answer the growing demand in China for high end image sensors. Gpixels GMAX3005 is a monochrome CMOS image sensor, offering a world record 150MP active pixel resolution, and is capable of running at ten frames per second at full frame with even higher frame rates achieved in row-windowing mode. This wafer-scale sensor has a 167.6x30.1mm chip size including 165x27.5mm photon-sensitive area. GMAX3005 has 16-bit on-chip ADC with 12-bit ENOB, and 120 LVDS output pairs running at 200Mbps. The sensor consumes less than 2.5W at full frame rate in full resolution. GMAX3005 sits in an ultra-flat 395-pin PGA ceramic package with excellent heat dissipation and reliability. GMAX3005 is ideal for applications that require high sensitivity; it reaches a noise level of less than 4e-, a dynamic range of 75.4dB, and over 70% quantum efficiency at 550nm wavelength. GMAX3005 has a dark current as low as 10e-/s/pixel at 32C, which makes long exposure possible even without active cooling. These performance results place it in the category of high end industrial grade sensors matching the capabilities of the best sensors available in the market today. http://www.gpixelinc.com http://www.towerjazz.com

Toshiba gives details of Satellite P50t laptop with 4K display The Satellite P50t, which, along with the Tecra W50, Toshiba claims is the world's first 4K laptop. The company has now revealed details about its UHD-capable P50t. The 15.6-inch P50t runs Windows 8.1 and is available with just a 1920x1080 Full HD screen, but the version with a 300 nit, 3840x2160 Ultra HD display has four times as many pixels as a Full HD with 282 pixels per inch. Toshiba has worked on the UHD displays with Portrait Technologies, using its ChromaTune software to provide greater levels of color accuracy and control, as well as to gain Technicolor Color Certification, a color certification program that Technicolor and Portrait Technologies have

http://media.ntu.edu.sg/NewsReleases/Pages/newsdetail.aspx?news=0d73dfa3-a05a-4fd2-acfe-57d0e795cfc2http://www.gpixelinc.com/http://www.towerjazz.com/


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partnered to create. The certification is aimed at providing a means for display manufacturers to assure their customers that their screen is providing an accurate color representation of what was intended. Ultra HD and 3D support is provided via the P50t's HDMI output, meaning users can connect to and playback 4K content on compatible displays. A Blu-ray TM BD-RE (XL) drive is also available and users content can be easily shared between devices using its integrated Intel Wireless Display technology and four USB 3.0 ports. The P50t is powered by an Intel 4th generation Core Quad-Core i7 processor and an AMD Radeon R9 M265X graphics card, with 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM. Up to 16GB of 1600MHz DDR3L RAM is supported, and up to 1TB of 5400rpm HDD storage. Other features include 10-point multi-touch support and two Harman Kardon stereo speakers with Slip Stream Technology tuned by DTS Sound audio enhancement. Battery life is reported to be up to 5 hours between charges. Pricing has not been announced, but the Satellite P50t is expected to be available from the second quarter of 2014. http://www.toshiba.com/us/

Toshiba has announced details of its Satellite P50t laptop

Samsung partners with 20th Century Fox to establish new UHD content ecosystem Samsung Electronics announced a strategic partnership with Hollywood movie studio 20th Century Fox. Focused on establishing a secure and sustainable next-generation Ultra High Definition (UHD) content ecosystem, the partnership will deliver a variety of UHD content to consumers via Samsungs Smart Hub platform across the companys line up of UHD TVs, which offer four times the resolution of Full HD TVs for a vivid, crystal-clear picture. The partnership will also explore additional collaboration opportunities in multiple areas of innovation with the goal of creating immersive next-generation consumer experiences. Earlier this year at CES 2014, Samsung announced a partnership with 20th Century Fox when it unveiled a UHD Video Pack, a storage device pre-loaded with content from multiple studios, including blockbuster 20th Century Fox movies such as Night at the Museum, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Counselor. Going forward, Samsung and 20th Century Fox will expand this partnership to further develop a broader UHD distribution ecosystem. http://www.samsung.com

NASA releases 680-gigapixel interactive mosaic of Lunar North Pole

Scientists, using cameras aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), have created the largest high resolution mosaic of our moons north polar region. The six-and-a-half feet (two-meters)-per-pixel images cover an area equal to more than one-quarter of the United States. Web viewers can zoom in and out, and pan around an area. Constructed from 10,581 pictures, the mosaic provides enough detail to see textures and subtle shading of the lunar terrain. Consistent lighting throughout the images makes it easy to compare different regions. The images making up the mosaic were taken by the two LRO Narrow Angle Cameras, which are part of the instrument suite known as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC). The cameras can record a tremendous dynamic range of lit and shadowed areas. The entire image measures 931,070 pixels square nearly 867 billion pixels total. A complete printout at 300 dots per inch considered crisp resolution for printed publications would require a square sheet of paper wider than a professional US football field and almost as long. If the complete mosaic were processed as a single file, it would require approximately 3.3 terabytes of storage space. Instead, the processed mosaic was divided into millions of small, compressed files, making it manageable for users to view and navigate around the image using a web browser. LRO entered lunar orbit in June 2009 equipped with seven instrument suites to map the surface, probe the radiation environment, investigate water and key mineral resources, and gather geological clues about the moon's evolution. Researchers used additional information about the moon's topography from LRO's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, as well as gravity information from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, to assemble the mosaic. Launched in September 2011, the GRAIL mission, employing twin spacecraft named Ebb and Flow, generated a gravity field map of the moon -- the highest resolution gravity field map of any celestial body. LRO is managed by Goddard for the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) at

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NASA Headquarters in Washington. LROC was designed and built by Malin Space Science Systems and is operated by Arizona State University. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., managed the GRAIL mission for SMD. http://www.nasa.gov/lro

NASA has released a 680-gigapixel interactive mosaic of the Moon's north polar region that covers an area over a quarter the size of the USA. The mosaic consists of a staggering 681 billion pixels, covering an area of 2.54 million

sq. km (0.98 million sq. miles). The mosaic was created by projecting each of the 10,581 images onto a 30 m/pixel Digital Terrain Model using a specialist software package. To limit distortion whilst converting the 3D images of the

moon into a 2D map, the team used a polar stereographic projection in conjunction with a camera pointing model and advanced ephemeris provided by other teams working on the LRO mission. The combination of these methods created a highly accurate photo placement system with the positions of geographical features in an image being

within 20 m (66 ft.) of their actual location.

An example of some of the collar mosaics used to create the finished LNPM; The LROC Wide Angle Camera mosaic of the Moon's north pole released in 2011

http://www.nasa.gov/lro


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Nissan develops smart rear vision combining mirror, LCD and image processing Nissan has announced the commercialization of a new type of driver rear visibility system that integrates a wide-aspect, hi-res LCD monitor with image processing into the traditional rearview mirror. With the system switchable between mirror and LCD modes, the big advantage of the smart mirror is that in LCD mode, it can provide an unobstructed rear view without blind spots, and an enhanced picture in difficult conditions. In conditions where glare is a problem, such as dawn, dusk and with a tailing car with headlights on high beam, the image processing software can provide a clearer picture by modifying the image. Similarly, in low contrast situations such as rain and snow, the image processing also provides clearer visual information to the driver, as well as overcoming the issues of a wet, clouded or dirty rear window. Nissan plans to introduce the smart rearview mirror to the Japanese market as an option over the next few months, according to Gizmag, with a global roll-out planned for 2015. It was the first manufacturer to provide a comprehensive information system for parking with its birds-eye view and for 360 degree situational awareness with its Around View Monitor. The Around View Monitor system has evolved considerably. From its initial introduction, the system evolved to provide more useful information in easily-comprehended visual form with a Front Wide View Function and Rear Wide View Function. When a driver needs to perform a blind corner turn, or when exiting a car park, the system can provide a 180-degree view of the front and back of the vehicle on the monitor inside the car. Moving Object Detection (MOD) was subsequently added, and this informs the driver of moving objects detected near the car when maneuvering out of a parking space.

The camera systems have also been instrumental in the development of Nissan's Emergency Brake System, which detects a car in front of the vehicle and alerts the driver with an in-vehicle audible and visual warning and if necessary, emergency brake is applied to help avoid an imminent collision. The smart rearview mirror is equipped with a newly developed high-performance, narrow-angle camera and a specially-shaped LCD monitor. Matching a standard wide angle camera lens to this unique monitor could not be done since the images from the camera, when adjusted to the special monitor size, produced a low-resolution image resulting in an insufficient picture quality. To rectify this challenge, a 1.3-megapixel narrow-angle camera was developed so that picture quality would not be sacrificed when formatted for the specially designed monitor. When the LCD monitor and mirror are used in unison, the transparency of the monitor and the reflection in the mirror can create an image overlap, a dual layered effect making it difficult to get a clean view, but with the smart rearview mirror, Nissan applied a unique technology to the structural design of the LCD monitor and the mirror, enabling it to function without any image overlaps. http://www.nissan.com

Nissan's focus on combining digital cameras and image processing technologies to better inform the driver has been a highlight of its active safety R&D; One of the key advantages of the LCD mirror, which provides images from a high-resolution camera mounted above the rear window, is that it offers an unobstructed view

of the rear flanks without any blind spots.

Primeview shows seamless video walls and 4K interactive solutions Primeview USA announced its product line-up for 2014. Showcasing the newest broadcast video walls and 4K interactive technologies, Primeviews solutions are designed to provide broadcasters with dynamic studios that enhance the viewers experience and maximize productivity of broadcast workflows. In partnership with Orad, the

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master of video graphics, Primeview displayed its flagship video wall solutions of 60-inch and 42-inch seamless plasma video walls, with 1.8mm total gap, and the new 84-inch 4K interactive LED LCD solution. The 4K interactive touch boasts a new infra-red touch technology engineered to work in direct-sunlight and high brightness environments such as broadcast studios. This next generation of video wall displays from Primeview reduces the bezel gap by nearly 40%, making it the ideal solution for LCD in broadcast video wall applications. http://www.primeview.com

Zigen unveils 4K modular matrix switches

Zigen released its new 4K UltraHD modular matrix switches to coincide with its line of HDMI 4K connectivity products. The Zigen 2K/4K modular HDMI to HDBaseT matrix switch is field upgradable from 2x2 to 16x16. Available two port cards (two inputs and two outputs) include 70m and 100m HDBaseT along with HDMI to HDMI cards. Models ZIG-HX-88HDBT and ZIG-HX-1616HDBT are currently shipping. EDID management, IR functions, memory management and internal power supply are a few of the features of the new HX series. Control system integration is possible with Crestron, AMX, RTI, Control4, Bitwise, and URC drivers available to Zigen dealers. The entire Zigen line of 2K/4K 70 and 100 meter HDMI extenders, distribution amps, modular HDMI and HDBaseT matrix switches and audio distribution is available. http://www.Zigencorp.com

Nanotech introduces 4K digital signage media player Nanotechs Nuvola NP-C is a solid-state commercial grade digital media player that helps manage and change content whether you're using Android App's, HTML5 or Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, like 11-Giraffes. The 4K networked and interactive media player supports true 4K Ultra HD content and delivers better resolution

compared to yesterday's HD devices. The NP-C delivers 4K Ultra HD content anywhere on your business, retail, hospitality or healthcare digital signage network to develop and deliver content to any display at up to 60Mb/s streaming or local playback. The NanoTech media player is a versatile digital signage solution that enables multiple HD resolution video zones and works with many HD display and TV brands. The NP-C also works with a broad range of content development/management software and delivery services. http://www.nanotech.com

Harmonic demonstrates 4K Ultra HD

Harmonic demonstrated a live 4K Ultra HD 2160/60p, and the latest in its encoding, stream processing, storage and playout solutions. Harmonic also showcased collaborative editing and 4K editing on the Harmonic MediaGrid shared storage system. Harmonic displayed its ATSC 3.0-ready Electra universal multifunction, multiformat encoding platform, with the industrys highest density audio encoding capabilities, as well as a primary distribution solution built on the Harmonic DMS video distribution management system and a new ProView IRD (integrated receiver-decoder). Harmonic also showed its advanced multiscreen ad insertion solution, which leverages the ProMedia family and ProStream with an ACE broadcast and multiscreen transcoder and integrates with advertising

ecosystem partners to enable monetization of multiscreen services. It also displayed the Spectrum ChannelPort, an integrated, high-density channel playout system for four SD/HD channels per RU, dual DVE capabilities, and compatibility with industry leading automation systems. http://www.harmonic.com

University of Michigan graphene light detector is first to span infrared spectrum

The first room-temperature light detector that can sense the full infrared spectrum has the potential to put heat vision technology into a contact lens. Unlike comparable mid and far-infrared detectors currently on the market, the

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detector developed by University of Michigan engineering researchers doesn't need bulky cooling equipment to work. They can make the entire design super-thin and it can be stacked on a contact lens or integrated with a cell phone. Unlike the visible spectrum, which conventional cameras capture with a single chip, infrared imaging requires a combination of technologies to see near, mid and far-infrared radiation all at once. Still more challenging, the mid-infrared and far-infrared sensors typically need to be at very cold temperatures. Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, could sense the whole infrared spectrum, plus visible and ultraviolet light. But until now, it hasn't been viable for infrared detection because it can't capture enough light to generate a detectable electrical signal. With one-atom thickness, it only absorbs about 2.3 percent of the light that hits it. If the light can't produce an electrical signal, graphene can't be used as a sensor. The challenge for the current generation of graphene-based detectors is that their sensitivity is typically very poor. It's a hundred to a thousand times lower than what a commercial device would require. To overcome that hurdle, the researchers designed a new way of generating the electrical signal. Rather than trying to directly measure the electrons that are freed when light hits the graphene, they amplified the signal by looking instead at how the light-induced electrical charges in the graphene affect a nearby current. To make the device, they put an insulating barrier layer between two graphene sheets. The bottom layer had a current running through it. When light hit the top layer, it freed electrons, creating positively charged holes. Then, the electrons used a quantum mechanical trick to slip through the barrier and into the bottom layer of graphene. The positively charged holes, left behind in the top layer, produced an electric field that affected the flow of electricity through the bottom layer. By measuring the change in current, the team could deduce the brightness of the light hitting the graphene. The new approach allowed the sensitivity of a room-temperature graphene device to compete with that of cooled mid-infrared detectors for the first time. The device is described in a paper titled Graphene photo-detectors with ultra-broadband and high responsivity at room temperature, which appears online in Nature Nanotechnology. https://www.umich.edu

Leichtman Research Group study shows low awareness of Ultra HDTV Although 77% of all US households now have at least one HDTV set, and 46% have more than one, only 30% of US adults have heard of the newer Ultra HDTV technology and only one-third of them have ever seen one. The findings were part of a Leichtman Research Group study indicating the consumer electronics industry has its work cut out in bringing the public up to Ultra HD speed. Of the 10% of people who have seen an Ultra HDTV, 28% are very interested in buying one and 15% of all who have heard of it are very interested in getting it, the study found. Similar to another recent CEA consumer study on Ultra HDTV awareness, the findings suggest the need to get consumers into stores to see an Ultra HD demonstration. On a positive note, 77% of homes now have at least one HDTV and 46% have more than one, where just five years ago, 34% of US homes reported having an HDTV and 11% had more than one. That indicates that when consumers catch on to new high-resolution TV technology, they do so quickly. But complicating matters for TV retailers and manufacturers is that a tremendous number of sets were sold into homes in that short five-year span, indicating that the HDTV replacement cycle may not be as urgent as some other studies have suggested. About 72% of TV sets used in HD households are HDTVs. Including non-HDTV households, 59% of all television sets used in US households are HDTVs, up from 34% in 2010, 18% in 2008, and 3% in 2004. The findings were based on a survey of 1,231 US households. Other related findings include: 88% with annual household incomes more than $50,000 have an HDTV, compared with 68% with household incomes less than $50,000; among those getting HD programming from a cable, satellite or telco provider, the perceived mean number of channels of HD programming is 82, up from 42 five years ago; 14% of households have a smart TV set that is connected to the Internet, including 3% of households that have more than one connected smart TV. Connected smart TVs account for about 7% of all television sets used in US households; 22% of all households purchased a TV set in the past 12 months, an annual level that has been fairly consistent for the past decade. http://www.leichtmanresearch.com

Quantum Materials moves closer to volume production of tetrapod quantum dots Quantum Materials Corp. announced it has placed purchase orders for the proprietary equipment necessary to commence increased production of inorganic quantum dots. The equipment is scheduled for delivery and

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deployment, on or before the end of the third quarter of 2014. In recent news, QMC announced obtaining equipment funding and reporting that the Los Alamos National Laboratorys (LANL) Thick-Shell technology will be integrated with a variety of QMCs composite tetrapod quantum dots to develop a line of advanced high performance quantum dots. QMC now announced that they have teamed with LANL and have jointly written and submitted a proposal for funding to the recent DOE EERE Funding Opportunity for Solid-State Lighting Advanced Technology R&D, which aims to increase performance and market readiness of efficient LED lights incorporating improved quantum dots. With the benefit of the scaled and controlled production, and enhanced quantum dot structure, QMCs goal is to resolve volume-manufacturing problems that date back to the discovery of quantum dots over 20 years ago. The high cost of manual production, the lack of batch uniformity, and the inability to ensure a reliable supply for industrial production have, until this point, restricted the broad commercialization of consumer products that are enhanced by quantum dots. QMC's combination of thick-shell technology and tetrapod quantum dots is expected to deliver unsurpassed optoelectric brightness and color purity leading to higher resolution and color vitality, and as integrated into the manufacture of displays and lighting units, will enhance performance life expectancy. For photovoltaics including solar cells, thermovoltaics, near infrared, MEMS, cameras, strain gauges and other sensor applications, the increased photon absorption by thick-shell tetrapod semiconductor nanocrystals correspond to increased sensitivity, and higher efficiencies due to suppressing recombination. Quantum Materials has initiated designs for even higher capacity equipment for future production, details of which the company expects to announce later this year. QMCs flexibility extends to a variety of metals and elements, including both cadmium-core and cadmium-free non-heavy metal quantum dots, and will roll out new composite or hybrid quantum dots as they are developed. http://www.qmcdots.com

NanoTechs demonstrates 4K streaming media player with Akamai NanoTech Entertainment announced that its Nuvola NP-1 consumer 4K streaming media player will be a player component in Akamai Technologies online content and business applications. Using advanced technologies, Akamai and NanoTech will demonstrate how 4K content can be uploaded to Akamais global content delivery network (CDN) and streamed to a consumers Ultra HD TV using NanoTechs Nuvola NP-1 4K streaming media player. The result is a compelling solution for broadcasters and other content owners who want to provide their customers with the 4K End-user Quality of Experience (QoE) they increasingly expect. Akamai Media & Delivery Solutions are built upon the Akamai Intelligent Platform of over 147,000 globally distributed servers that deliver up to 30 percent of all Web traffic. By spreading content that would otherwise be concentrated in a few locations, Akamai offers improved network efficiency, greater security and attack protection, as well as better service quality for end users by providing continuous uptime and enabling faster access and download speeds. The Nuvola NP-1 is a multifunction consumer device that can be used to decode a variety of video formats and resolutions including 4K Ultra HD, HD, SD and 3D movies. It can also be used to play state-of-the-art 3D video games. Based on the Android operating system, the Nuvola provides fast, easy website access as well as access to thousands of video games and applications from Nvidia Tegra Zone and the Google Play Store. http://www.nuvola4k.com

NHK demonstrates 8K over single TV channel NHK presented the latest iteration of its Super Hi-Vision system, including a closed-circuit demonstration of over-the-air transmission of 8K content in a single 6MHz UHF TV channel. This is the first time that wireless transmission of 8K Super Hi-Vision has been demonstrated over a single 6MHz TV channel outside Japan. NHK also presented detailed results of a long-distance, single-channel, over-the-air 8K test broadcast recently conducted in Japan. NHK also featured a presentation theater with a 350-inch screen for viewing newly shot Super Hi-Vision content with 8K video projection and full 22.2-channel sound reproduction, including highlights from the Sochi Winter Olympic Games. Progress in the increasing practicality of Super Hi-Vision systems was also demonstrated, including an 8K video camera that weighs less than 4.5lbs (2kg), an 8K-capable real-time HEVC encoder and a display-integrated immersive sound system providing virtual representation of 22.2-channel sound for a domestic environment. NHK showed developments in hybrid TV with a presentation of its Hybridcast system, providing interactive capabilities via a converged broadband/broadcast service. http://www.nhk.com

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Signbox uses new technology for 4K digital signage Signbox Microsystems now has 4K players that explore new opportunities. The company works with technology from Advantech with embedded PC using AMD Radeon E6760 embedded discrete graphics processing unit (GPU) to deliver exceptional graphics and enable a superior multimedia experience. The newest AMD Eyefinity technology is a unique feature of AMD graphics that gives more visual real estate to view large scale models and multiple applications at the same time in a single, large workspace. It is a solution developed by AMD that can operate up to six high-resolution displays of a single graphics card simultaneously and independently, flexibly configured in various combinations of landscape and portrait orientations. Partnering AMD Eyefinity technology with the top performance features of SignManager allows users to manage all displays in a multitude of different ways. Signbox has unique 4-screen content rolled out across customer venues in three continents, as well as UHD video walls that can be interactive as well. http://www.signbox.tv

Razer unveils updated Blade laptop with 3200x1800 multi-touch display

Razer has updated its Blade laptop for 2014, significantly improving upon the specs of last years model. The new system features Nvidias latest notebook graphics solution and what the company is calling the highest resolution 14-inch notebook display on the planet. The original Razer Blade was a capable gaming machine in its own right, and bucked the market trend of thick and heavy systems that push the definition of portable, says Gizmag. The new machine features similar internals to its predecessor, but with some notable upgrades. The new laptop ships with an Intel Core i7-4702HQ processor, 8GB DDR3L RAM running at 1600MHz and, perhaps most importantly, Nvidias newly-announced GeForce GTX 870M graphics card with 3GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM. In terms of connectivity, the laptop provides three USB 3.0 ports, a microphone/headphone combo port and an HDMI out. The new Blade comes fitted with a backlit anti-ghosting keyboard and built-in stereo speakers. While the machine's graphics have been given a significant upgrade, the new laptops stand-out feature is its impressive 14-inch 3200x1800 multi-touch display, a ppi rating of 262 and a total of 5.76 million pixels. The laptop will come in 128, 256 and 512GB SSD configurations. It ships with Windows 8.1, is just 0.7 inches (17.8mm) thick and weighs 4.47lb (2.03kg). The system costs between $2,200 and $2,699, dependent on storage configuration. http://www.razerzone.com

The updated Razer Blade features the latest Nvidia GPU and a multi-touch display

Hebrew University researchers show blind can hear colors and shapes

At the Center for Human Perception and Cognition, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Medicine, the blind and visually impaired are being offered tools, via training with SSDs, to receive environmental visual information and interact with it in ways otherwise unimaginable. SSDs are non-invasive sensory aids that provide visual information to the blind via their existing senses. For example, using a visual-to-auditory SSD in a clinical or everyday setting, users wear a miniature camera connected to a small computer (or smart phone) and stereo headphones. The images are converted into soundscapes, using a predictable algorithm, allowing the user to listen to and then interpret the visual information coming from the camera. With the EyeMusic SSD (available free at the Apple App store), one hears pleasant musical notes to convey information about colors, shapes and location of objects in the world. Using this SSD equipment and a unique training program, the blind are able to achieve various complex, visual-linked abilities. In recent articles in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience and Scientific Reports, blind and blindfolded-sighted users of the EyeMusic were shown to correctly perceive and interact with objects, such as recognizing different shapes and colors or reaching for a beverage. In another use of EyeMusic, it was shown that other fast and accurate movements can be guided by the EyeMusic and visuo-motor learning. In studies published in two prestigious scientific journals, Neuron and Current Biology, it was demonstrated that the

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blind can characterize sound-conveyed images into complex object categories (such as faces, houses and outdoor scenes, plus everyday objects) and could locate people's positions, identify facial expressions and read letters and words. Despite these encouraging behavioral demonstrations, SSDs are currently not widely used by the blind population. However, in a recent review published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, the reasons that have prevented their adoption have changed for the better over the past few years. For instance, new technological advances enable SSDs to be much cheaper, much smaller and lighter, and they can run using a standard smart phone. Additionally, new computerized training methods and environments boost training and performance. The Hebrew University research has shown that contrary to the long-held conception of the cortex being divided into separate vision-processing areas, auditory areas, etc., new findings over the past decade demonstrate that many brain areas are characterized by their computational task, and can be activated using senses other than the one commonly used for this task, even for people who were never exposed to original sensory information at all (such as a person born blind that never saw one photon of light in his life). When processing visual information conveyed through SSD, it was shown by the researchers that congenitally blind people who learned to read by touch using the Braille script or through their ears with sensory substitution devices use the same areas in the visual cortex as those used by sighted readers. A recent example of this approach was just published in Current Biology, showing that blind subjects see body shapes via their ears using SSD equipment and training. http://tinyurl.com/oe8d4p4

Television Corporation of Japan produces an animal's field of view up to 355

Using GoPro cameras and making full use of the latest editing techniques, Television Corporation of Japan has published a video entitled Human vs. Animals: The amazing eyes of animals that recreates the viewing angle of various animals. In comparison with the 200 field of view for humans, dogs see 250, sheep see 270, birds see 300, cows see 330, and it is said that the Angora rabbit can see up to 355. This video reproduces the difference of each viewing angle in a single video size. Within the story of a heated relay-race competition between humans and animals, you can experience a highly realistic representation of the visual world from the point of view of various animals. This video contains visuals using special techniques to reproduce the field of view of animals. Depending on your physical condition while watching, you may experience discomfort, the company warns. When viewing with two eyes, animals with a wide field of view have a narrower amount of overlapping visuals, but a wider overall field in each individual eye. In order to reproduce this phenomenon, the video was edited to keep the field viewed with two eyes clear and to slightly blur the field viewed with only one eye. In addition, an animals sense of color is thought to be different from humans, so the video color was adjusted to show a monotonous tone based on the animals ability to see various wavelengths of light. This ultra-wide-angle video was made using state-of-the-art technology by connecting 6 GoPro cameras to shoot 360 video. Video data from the 6 cameras was converted into photographic images, then stitched into 360 panoramic photographs. Using information of the camera positions, each frame was rendered into a panorama, then converted into a 360 panoramic movie file. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs3iljmvIUQ

Fraunhofer develops interactive simulator for vehicle drivers Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM in Kaiserslautern, Germany, have developed an interactive driving simulator using RODOS (robot-based driving and operation simulator) with which realistic interaction between human and vehicle can be analyzed. The simulation facilitys structure at ITWM consists of a real vehicle interior where the test driver can operate the steering wheel, accelerator, and brakes as usual. The vehicle interior is integrated into a 6-axis robotic system that looks like a gigantic gripper arm and can simulate acceleration, braking, or tight curves by leaning and rotating. For test drivers to behave authentically, they must have the feeling they are actually situated in a moving vehicle. If movements of the simulator do not match the visual impressions, this not only influences driver reactions, it can also lead to symptoms like kinetosis.

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Simulator sickness is triggered by contradictory sensory perceptions, the same way motion sickness or sea sickness is. To prevent these unpleasant side effects, they have developed our motion cueing algorithms that generate the control signals for the robot in close cooperation with researchers in cognition. On the basis of this interdisciplinary knowledge, the motions of the simulator can be matched to visual input so they are perceived as very natural by the test drivers. At the same time, an enormous projection dome provides the external impression of real driving. 18 projectors provide a realistic 300 degree view of the situation for the driver. Driving simulations that also take into account the human effects on a vehicle may become more important in future. The increasing number of driver assistance systems will themselves make the human-machine interface in automobiles increasingly important. The demands placed on simulations will thus become increasingly more specific. The simulation facility at ITWM has been in operation since July 2013 and two projects in collaboration with the Volvo Construction Equipment company are presently underway. http://www.fraunhofer.de

The vehicle simulator at Fraunhofer ITWM has 18 projectors that throw their images up on a huge dome. The vehicle interior can simulate nearly every driving situation.

Gionee launches the worlds slimmest smart phone Gionee, a global designer and manufacturer of mobile devices, announced the launch of the worlds slimmest smart phone, the ELIFE S5.5, at 5.55mm. The ELIFE S series is a new product category developed through Gionees deep understanding of customers desire for a slim and powerful smart phone to also act as a fashionable accessory. The ELIFE S series products incorporate an emphasis on design without compromising the hardware and software of a smart phone to create a new user experience. The ELIFE S5.5 is crafted with a distinct metallic frame and Corning Gorillas Glass Uni-Body. It uses the worlds thinnest AMOLED screen, thinnest PCB board with a 0.6mm and 0.4mm glass rear cover. The S5.5 is equipped with a 5.0-inch Full HD AMOLED screen, a true Octa-core 1.7GHz processor, a 13-megapixel rear camera and the worlds first 95 degree ultra-wide angle 5-megapixel front camera. With the 95 degree wide angle front camera, taking self-group shots or full body selfies is made possible and easier than before. From colors, icons to fonts, the Android based AMIGO OS has also been customized specifically for the ELIFE S5.5. As for the camera software, it is similar to the ELIFE E7 which consists of two shooting modes, the professional and normal camera settings, as well as the availability of the Charm Camera

which includes the auto make-up mode, footprint mode, and meeting memo mode features, which were only available to the flagship model ELIFE E7. High power consumption has always been a problem for ultra slim phones. With the ELIFE S5.5, the battery is just as good as the flagship model ELIFE E7. The highest capacity density ratio allows S5.5s battery to reach 2300mAh. And with the next upgrade, battery capacity can be reach up to 2450MAh. http://global.gionee.com/eng/press/20140219/525.html

The slim Gionee Elife S5.5 features an octa-core processor, Super AMOLED+ HD display and a 2300 mAh battery

Sony and Panasonic move next-gen optical discs forward Last summer Sony and Panasonic announced next generation optical discs with recording capacity of at least 300GB. Various next-gen optical discs from different companies have been proposed, but this joint effort seems to be still moving forward. The disc is called Archival Disc and, roadmap and key specifications are out. First-wave ADs are slated to launch in summer of 2015 and will be able to hold up to 300GB of data. Archival Discs will be double-sided, so this works out to 150GB of data per side. Future versions of the technology will improve storage density, increasing to 500GB (or 250GB per side) and 1TB (500GB per side) as the standard matures.

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HiSense launches large smart phone HiSense, a Chinese-based and state-owned manufacturer best known for its range of white goods and other household electrical appliances, is planning to bring its X1 mobile device to the US later this year. With its 6.8-inch display, the device straddles the line between tablet and smart phone. The company said the device should make its

way to the US this summer. With its 6.8-inch display, the HiSense X1 technically is only compatible with HSPA+ networks in the US. As huge phones like this haven't been catching on with consumers, top sellers like the iPhone 5S and Galaxy S4 have been getting bigger than their predecessors each year, and the X1 shows us what the logical progression of that trend could look like. The form factor is still taller and more phone-like than a full-blown 7-inch tablet. The actual build of the phone has an all-plastic construction, but with a crisp 1920x1080 IPS display. The X1 has a quad-core Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz processor backed up by 2GB of RAM and a 3,900mAh battery. Other key specs include a 5-megapixel camera on the front and 13-megapixel camera on the back, 16GB of storage space and Android 4.3. http://global.hisense.com

The HiSense X1 has a 6.8-inch display

Research and Markets brings out quantum dot report Research and Markets has brought out a quantum dot report: Quantum Dots Market by Product (QD Displays, Lasers, Medical Devices, Solar Cells, Chip, Sensor), Application (Healthcare, Optoelectronics, Sustainable Energy), Material (Cadmium Selenide, Sulfide, Telluride), and Geography - Forecast & Analysis (2013 2020). Quantum dots (QD) are types of semiconductor nanoparticles which find their usage in multiple applications like healthcare, electronics, and others. The current market of QD is at the pre-commercialized stage; most researchers are working on the application aspects of the QD technology, and deriving the products based on QD. Researchers have studied quantum dots in transistors, solar cells, LEDs, and diode lasers. They have also investigated quantum dots as agents for medical imaging and, soon, the QDs will be used as qubits in quantum computing. This report describes the possible applications and products based on QD, which are supposed to hit the floor in the next 10 years, and/or are already commercialized. There are certain assumptions included in the report, which are based on the market trend that is needed to be made, while formulating the total market.

Quantum dots are the latest and the most advanced part of semiconductor nanoparticles, which, currently, are at the pre-commercialized stage. Due to their miniature property they are highly versatile and flexible and the uniqueness of the QD material lays in the fact that its power intensity depends on the input source and size of QD. One of the major segments that have been developing in the field of quantum display is QD displays (QDD). A QD display is a type of display technology providing better features as compared to CRT and LCD. This technology is similar to OLED that provides more efficient displays. QDD provides 50 to 100 times better brightness in comparison to CRT displays and LCD. LCD does not produce a pure green, red, and blue color. On the other hand, QDDs produce pure colors. QD LED and QDD are expected to get fully commercialized by the end of 2015-16, as there are strong R&D activities going on in this field, and in solid-state lighting. However, companies have launched QD LED lamps; but the current market for QD LED lamps and the other lighting products is very small. QD-based lighting will be the best replacement for the currently available CFL and LED lighting, as it provides better efficiency and high power intensity. QD solar cells and panels will be the biggest revolution in the field of solar energy, and they are expected to be fully commercialized by 2016-17. The healthcare industry is one of the key areas of QD technology. There are numerous applications in the biomedical and biotechnology field that are already being exposed to QD technology and hence it accounts for the largest percentage of the quantum dot market, on the whole. Applications in biomedical and biotechnology fields are expected to increase as and when the technology progresses. At present, on the basis of the geographical analysis, the Americas is the market leader followed by Europe, and APAC. Americas also leads in terms of patents filing, as it is the largest base for QD companies and

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research institutes. The companies, currently, involved in the quantum dots technology market are QD Vision (US), Nanoco Technologies (UK), Nanosys (US), Life Technologies (US), Ocean Nanotech (US), Evident Technologies (US), and others. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/n9qp2k/quantum_dots

Quantum Materials secures Los Alamos thick-shell quantum dot technology to increase brightness Quantum Materials Corporation and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) announced Quantum Materials optioning thick-shell Giant quantum dot patented technology with the potential of 10 to 100-fold improvement in solid-state brightness over conventional nanocrystal quantum dots (QD). High brightness leads to efficient use of materials and increased performance in electronic displays and solid state (LED) lighting. Blinking is a tendency of quantum dots to flash off momentarily often noted as a challenge for certain quantum dot applications. LANL scientists also discovered that thick-shelling quantum dots dramatically reduce fluorescence intermittency by better separating absorption by the shell and emission by the core, significantly suppressing blinking. Commercial product lifetimes can be increased in QD-LCD backplane displays, solid state lighting films and projection lighting because the thick-shell technology has demonstrated the ability to extend the service life of quantum dots exposed to higher temperatures and/or high intensity light. Further, non-blinking quantum dots that can produce higher light output with less heat generation will spur new product development and optimized design. LANL also achieved thick-shell Giant QD near-infrared (NIR) emission for a major advance affecting medical imaging applications, optoelectronics, lasers, telecommunication and solar photovoltaics. For example, targeted cancer cells will be easier to identify and track, and varied absorption and emission ranges offer tailored performance in electronics and solar designs. Quantum Materials plans to integrate the LANL thick-shell technology into its quantum dot product line. The company's automated process is capable of manufacturing industrial-scale quantities while maintaining tight uniformity and makes possible the reliable, economical production of thick-shell tetrapod quantum dots having the exact characteristics necessary for specific applications. Stephen B. Squires, Quantum Materials CEO and founder said, We believe that the number of quantum dot performance improvements afforded by adding thick-shell technology to our Tetrapod Quantum Dots will set us significantly ahead of our competition. Our ability to manufacture uniform industrial-scale quantities of quantum dots engineered for optimal application-specific performance parameters will expedite acceptance of these new technologies by display and lighting manufacturers. http://www.qmcdots.com

Blinking behavior of thin-shell vs. thick-shell nanocrystal quantum dots. On the left side, thin-shell quantum dot shows constant incidences of blinking Off. On the right side, thick-shell quantum dot

shows very rare incidences of blinking. As detected over an interval of 3000ms, as measured by intensity

in arbitrary units vs. time.

Concurrent secures another US patent for multi-screen video technology Concurrent announced it was awarded US Patent No. 8,650,601 entitled Video On Demand Management System. The patent was issued for a method of positioning content files and intelligently managing content assets in a multi-tier video server network. Intelligent asset management is commonly used in streaming video applications such as video-on-demand, time-shifted TV, and network-based digital video recording (nDVR) to improve the efficiency of file-based content distribution across a geographically disperse network. Concurrents patented method defines a way to manage content placement based on attributes such as consumer demand, content usage, content age, the presence of advertisements, and other advertising related information. Using this information, content can be positioned as efficiently as possible to ensure the highest consumer quality of experience, the best use of storage resources, and the lowest network transport cost. Concurrent has been aggressively expanding its multi-screen video patent and product portfolios. Earlier in the fiscal year Concurrent announced it had been awarded two US patents. The first patent was issued in August 2013 for a demand based edge caching system and method. A second

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patent was issued in September 2013 for a method of creating a targeted integrated image for the purpose of video advertising in electronic program guides. Concurrent has also introduced a variety of new multi-screen products, including a Unified Content Delivery Solution that can stream video to any screen, over any network and a multi-screen video analytics solution that provides insight into consumer viewership behavior on TVs, PCs, smart phones, tablets, and other consumer electronics devices. http://www.ccur.com

LG brings out 105-inch 4K commercial display LG Electronics USA expanded its Ultra HD large-screen commercial-grade monitor line-up for 2014 by unveiling their new 105-inch class display, their largest commercial screen to date. LGs new edge-lit LED LCD Ultra HD display features a 105-inch class screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 5120x2160 (5K) resolution. Ideal for retail settings, according to LG, the 105-inch Ultra HD 21:9 commercial display has five times the resolution of a Full HD display, for crisp pictures with an incredible level of detail. LGs display also offers installation flexibility it can be oriented vertically in portrait mode or horizontally in landscape. Joining the 105-inch class Ultra HD commercial display is another notable display from LGs ULTRA HD digital signage lineup, the 98-inch class 98LS95A. The Ultra HD digital signage display delivers 3840x2160 resolution in a 16:9 aspect ratio. The 98-inch Ultra HD display has a bezel width of just 14.6mm and may be mounted in portrait or landscape mode for optimal use in a wide range of commercial applications. Both the 105-inch and 98-inch displays are equipped with a proprietary chip that optimizes image quality. This upscaling function takes SD, HD or Full HD content and renders it in sharp detail on the Ultra HD screen. Both displays can decode H.264 and HEVC H.265 at 30p or 60p. It can display Ultra HD content from nearly any input source, including HDMI 2.0, USB and LAN. An image with 8 million pixels and enhanced by LGs IPS (in plane switching) panel technology enables optimal color saturation and contrast for off-angle viewing (both horizontal and vertical). IPS technology also provides a screen surface temperature tolerance of up to 110 degrees Celsius, which helps alleviate a common problem with screens overheating and, as a result, suffering from permanent picture quality damage. http://www.lg.com

Toshiba launches 13-megapixel CMOS image sensor with high speed video technology Toshiba Corporation announced the launch of T4K82, a 13-megapixel BSI CMOS image sensor that allows smart phones and tablets to record full HD video at 240 equivalent frames per second (fps), the industrys highest frame rate. High speed video recording requires a high frame rate with short exposure time, resulting in underexposed images. T4K82 incorporates Bright Mode technology that boosts imaged brightness up to four times, realizing full HD video capture at 240fps equivalent. The new sensor allows smart phones and tablets to record high quality, high speed video, and to offer extended imaging functions including smooth slow motion playback and high speed continuous shooting. The sensor also adopts a newly developed low power circuit design that reduces power consumption to 82% that of T4K37, a 13-megapixel sensor in mass production. Bright Mode technology secures double the exposure time by adopting interlaced video output, not the progressive output that standard CMOS sensors use. Bright Mode also employs charge binning, which doubles the electrical charge of each pixel, resulting in an image four times brighter than that from a CMOS sensor without Bright Mode. Toshiba will also provide an interlace-progressive conversion program that enables users to offer high quality progressive video with low image deterioration, without changing the frame rate. http://www.semicon.toshiba.co.jp

Toshiba T4K82 is a 13-megapixel BSI CMOS image sensor with high speed video technology for smart phones and tablets

UHD panels in digital signage to soar 600% this year reports IHS

The ultra-high-definition (UHD) panels now being adopted by televisions are also primed to make significant headway this year in the digital signage market for advertising and information, according to analysis from the Digital Signage service of IHS Inc. Global shipments in 2014 of UHD panels aimed specifically for digital signage purposes will reach an estimated 145,000 units, up a colossal 590% or nearly sevenfold from just 21,000 units last year. The tremendous surge of the market is the first real growth for digital signage displays featuring UHD also

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known as 4K because the panels feature four times the resolution of full high-definition 1080p panels. This year will mark the first real growth spurt for the panels after an initial low starting base in 2013, and the market will continue to support remarkable expansion in the years to come. By 2018, UHD digital signage shipments will approach an expected 656,000 panels. Increased momentum for UHD panels first started in 2013, capturing noteworthy attention among industry gurus, consumers and technology enthusiasts alike. This year, IHS anticipates further expansion of the digital signage industry as growth of the 4K ecosystem supports additional upgrades to 4K content and connectivity. The digital signage market includes displays used for both digital out-of-home communication and commercial applications. Digital signage deploys advertising, branding, entertainment and information to its target audiences, using a network of displays in which content can be remotely controlled, managed and updated. Growth in digital signage comes from proliferating use in installations for commercial markets like the retail and hospitality industries, the government and corporate sectors, and in public areas such as sports venues. As UHD technology becomes more readily available this year, display costs are also expected to decline. Such a development, in turn, will encourage more 4K installations to take place, especially in price-sensitive digital signage markets. Content drawn from the UHD consumer space could likewise be repurposed, given that the trends and technologies driving the consumer market tend to highly influence digital signage as well. Notwithstanding the impressive growth of the UHD market for digital signage this year, the panels constitute a mere drop in the bucket for the overall UHD display space. UHD panels intended for LCD TV sets will reach 10 million units in shipments this year, on their way to some 40 million pieces by 2018.

Digital signage utilizing UHD displays first appeared at the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas in 2013. There, LG introduced the industrys first 4K panels, making use of 84-inch displays as a way-finding application. Later Delta Airlines followed suit, also using LGs 4K panels to enhance the carriers passenger lounges and create an upscale digital wallpaper experience for travelers. Also last year, California-based NanoTech Entertainment announced availability and pricing for an all-new 4K media player, called the Nuvola NP-1, which supports 4K UHD content for digital signage. Similarly, Taiwans Nexcom released a new media player, the NDiS M533 OPS, featuring premium graphics, improved system responsiveness, remote manageability and 4K UHD content support. Another Taiwanese player, QNAP, introduced the 4K-ready iS-2840 digital signage player, which is able to combine four screens into one dynamic 4K video wall. Other notable UHD digital signage developments in 2013 included software and firmware upgrades by California-based BrightSign for upscaling 1080p video content to 4K; and advances made by GestureTek Systems, also of California, allowing for the configuration of a wide array of 4K multi-touch panels, ranging from 32-inch to 84-inch displays.

Many Chinese manufacturers are looking to conquer overseas digital signage TV markets, hoping to be competitive by offering lower-priced product against the high-end offerings of Tier 1 brands like LG, Samsung and Sony. However, the Chinese brands including the likes of Hisense, Seiki, Skyworth, Changhong and Haier all lack global recognition, according to Kelly Lum, analyst for digital signage and public information displays at IHS. Other than the significant disparity in price for the Chinese offerings, the products offer few additional benefits. Picture quality also lags behind that of the leading brands, and the products overall lack refinement, Lum noted. Pricing remains the biggest challenge to 4K UHD displays, and by extension, the panels used in such sets. Even though there are more than 20 models featuring 4K resolution from the major manufacturers currently on the global market, pricing remains steep and unaffordable for most consumers. Many manufacturers are also selling consumer display lines into the commercial market. This has the effect of further muddling the erstwhile clear-cut distinction between retail televisions and commercial digital signage, which has specific requirements in hardware and software for disseminating information and entertainment. The digital signage industry will also need to contend with other obstacles before UHD panels fully take off within the space, IHS believes. These include infrastructure and investment costs associated with upgrading; the requirement for additional bandwidth to support 4K content; and the harmonizing of hardware specs like frame rates, brightness and dynamic range, all of which could be impacted by the resolution upgrades, in the process affecting the quality of images being shown on the displays. http://www.ihs.com

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Accenture and KPN develop Google Glass proof of concept for television applications Accenture and KPN, one of the leading telecommunications and information communications technology service providers in the Netherlands, have developed a proof of concept using Google Glass and the Accenture Video Solution (AVS) for interactive television viewing, storage and control that has the potential to greatly enrich the TV user experience. While not yet developed as a commercial product, the companies are exploring the potential applications of wearable technologies for television viewers. The companies demonstrated the proof of concept at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Using KPNs Interactive TV service, which is built on the Accenture Video Solution software platform and enables subscribers to watch TV on more devices, the companies showed how Google Glass integrates with the AVS platform to offer hands-free, voice-controlled interaction, and seamlessly shares TV content between the main TV screen and Google Glass. Three examples were demonstrated. 1) Advanced Remote Control or Companion Device, which enables viewers to control TV functions like channel, program, and program preview selection, volume control, pause, and fast forward/rewind, giving viewers a single, platform-independent device to manage and control the TV directly. 2) Second Screen, which allows viewers to access an extra layer of real-time information while watching programs. For example, as people watch live sports events, they can access statistics and other results or review event highlights, for an enriched and personalized TV experience. 3) TV Everywhere, which enables viewers to select a program stored on the cloud, and continue watching it on another device while away from the primary TV. http://www.accenture.com

Kopin announces Pupil, the latest in display technology for smart eyewear Kopin Corporation, a leading developer of innovative wearable computing technologies and solutions, unveiled the Pupil display module, the latest innovation in display technology for the smart eyewear market. The release of Pupil display module builds on the partnership between Kopin and Olympus Corporation, the world leader in ultra compact optics. The Pupil display module integrates Olympus miniaturized optics with Kopins family of industry-leading micro LCDs to produce the first truly invisible display for smart eyeglasses. Pupil see-through optics, with its height smaller than the pupil of the human eye, allows see-through and see-around without obstructing the outside view, said Yoichi Iba, Senior General Manager of Olympus Corporation. Kopins microdisplays are a perfect match for the Pupil optics to provide the most compact display modules that exhibit vivid and bright images, even under full sunlight. Kopin also unveiled its concept smart eyewear designs operated by voice commands and natural speech for consumer, commercial and industrial application. One of the concept designs incorporates the Pupil display module behind the eyeglasses frame to make the display module almost invisible. It also incorporates a speaker design that blends very well with the eyewear. This is the first smart eyewear that looks natural, yet has many of the key functions useful for consumers. http://www.kopin.com

Woman wearing Kopin's natural looking concept smart eyewear

Pixelworks demonstrates mobile video display technology Pixelworks demonstrated its industry leading video quality technology across multiple mobile products. The same core technology was recently showcased by Pixelworks on UltraHD TVs at CES in January, proving the relevance of this technology across a wide array of platforms and screen sizes. Pixelworks mobile video processing demos include side-by-side video quality comparisons on todays most popular mobile screens, demonstrating how its video display processing technology addresses problems on mobile video displays and improves the users viewing experience. The companys portfolio of video display technologies includes patented Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation (MEMC) and the industrys only Halo-Free Frame Rate Conversion (FRC) both of which are critical technologies for creating the most realistic picture possible. In addition, Pixelworks solutions also enable correct color management and backlight control, which produce superior video playback in any lighting environment. http://www.pixelworks.com

http://www.accenture.com/http://www.kopin.com/http://www.pixelworks.com/


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BAE Systems' Q -Warrior brings head-up displays to the battlefield The Q-Warrior is the latest iteration of BAE Systems' helmet-mounted display technology; it looks like a pilot's head-up display but has been specially designed for the soldier who needs unique capabilities, such as identifying hostile and non-hostile forces, as well as co-coordinating small unit actions. Designed and built by engineers at the Electronic Systems business in Rochester, Kent, the system significantly increases situational awareness capabilities for the dismounted soldier in other words military personnel operating out of their vehicles. Q-Warrior introduces a high transmission and high luminance see-through display which incorporates a high-resolution color, collimated display to allow the use of symbols and video to blend intuitively with the user's view of the world. Waypoints, other points of interest and targets can all be displayed overlaid on the real view of what's actually out there. These are only some of the innovations which have been incorporated into the new display. Q-Warrior increases the user's situational awareness by providing the potential to display eyes-out information to the user, including textual information, warnings and threats. Other key features include enhanced night vision, waypoints and routing information, and the ability to track both personnel and assets. Q-Warrior also features a large eye-motion box to allow the soldier to make relatively large movements of his or her helmet while continuing to maintain his view of the display. Although it is expected that Q-Warrior will initially be employed at the section commander level, the technology could become an essential but standard issue piece of kit for every soldier. The Q-Warrior builds upon technologies developed for the Q-Sight range of display systems. http://www.baesystems.com

The Q-Warrior is designed to provide foot soldiers with comprehensive situational awareness

Zeal adds new features to its HD Camera goggles

The HD Camera Goggle by Zeal has been updated. Goggle features are anti-fog infused lens process; impact resistant frame technology; high density lens technology; 100% UV protection; helmet compatible; dual strap adjustments; Optimum lens. Camera features are captures 1080p and 720p HD quality video; shoots 12-megapixel HD photos; 170-degree wide angle camera lens; camera automatically adjusts for light levels and has infinity focus; utilizes an in-goggle viewfinder; controlled by glove-ready buttons on the side of the frame; rechargeable lithium-ion battery has a three-hour run time, depending on usage; easily integrates with all social media outlets to share memories. http://www.zealoptics.com

Falcon Eye handheld camera brings color to night vision videography

Komamura Corporation launched a new handheld camcorder called the Falcon Eye KC-2000, which brings color to scenes too dark to be visible to the human eye. Its new Falcon Eye camera is able to record up to 720p color video at 30 frames per second (fps) using the H.264 codec in almost complete darkness; it is a combination of a new 2/3-inch type CMOS sensor and advanced image processing with powerful noise elimination technology. It is able to record subjects as faint as 0.005 lux (at f1.4, 30fps), has a spectral sensitivity of 390 to 700nm and a 250% dynamic range. It gives the device a resolution and color clarity that offers a high degree of target recognition and identification, and a light sensitivity that goes well beyond what's capable with other night vision systems. The KC-2000 is also being pitched for such things as military operations, law enforcement, surveillance, and research projects. Video and JPEG format stills images can be recorded to tamper-proof media cards to allow footage to be used in evidence. It benefits from a weather-sealed and splash-proof aluminum housing, and is powered by a 4900mAh Li-ion battery for five hours of continuous use between charges. It has simple two-button operation, with many settings handled automatically by the camera, making it easy to use for first-timers. As there's no display

http://www.baesystems.com/article/BAES_165373/worlds-first-head-up-display-for-soldier-in-field-testing?_afrLoop=357138511717000&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=null&baeSessionId=sVhrT7kHdtY1shpsy7N83qxNp01Pw2g0VFhp42xmslTKXKNS0g71!2129012228#%40%3F_afrWindowId%3Dnull%26baeSessionId%3DsVhrT7kHdtY1shpsy7N83qxNp01Pw2g0VFhp42xmslTKXKNS0g71%25212129012228%26_afrLoop%3D357138511717000%26_afrWindowMode%3D0%26_adf.ctrl-state%3D19bp9i60qd_4http://www.zealoptics.com/hdcameragoggle.html


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panel, all framing up is undertaken via the electronic viewfinder. The camera is capable of Linear PCM audio recording via the built-in mono microphone to 16-bit/48 kHz resolution, but there's also a 3.5mm stereo input jack for external microphone attachment. A HDMI output is included for viewing footage on a big screen TV or monitor, and users can swap out lenses via the CS mount (an optional adapter is available for C mount lenses). http://www.falconeyecnv.com/?page_id=2251

The Falcon Eye KC-2000 handheld camcorder from Tokyo's Komamura Corporation; The same scene recorded using a consumer HandyCam (top), a professional night vision camera (bottom left), and the KC-2000 (bottom right)

K-Glass smart glasses mimic the human brain to improve energy efficiency

As the hype surrounding wearable devices builds, a team of South Korean researchers from the countrys top technology university claim they have developed an alternative to Google Glass: the K-Glass. As an electronic eyewear, K-Glass shares many similarities with Google Glass. But Yoo Hoi-jun, a professor at South Koreas KAIST university who spearheaded the project, says it comes with a special chip that expands the pool of objects the device can properly recognize without relying on barcodes or other markers. The processor duplicates the ability of the human brain to process visual data, KAIST said. But the K-Glass, as seen in the photo, is a lot bulkier than Google Glass which is a small-sized rectangular computer attached to the frame of spectacles. Yoo says he and his team are open to selling the glass device to big companies like Samsung and Google. A point of

difference that could distinguish the K-Glass technology from other head-mounted displays, and one emphasized by the researchers, is the approach used to generate the augmented reality experience. Rather than using methods such as algorithms, facial recognition, motion tracking, barcodes and QR codes to establish and deliver a virtual reality like other head-mounted displays, K-Glass is designed to replicate the process our brains use to establish our surroundings. This all revolves around an AR processor based on the Visual Attention Model (VAM), which reproduces the ability of the human brain to categorize relevant and irrelevant visual data. http://www.kaist.edu

In basing the artificial neural network on the brain's central nervous system, the team says it was able to compartmentalize the processing of data, resulting in less

congestion and significantly improved energy efficiency

French researchers develop single-molecule LED The ultimate challenge in the race to miniaturize light emitting diodes (LEDs) has now been met: a team led by the Institut de Physique et de Chimie des Matriaux de Strasbourg in collaboration with UPMC and CEA, has developed the first ever single-molecule LED. The device is formed from a single polythiophene wire placed between the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope and a gold surface. It emits light only when the current passes in a certain direction. This experimental tour de force sheds light on the interactions between electrons and photons

http://www.falconeyecnv.com/?page_id=2251http://www.kaist.edu/_prog/_board/?code=ed_news&site_dvs_cd=en&menu_dvs_cd=0601

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