Slashdot Mirror


LCD Display/Image Capture Device

Jon writes "Remember jokes about clueless newbies trying to fax documents by holding them up to the monitor? Perhaps they were just ahead of their time. Toshiba has developed a combined LCD/optical sensor, according to EETimes. It isn't monitor sized yet, but in a few years, perhaps?"

213 comments

  1. 1984 by CrosbieSmith · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aaarrgh! My screen is watching me!

    1. Re:1984 by GnarlyNome · · Score: 0

      You sure you're not Winston Smith{:-)

      --
      Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie" until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
    2. Re:1984 by Judg3 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Ah, you mean this chapter. And indeed, it's almost true now:

      "Behind Winston's back the voice from the telescreen was still babbling away
      about pig-iron and the overfulfilment of the Ninth Three-Year Plan. The
      telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston
      made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it, moreover,
      so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque
      commanded, he could be seen as well as heard. There was of course no way of
      knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on
      what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was
      guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But
      at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to
      live--did live, from habit that became instinct--in the assumption that every
      sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement
      scrutinized."

      --
      Looking for hardware (Currently need: Large Etch-a-Sketch) Have one? See my journal!
    3. Re:1984 by Pepebuho · · Score: 1

      Not Funny
      This is exactly the first thing that came to my mind when I read it.

    4. Re:1984 by notb4dinner · · Score: 1

      I only read 1984 12 months or so ago, but for some reason that passsage seems a lot closer to home than it did then.

  2. In Soviet Russia... by Quixote · · Score: 4, Funny
    OK, you can start posting the variants of "In Soviet Russia, the monitor watch you!" now...

    1. Re:In Soviet Russia... by LePrince · · Score: 1

      The variant would be "In soviet russia, the monitor is watched by YOU !".

      But, isn't it what we're doing in America too? OK, I'm confused now.

    2. Re:In Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In Soviet Russia, the monitor monitors you!

    3. Re:In Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      or is it the 'monitors monitor you'? I'm all screwed up now.

    4. Re:In Soviet Russia... by Ed+Avis · · Score: 1

      'The monitor monitors you'? 'You monitor the monitor'?

      --
      -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
  3. "LCD Display" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Because I like to complain...

    "LCD Display" is horribly redundant. As this post will be modded.

    But the tech itself is cool!

    1. Re:"LCD Display" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Gnome Environment"
      "KDE Environment"
      "HDD Drive"
      "RAM Memory"
      "USB Bus"
      "BSD Distribution"
      "Perl Language"

      This sort of thing occurs across the computing industry.

    2. Re:"LCD Display" by Angry+White+Guy · · Score: 1

      The previous message previous to this one has been brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department, serving ousr customers for fifty-one years since 1952.

      Thank you and have a good night.

      --
      You think that I'm crazy, you should see this guy!
    3. Re:"LCD Display" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      wtf? I wrote this comment and even I thought it lame... AND SOMEONE MARKED IT INSIGHTFUL?!#!

      cool.

      ---
      Moderation
      +2
      50% Funny
      30% Insightful
      20% Redundant
      Total Score: 2

    4. Re:"LCD Display" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ATM Machine

    5. Re:"LCD Display" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I prefer to be absolutely clear. I call them "Liquid Crystal LCD Displays"

  4. Pinky? Are you pondering what I'm pondering? by Drathus · · Score: 1

    "Uh, I think so Brain, but monitors as webcams? That's a silly idea."

    Besides how will I be able to make fun of friends when they tell me they met this really hot supermodel online...

    I mean, honesty on the Internet? Yeah, right.

  5. So much for privacy by wakeboard · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That opens up an interesting question, can some one exploite this to see what you are doing at your desk?

    ie picking your nose =]

    1. Re:So much for privacy by LePrince · · Score: 2, Funny
      How the hell did you see that????

      Oh, nevermind...

    2. Re:So much for privacy by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

      "That opens up an interesting question, can some one exploite this to see what you are doing at your desk?

      ie picking your nose =]"


      I'm more worried about you guys finding out why I have such a terrible time typing...

    3. Re:So much for privacy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or what you're doing while browsing those p0rn sites.

    4. Re:So much for privacy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ie the trolls jerking off to goatse.

  6. so this means by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you can send ur picture over the web via your lcdcam? ;-)

  7. Oh dear lord by mao+che+minh · · Score: 3, Funny
    We will go from having trolls posting images of the goatse guy, to posting images of "themselves", so to speak.

    Ok, I'll just come out and say it: ball sack mashed against the screen = a shockingly revolting image to be sent around the world.

    1. Re:Oh dear lord by Maeryk · · Score: 1

      Ok, I'll just come out and say it: ball sack mashed against the screen = a shockingly revolting image to be sent around the world.

      Actually, I believe you will find there are at least three high-traffic porn sites that provide just this sort of image.

      For every kink, theres a lotta kooks, paying a bunch of monthly fees!

      maeryk

      --
      Feminine Protection? What is that? A chartreuse flame thrower?
  8. Re:Why? by questamor · · Score: 1

    It may not be useful for every optical input job, but if it were able to look far enough away from the screen to capture imagery and act as a webcam in some way, then there's possibilities for video conferencing for starters.

  9. Re:Why? by Student_Tech · · Score: 1

    I think it would have to do with limited space. If you have this you don't need both a monitor and a scanner. Less stuff on desk means more desk space.

  10. I just want by scorp1us · · Score: 5, Interesting

    To be able to position a webcam from computer A in front of a monitor from computer B, and reverse it. So each camera is looking at each other's monitor.

    Then I want to display crap on the screen which then gets interpreted as data (Imagine a 4x4 checkerboard, black=0, white=1, so each screen displays 16 bits at a time)

    Now use this to bridge two networks.

    Questions: How many cells can be fit on a monitor?
    How fast can you change/read the data?
    Ideally if your webcam is 320x200, you could get 64kbits per flash. If you can use 4 colors instead of two, you're upto ISDN speeds...

    --
    Slashdot's rate-of-post filter: Preventing you from posting too many great ideas at once.
    1. Re:I just want by Angry+White+Guy · · Score: 1

      Wow, innane use of technology to fill a market that's been overflown with real solutions to a once-upon-a-time problem! The Open source community salutes you sir!

      We expect you to post your page to /. immediately upon completion. and make sure that you utilize the link in the network to see how it handles the load.

      --
      You think that I'm crazy, you should see this guy!
    2. Re:I just want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ideally if your webcam is 320x200, you could get 64kbits per flash. If you can use 4 colors instead of two, you're upto ISDN speeds...

      My webcam is 640x480 and could do a lot more than 4 colors.

    3. Re:I just want by subzerohen · · Score: 1

      Why don't you use it to rip DRM crippled movies instead? Have Windows DRM on one of the computers and Linux on the other...

    4. Re:I just want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Refresh rates. That's why you don't camcord off of your pc.

    5. Re:I just want by radish · · Score: 1

      Yeah, cos 100mbit ethernet's just too...errr....expensive...no wait....errr....slow....no hang on I'll get it....too easy? Hmmm.

      --

      ---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"

    6. Re:I just want by DigitalDragon · · Score: 1

      I am sorry. But this is simply insane. What on earth are you talking about?

      --
      http://dtum.livejournal.com
    7. Re:I just want by bryanthompson · · Score: 1

      I think your idea's awesome! Has it been done already with webcams pointed at monitors?

      Other people have dismissed your post as being a stupid idea, but I can actually see a use for it. If you had a computer and a PDA, but didn't have your cable with you, and both LCDS happened to be of this type, you could hold your PDA up to the screen and get data.

    8. Re:I just want by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

      "Wow, innane use of technology to fill a market that's been overflown with real solutions to a once-upon-a-time problem!"

      He's not talking about filling a need, he's talking about doing something cool.

      I used to have a Timex Datalink watch that did something sort of like that. It had an optical sensor on it and the computer would flash stuff on the monitor really really fast. The two devices synched up without needing cables etc. Damn cool. I wouldn't mind synching up my PocketPc that way, but until that LCD scanner display in the other article pops up, not likely.

    9. Re:I just want by scorp1us · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Well at the last place I worked, I worked for R&D, and we were always at odds with IT. They wouldn't let us put this one computer on the network because it was leased, and not under our configuration control. But it was in the same room as a computer that was. They even faced each other... and then my idea was born. You can even fan-out to multiple networks or fan-in. I think it'd be damn cool to walkinto a room full of flashing monitors.

      It could wind up looking like the screens in the matrix, where you could see: "That was a UDP packet, and this is an ARP request..." ;-)

      --
      Slashdot's rate-of-post filter: Preventing you from posting too many great ideas at once.
    10. Re:I just want by scorp1us · · Score: 1

      Well the cell-recognition is the problem. To detect 640x480, you're need at least 1280x960 on the webcam.

      But if you could do that, at 16 colors, you'd have 1/2 of 10base-t speed, and that's assuming 1 flash/sec. I think there's room for at least 5 a second, since most webcams these days do 30fps.

      It's be good for phsyical isolation of networks and other devices. (Camera phones?)

      --
      Slashdot's rate-of-post filter: Preventing you from posting too many great ideas at once.
    11. Re:I just want by B3ryllium · · Score: 1

      I still have a DataLink somewheres, and the software too. Haven't used it in ages. And I think Windows NT's different hardware access means I can't use it any more (as it seemed to write directly to the video card).

    12. Re:I just want by B3ryllium · · Score: 3, Funny

      But the real question is ...

      ... was the UDP packet a redhead?

    13. Re:I just want by Graff · · Score: 1
      ...at 16 colors, you'd have 1/2 of 10base-t speed, and that's assuming 1 flash/sec. I think there's room for at least 5 a second, since most webcams these days do 30fps.

      It's be good for phsyical isolation of networks and other devices.

      They already have something like this out there - it's called fiber optic networking.
    14. Re:I just want by scorp1us · · Score: 1

      Shhhhhh!

      But see, this requires no fiber!

      --
      Slashdot's rate-of-post filter: Preventing you from posting too many great ideas at once.
    15. Re:I just want by Firehawke · · Score: 1

      This is a very interesting concept, and it'd be fun just to see if it could be done. Seems like a lot of the responses here have forgotten that sometimes it's just all for fun.

      You mention a checkerboard system-- how about proof of concept by writing just that: a checkers game where it reads the move the other computer made right off of that system's screen. Utterly worthless, sure, but damn geeky.

    16. Re:I just want by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 1

      Why would you want to do this?

      I don't mean why would you want a wireless bridge between two network segments. I mean, why would you want to implement such a bridge with dedicated webcams and video displays instead of, say, infrared LEDs.

    17. Re:I just want by msaulters · · Score: 1

      First, you've got to consider the limiting factor, likely how quickly your webcam can update. Then, you'd have to focus it so that it's only picking up the monitor, and not joe blow walking nearby. Then, you've got to worry about snapping a picture during the middle of the monitor's screen refresh (unless you're using an LCD panel, guess the one would be faster, while the other wouldn't have refresh issues).

      But, even better, this is full-duplex operation, so roughly double your speed.

      Finally, I think you need to re-think your speeds... you're talking ISDN speeds, but that's 64kbits PER SECOND. this is bumped up greatly by the fact that you should at least be able to process 10fps fairly reliably. That's 640kbps, Full-Duplex, uncompressed. Using data compression algorithms and in I/O buffer, bump it up to T1 speed......

      OR...

      Replace the whole darned thing with an IRDA module available down at the local CompUSA.

      (Gotta admit, the coolness factor would be high, though. Random snow on the screen that actually means something. Would be fun to write a screensaver that displayed the entire contents of your HD this way. If nobody caught on, you could spread this as a virus & sneak lots of juicy information out of government buildings just by peeking through windows.... Maybe I shoulda posted anonymously)

      --
      These people looked deep into my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined.
    18. Re:I just want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Been done. Timex (I think) had a watch you could download information into with a program that flashed your monitor.

    19. Re:I just want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you actually don't need a fiber to do this either. they do have laser point to point believe it or not! Shh....

    20. Re:I just want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      its a shame UDP is connectionless

    21. Re:I just want by Dylan+Zimmerman · · Score: 1

      Well, why not have the DRMd computer output the movie to a video out port (idealy, S-Video) and have the Linux box (or even Windows box) record the S-Video with a TV Tuner card? It seems pretty straightforward to me. S-Video even has sound, so you'd be getting the entire movie, not just the video.

      There's probably a reason that this won't work such as "DRMd Windows won't output to a video port, stupid!". Please refrain from commenting on my idiocy and stick to whether it can be done or not.

    22. Re:I just want by Angry+White+Guy · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I know. TCP/IP by carrier pigeon. The problem is that the technology is really line of sight oriented. 802.11b or bluetooth would work better, and if it gets placed in enough consumer equipment, it really drives the price down. Pursuing a white whale this is.

      --
      You think that I'm crazy, you should see this guy!
    23. Re:I just want by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

      "The problem is that the technology is really line of sight oriented. 802.11b or bluetooth would work better..."

      The problem with 802.11 or Bluetooth is that anybody could be listening.

      This guy didn't want to do it in order to be faster or to communicate wirelessly, he just wanted to do it because it'd be cool to try. You never know when something like that would be more beneficial than the alternatives.

      I think there's a better way, though. I think he could adapt a pair of pen-lasers to do the job at a higher bandwidth with less CPU overhead.

  11. Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think you have to look. Maybe outside the box?

    Think of the possibilities with CDROM which is optical

    or even if it was digital and magnetic? maybe disks and hard disks too?

    or push it further and get even more.

  12. disturbing ramifications... by Schwartzboy · · Score: 3, Insightful
    If this does become technically feasible and relatively inexpensive, who wants to make a bet on the display that's commonly hooked up to next generation of office desktop machines?
    Certain companies already monitor their employees to what I believe is an obsessive extent, and the ability to take a "scan" of what's in front of the monitor every X minutes is something I can see being used and abused by the "w3 0wnz j00" philosophy that a lot of businesses have with respect to their employees. Worse yet, look at this technology after a few iterations and a few million dollars, and you've got screen = scanner = webcam.

    In the dark, uncertain future of cubicle dwellers, there will be no need for paranoia...your computer is, in fact, watching you.

    --
    "Linux doesn't exist. Everyone knows Linux is an unlicensed version of Unix"- Kieren O'Shaughnessy
    1. Re:disturbing ramifications... by ufoo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Just get a nice 19" diagonal picture of yourself to put up while you are out smoking.

      --

      --
      Annotateit at Annotateit.com
    2. Re:disturbing ramifications... by ichimunki · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Um, how hard is it to build a monitor with a built-in webcam, or even to affix one to existing monitors? Or are you trying to say that companies would only do this if they could somehow do it without anyone knowing for sure there was a camera in or on the monitor? Maybe a fixed lens that was not integral to the screen itself would be too easy to cover up with a post-it note. But what good does it do to have a live image of someone sitting at a monitor? Have you ever watched a webcam? It's incredibly dull and not likely to tell the company anything except that their employees loked bored or frustrated most of the time.

      --
      I do not have a signature
    3. Re:disturbing ramifications... by shekondar · · Score: 2, Insightful
      the ability to take a "scan" of what's in front of the monitor every X minutes is something I can see being used and abused by the "w3 0wnz j00" philosophy that a lot of businesses have with respect to their employees
      I doubt it... a picture of an employee sitting in front of their PC won't tell them anything (how will they know if employee is doing "real work", or looking at pr0n?)

      Keystroke loggers & firewalls are better for watching what employees are really doing, and these have been around for years...

      --

      No trees were harmed in posting this message. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced
    4. Re:disturbing ramifications... by crazyphilman · · Score: 1

      I have no doubt whatsoever that as soon as this becomes feasible in production, it will go into production and get heavily marketed. What makes this so awful is, once this exists, you'll never know whether your screen can do this or not (unless, that is, you're sniffing your network connection to see if any traffic is being sent). You'll always be wondering whether anyone is watching you.

      So much for surfing pr0n, with one hand on the mouse... Hehehehe.

      On the other hand, you could get around this with a cheap, plastic one-way-mirror film taped over the screen. 'Course, then, whatever's on the screen'd get captured.

      If this sort of thing ever gets widespread, I'm going to get me one of these:

      http://www.tekgear.com/product.cfm?sku=0031

      Let 'em try and monitor THAT ("Um... Sir, his pupils are dilated, and he's blinking a lot... Should we send an email suggesting eyedrops?").

      --
      Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
    5. Re:disturbing ramifications... by esper_child · · Score: 1

      actually, Sony had a laptop like this. The camera folded out from the side. They also had/have a desktop that has a Wacom LCD tablet for a monitor (truely a fun thing to play with). Sadly though I haven't seen the laptop+camera in a long time, but I remember it being cool for video confrences.

    6. Re:disturbing ramifications... by esper_child · · Score: 1

      Actually just loop a short clip of you working. Send this through the capture device. Instantly look like you are working. Remember any network traffic can be altered provided you know what you are doing.

    7. Re:disturbing ramifications... by crazyphilman · · Score: 1

      Not a bad idea; you mean, put some kind of customized driver on your PC that captures the signal from the monitor and subtitutes your own.

      --
      Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
    8. Re:disturbing ramifications... by Spudley · · Score: 1

      a picture of an employee sitting in front of their PC won't tell them anything (how will they know if employee is doing "real work", or looking at pr0n?)

      They'll be able to see it in the reflection in your glasses! :-D

      --
      (Spudley Strikes Again!)
    9. Re:disturbing ramifications... by shekondar · · Score: 1

      I guess the drool and rapid arm movements would be a dead giveaway too!

      --

      No trees were harmed in posting this message. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced
    10. Re:disturbing ramifications... by harrkev · · Score: 1
      Worse yet, look at this technology after a few iterations and a few million dollars, and you've got screen = scanner = webcam.

      Not quite. The problem with this is that the paper has to be TOUCHING the LCD panel. It is probably more of a "shadow detector" than a camera.

      The LCD panel is supposed to be a SCANNER! Here is an experiement. Open the lid to your flatbed scanner and begin a scan. You will NOT see a perfectly-formed image of your ceiling. You will see a whole lot of nothing.

      The point of this is that if you want to use this thing as a webcam, you will need to put a lens in front of it. Perhaps a lensboard from a small view camera might work (with bellows). Otherwise, you will not get much of an image.

      The only way that your monitor can monitor you is if each pixel had the equivalent of a zoom lens in front of it - very unlikely. And if this DID happen, the montior would have a very bad case of tunnel vision.

      In short - stop worrying.

      --
      "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
    11. Re:disturbing ramifications... by jdray · · Score: 1
      But what good does it do to have a live image of someone sitting at a monitor? Have you ever watched a webcam? It's incredibly dull and not likely to tell the company anything except that their employees loked bored or frustrated most of the time.

      Yes, but if they can see you looking at the screen and see what you're looking at, they can determine whether you're writing system documentation/code/etc. or posting something to /.

      I think this falls in the category of really bad.

      --
      The Spoon
      Updated 6/28/2011
    12. Re:disturbing ramifications... by jdray · · Score: 1

      Actually, that's the perfect application of this technology: LCD glasses, with pupil tracking built into the screen(s). Right now, pupil tracking rigs [replacing the mouse] are unwieldly and expensive, with no cool factor outside of Borg-wannabe conventions (not referring to Anita Borg, who just passed away recently).

      --
      The Spoon
      Updated 6/28/2011
    13. Re:disturbing ramifications... by zx-6e · · Score: 1

      One possible useful use of this technology could be in biometrics and authentication. Let the screen scan you and then log you on.

      If you move away from the screen, lock it! If you return and are the correct person, unlock it.

      Lots of cool uses!

    14. Re:disturbing ramifications... by crazyphilman · · Score: 1

      That's interesting; pupil tracking instead of mousing. I'm not sure whether I'd like that; I think I'll stick with my trackball (I'm a crusty sort). But, still, it's interesting.

      --
      Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
    15. Re:disturbing ramifications... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      So much for surfing pr0n, with one hand on the mouse... Hehehehe.


      I'm confused....are you expecting people to now surf for porn with two hands on the mouse? None on the mouse? Explain.

  13. I can see it now... by blurfus · · Score: 1

    A new variant of the "Hi!, you have been e-mooned" chain letter will be born...
    (nothing stopped people from using the photocopier at work, this will just be another amuzement toy)
    Ahh!, the memmories...

    --
    will work for Karma
  14. No sale by Mattygfunk1 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    This is solving a problem that has already been solved.

    Faxes around my office are usually printed computer documents that perhaps have a hand written signature. This fits beautifully into the sending slot. Why would anyone want to stand there holding the thing still while they press a button / click a mouse. No way.

    __ cheap web site hosting

  15. Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A handy is i/o too.. So stop complaining...

  16. Re:Why? by aflat362 · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Why merge the two when they should be mutually exclusive?

    well, a Floppy drive or a cd burner or hard drive are Input and output devices - not a totally new concept to do both I and O on the same device. Given these are all storage medias and a monitor is presentation media - but how many presentation medias are there (I can think of 2) I'd be pretty suprised if there weren't speaker / microphone combos out already.

    and if it worked really well It might be nice to free up that large portion of my desk that the scanner is taking up

    This solution must be somewhat intuitive if people were holding sheets of paper up to the screen trying to fax them.

    --

    Conserve Oil, Recycle, Boycott Walmart

  17. I know...I know by user32.ExitWindowsEx · · Score: 1, Redundant

    In Soviet Russia, Monitor Watches You!

    (I know, I know...but it's true [now] )

    --
    "Evil will always triumph because good is dumb." -- Dark Helmet
  18. Re:Why? by Max+von+H. · · Score: 1

    What about screen/artpad combos such as Wacom's Cintiq line of products? Or imagine the possibilities with public booths? Or on laptops?

    I think we'll come up with more and more applications for two-way devices in the future, as the technology evolves. It won't replace a scanner, but it'll certainly find itself useful somehow.

    Cheers,
    max

    --
    -- It's always darker before it goes pitch black.
  19. Put �Em on the Glass by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This sounds a lot more hygienic than everyone using the same copy machine. Let's hope they get the pixel response times fixed by the time these show up.

  20. Cue: by Nick+Harkin · · Score: 1

    Cue posting to that site that gives you the picture of the chimp, saying it has been taken through your monitor...... now!

    i think it can be found through bored.com ;)

  21. Great Idea! by Limburgher · · Score: 1

    Then, I can install VNC, hold a mirror up to the screen, and /. my machine!!!! :)

    --

    You are not the customer.

    1. Re:Great Idea! by cybermace5 · · Score: 1

      Actually, any monitor that has this should include a "Mirror" button!

      Simply press the button and each camera cell is directly linked to its nearby display cell.

      --
      ...
    2. Re:Great Idea! by jdray · · Score: 1

      Great. This way, the lady next to me does her hair in her cube instead of in her car at the stoplight. Well, I guess the streets will be safer.

      --
      The Spoon
      Updated 6/28/2011
  22. LCD + Image capture + Speaker by Vodak · · Score: 2, Funny

    combine this story with this prior slashdot story(http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/03/31/ 1453223&mode=thread&tid=196&tid=137) about turning the monitor into a speaker and you have one hell of a trim kick ass system.

    1. Re:LCD + Image capture + Speaker by phelddagrif · · Score: 1

      And after a few years, if they can squish all this technology into a tablet PC, that would be interesting. No need for external speakers or scanner, or camera. Just point your computer at something and take a picture of it.

    2. Re:LCD + Image capture + Speaker by bughunter · · Score: 1
      a trim kick ass system

      Well, you realize, don't you, that when you have a combined monitor/scanner/speaker with sufficient low end response, and given all the folks here talking about ass scans, that a real ass kicking is entirely possible!

      THUMP!

      --
      I can see the fnords!
    3. Re:LCD + Image capture + Speaker by B3ryllium · · Score: 1

      Or a feature-length video with stereo sound :)

  23. And then... by Acidic_Diarrhea · · Score: 1, Funny
    "Hey Bill, what's that brown streak in the middle of your monitor?"

    Hilarity ensues.

    --
    I hate liberals. If you are a liberal, do not reply.
  24. Uses for Pr0n by phelddagrif · · Score: 1

    This has great applications for two way interactive pr0n, until the screen gets all sticky, and gross that is..

  25. in case of /. by k3v0 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    LCD captures images by the pixel By Yoshiko Hara EE Times April 4, 2003 (10:04 a.m. EST) Recent Articles Systems and Software News Mobile missiles back on drawing board, U.S. general says Nokia to detail e-mail security scheme at conference New group aims to secure PCs, PDAs, cell phones Failed takeover could mean end for Germany's Grundig India builds Tflops computing cluster Windows opens view to 64-way Itanium systems DuPont forges 'Olight' brand for emerging OLEDs Japan promotes robots as the next consumer wave Archives TOKYO -- Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. has added an image capturing function to its low-temperature polysilicon liquid crystal displays. A 3.5-inch diagonal LTPS LCD dubbed Input Display has an optical sensor for each pixel. The transmissive type color display with a QVGA (320x240 pixels) resolution, when placed on an object, scans an area of actual display size and captures it as a 960x240-pixel monochrome image. The high mobility of LTPS liquid crystals allows pixel transistors to be small in size and the display has a higher aperture ratio compared to amorphous silicon TFT. These factors allow room for a sensor to be fabricated for each pixel, said a spokesman for the company. Toshiba Matsushita Display expects the display with the image capturing function to open new consumer and business applications. The company expects the technology to be used in security applications such as fingerprint authentification. The display will be exhibited at EDEX 2003, a display exhibition to be held in Tokyo next week (April 9-11).

    1. Re:in case of /. by k3v0 · · Score: 1

      worst formatting ever sorry

  26. My estimation by Sophrosyne · · Score: 1

    +1 point for cyber sex hobbyists (If thats what you call em)
    -2 points for privacy (How long will it be before we have spyware in our monitors)

  27. Imagine the spam... by scorp1us · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now spammers can see if you're really fat or not. I can also show them my schlong, so they won't 1) tell me how to make it longer and 2) tell me how I can increase my breast size.

    --
    Slashdot's rate-of-post filter: Preventing you from posting too many great ideas at once.
    1. Re:Imagine the spam... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Now spammers can see if you're really fat or not. I can also show them my schlong, so they won't 1) tell me how to make it longer and 2) tell me how I can increase my breast size.


      Just because they see that you have a schlong is no reason why you might not be interested in breast enlargement. Schlong and breast enlargement need not be mutually exclusive, after all.

  28. Big Brother by mishan · · Score: 1

    Ah, now soon everyone can have a telescreen in their own room that not only displays images, but also sends images back to Big Brother.. errr Toshiba.

  29. LCD captures images by the pixel-article by abhisarda · · Score: 0, Redundant

    TOKYO -- Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. has added an image capturing function to its low-temperature polysilicon liquid crystal displays.
    A 3.5-inch diagonal LTPS LCD dubbed Input Display has an optical sensor for each pixel. The transmissive type color display with a QVGA (320x240 pixels) resolution, when placed on an object, scans an area of actual display size and captures it as a 960x240-pixel monochrome image.

    The high mobility of LTPS liquid crystals allows pixel transistors to be small in size and the display has a higher aperture ratio compared to amorphous silicon TFT. These factors allow room for a sensor to be fabricated for each pixel, said a spokesman for the company.

    Toshiba Matsushita Display expects the display with the image capturing function to open new consumer and business applications. The company expects the technology to be used in security applications such as fingerprint authentification.

    The display will be exhibited at EDEX 2003, a display exhibition to be held in Tokyo next week (April 9-11).

  30. Hey Orwell! by cybermace5 · · Score: 1

    Sounds like the screens in "1984" doesn't it?

    A nice side effect of this would be built-in touchscreens on everything. More like pointscreens, you won't even have to contact the surface.

    And kids can open up Paintbrush and make Hand Turkeys!

    --
    ...
    1. Re:Hey Orwell! by TeknoDragon · · Score: 1

      Hell yes 1984, exactly what I was thinking.

      Fortunately I'm guessing the focal range isn't very good (yet).

      I sure hope you're using a SECURE OPERATING SYSTEM with these! Big Brother, or maybe just another script kiddie is watching!

      Immaging how embarrassed you'd be if those #hotteens knew you really were a 38 yo sysadmin from Cleveland, or if the camgirls could look back.

  31. Re:Why? by jhines0042 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Video conferencing where you don't have to look anywhere but your monitor?

    How about spying on your workplace? Security people would love to be able to "hide" a security camera in a monitor.

    Of course, to get the kind of depth of field that you would need for those applications you would need to have lenses.

    So lets look somewhere else...

    How about a portable fax machine in your PDA?...

    Or double your PDA as a scanner of text documents?

    I'm sure something cool could be done here!

    --
    42 - So long and thanks for all the fish.
  32. Why would this really matter anyways...? by Peterus7 · · Score: 0
    It's called 'print screen' for a reason...

    Although it might be good for certain screen grabs when your computer isn't doing so well... Proof that it wasn't your fault the system crashed, hehe..

  33. Re:Why? by Angry+White+Guy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe then we can get a direct picture, instead of making the videoconfrencer look like he's always looking down. I want my virura-hookers looking right at me dammit!

    --
    You think that I'm crazy, you should see this guy!
  34. better invisibility cloak by Fratz · · Score: 2, Informative

    Eventually, this might lead to a better, standalone implementation of that "invisibile raincoat" thing that's been hyped over the last couple of months.

    --
    -- Fratz, human
  35. Here we go again. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Adapting technology to accommodate the idiots rather than educating the idiots.

    1. Re:Here we go again. by Angry+White+Guy · · Score: 1

      That's what technology is for. We can improve technology. As for the idiots, we can only shoot them, but with technically advanced weapons.

      --
      You think that I'm crazy, you should see this guy!
  36. Tsk tsk, you didn't read the article... by PseudoThink · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Toshiba Matsushita Display expects the display with the image capturing function to open new consumer and business applications. The company expects the technology to be used in security applications such as fingerprint authentification." lol..."authentification"...

    1. Re:Tsk tsk, you didn't read the article... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      lol..."authentification"...

      "Authentification" sounds much more intelligent than "LOL". Or maybe it just sounds that way to me because I live Apalachia rather than on AOL... :-)

  37. This or That by nhavar · · Score: 1

    Easier video conferencing or a tool for the governement (i.e. Big Brother). Or maybe they'll create special TV's just for the neilson families or worse they'll end up like the TV's in Max Headroom - always on sending realtime feedback to the networks about viewers.

    Then again with no lense the viewing distance is going to be quite short.

    --
    "Do not be swept up in the momentum of mediocrity." - anon
    1. Re:This or That by Maeryk · · Score: 1

      Easier video conferencing or a tool for the governement (i.e. Big Brother). Or maybe they'll create special TV's just for the neilson families or worse they'll end up like the TV's in Max Headroom - always on sending realtime feedback to the networks about viewers.

      Uhh.. Tivo, Replay-TV, On-Demand TV, most digital cable boxes.. its already happening.

      Maeryk

      --
      Feminine Protection? What is that? A chartreuse flame thrower?
    2. Re:This or That by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes but while TIVO and such can tell the networks that you watched the Britney Spears Pepsi commercial fives times and insinuate that you spanked to it while a new LCD/Cam combo could actually watch you spanking it.

    3. Re:This or That by B3ryllium · · Score: 1

      And then it could sell the footage to other sources, and pay you royalties on your image. Or skip that last part.

    4. Re:This or That by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      or worse they'll end up like the TV's in Max Headroom - always on sending realtime feedback to the networks about viewers.

      "Bryce, access the two-way sampler!"

  38. Another example why... by StandardCell · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...technology for its own sake is a useless technology. Is it any wonder why the high-tech industry has been decimated lately?

    1. Re:Another example why... by watzinaneihm · · Score: 1

      ...technology for its own sake is a useless technology.
      Please do not generalize. Yes we did have a story on Concorde today, but the idea is not true in general. Remember walkman? It came out when sony decided to put headphones on their utlra-small players.They were really not thinking of the joggers then.They had a limited market target, but it made real big.Similarly CDs were supposed to store music, but then after about 2 years made it into the computer market.
      Technology for its own sake is sometimes technology waiting for uses to be found.

      --
      .ACMD setaloiv siht gnidaeR
  39. Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Uhhh dude, was it good crack? sounds like it. Did you read the article? did you read the slashdot submission? dammit do your parents know where you are?

  40. Hmph! by MoeMoe · · Score: 3, Funny

    In reality, this is just a way for computer monitors to get back at us for staring at them constantly for 16 hours a day...

    --
    Business \Busi"ness\, n.;
    A scam in which all people involved perceive as beneficial...
  41. Security monitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At the workplace it seems a bit paranoid to implement. But at an security concious purpose? Maybe an ATM machine?
    Most metropolitan ATMs have a camera installed where it scans the face for facial recognition. You'll notice it as the small, black screen on your right on most ATM models.

    In the office, it would only serve to reduce the amount of peripherials surrounding the workspace.

    On a consumer standpoint, I can't see this as useful at all (i'm sure the cost doesn't justify the means according to my wallet).

  42. Excellent for video phones etc by Wonderkid · · Score: 1

    It will now be possible to look directly at the person you are talking to, not up at a camera mounted above the screen. The one problem is that it will be harder to 'cover' the lens for peace of mind if you want privacy. Something that is easy with a regular camera lens by simply putting finger or lens cap over it.
    -----

    --

    O'WONDERWe're working on it.

  43. Re:Why? by Ponty · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I would be over the moon if I could slide my Newton down a document and scan it. I got a c-pen, but it just isn't worth using. It might be a killer app for PDAs.

  44. Finally! by dfiguero · · Score: 5, Funny

    No more cracking the photocopier glass to get a butt shot ;)

    --
    My penguin ate my sig
    1. Re:Finally! by unicron · · Score: 1

      Dude, Canon Assjet.

      --
      Finally, math books without any of that base 6 crap in them.
  45. Re:Why? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "A monitor is an output device. A scanner (optical reader, whatever) is an input device. Why merge the two when they should be mutually exclusive? "

    Does your keyboard have a caps-lock light?

  46. Newbie Jokes by arloguthrie · · Score: 1

    Remember jokes about clueless newbies trying to fax documents by holding them up to the monitor?

    Next thing you know, blondes really will be using White-out on their monitors.

    --
    ----------
    Cheese it! It's the FEDS!
    1. Re:Newbie Jokes by xTown · · Score: 1

      I was on the line once and told someone to right-click an icon. She said, and I swear to God I am not making this up, "What do you want me to write on?"

  47. Good ideas w/ good intentions = Patriot Act LCD by adzoox · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Good ideas w/ good intentions = Patriot Act LCD

    The Patriot Act had good intentions but has the effect of erasing a lot our rights.

    Think of how a technology like this could be pushed by the insurance and government law enforcement agencies in the future.

    Insurance companies could require that all new car windsheilds and rear view mirrors, all TVs, all laptops have this "camera LCD" installed. Then if we also have cars, houses, etc ... that have networks required for software as Oracle CEO Larry Ellison sees it, I suppose the "device" (wisndshield, TV, laptop) once reported stolen would email a picture of the theif to the police and the owner. What a boom to forensics! But what a total erasing of privacy.

    Then I suppose this could be hacked and teens could REALLY get REAL live webcams of "certain activities" from TVs in bedrooms. Hotels would monitor sleeping activities. Insurance companies monitor driving habits. (already tried with GPS in Alamo rental cars) Are you using that cell phone without a hands free?

    Are you smoking and not telling the insurance company?

    Truely 1984 wasn't satire!

    --
    Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
    1. Re:Good ideas w/ good intentions = Patriot Act LCD by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Huh. You'd think that this all would have happened with the rise of cheap microcameras. Does your insurance company require you put an X10 camera in your vehicle to take snapshots of potential theives? Does Big Larr' require you to have a webcam connected to your Oracle server? There are thousands of cameras connected to computers--barring Black Helicopter Conspiracy Theories, is there -any- evidence that kiddies are hacking into them en masse?

      All this new product would provide is the fusion of a camera and a monitor into a single device. There already exist many devices that integrate both a viewer-facing camera and a standard LCD into a single compact package. How does a 2-way LCD suddenly catapult us into the nightmare world of Orwell when we could be there with today's technology?

      --

      Obliteracy: Words with explosions

  48. Re:Why? by NanoGator · · Score: 1

    "A monitor is an output device. A scanner (optical reader, whatever) is an input device. Why merge the two when they should be mutually exclusive?"

    Why is this +5 Insightful? Did I miss the computer class that said output devices can only be output devices? Why should there be any absolute rules like that?

    I'm curious what you think of touch screens or Palm Pilots.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  49. The true story. by ianjk · · Score: 2, Funny

    One of those people who was made fun of on the first day @ the job for holding the paper to the monitor and hitting 'send', actually thought: 'hey I should make that work, just to spite those tech assholes that made fun of me.'

  50. Blah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm still trying to get my two computers to "talk to each other". I have both monitors pointed at each other, what can I be doing wrong?

  51. Jokes? by pete-classic · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess Michael has never done tech support. They aren't just jokes.

    A buddy of mine took the following call (from memory):

    T: Thank you for calling Dell, this is [name deleted], may I have your service tag number, please?
    C: . . .?
    T: The service tag is a six character, alphanumeric code printed on a white, bar-coded sticker on the back of your computer.
    C: . . .?
    T: It is on the back of the box that everything plugs into. Not the monitor.
    C: [Service tag deleted.]
    T: How can I help you?
    C: What is my fax number? [Ah, now we're getting sort of on-topic.]
    T: . . .?
    C: Someone needs to send me a fax, but I don't know my fax number.
    T: It's your phone number.
    C: No, my computer has a fax modem. I need to receive a fax on it, not a phone call.
    T: . . . !
    [20 minutes of trying to explain the concept of "fax" and get a phone line plugged into both an active jack and the right jack on the modem.]
    T: Thank you for calling Dell.
    T: [to me] You wouldn't believe the call I just had.
    [T relates call.]
    Me: I would have just told her "That service tag number you found . . . that's your fax number. Thank you for calling Dell. *click*"

    After that I always wanted to get that call, so I could say, with all the technical authority I could muster, "six."

    1. Re:Jokes? by Ed+Avis · · Score: 1

      That user doesn't sound too far off - of course you can receive a fax on your computer if it has a fax-capable modem installed. Where the user was wrong was in assuming Dell would know his phone number. (Also, the software supplied with Dell PCs probably doesn't include something to receive faxes. But it's reasonable to assume that if you're sold a '56K fax/modem' you can use it to send and receive faxes.)

      --
      -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
    2. Re:Jokes? by pete-classic · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Actually, the first person I had sex with wanted to marry me. I guess I was a natural.

      Simple ignorance isn't funny. People who are ignorant and totally unwilling to expend any effort in dragging themselves out of their ignorance are hilarious.

      Do you think that Ford gets calls like "Where is the 'go' button?" or "How much gas do I have in my car?" I kind of doubt it, but if they do I hope whoever fields those calls post them on the web!

      -Peter

  52. Re:Why? by lawpoop · · Score: 1
    Well, you can keep the functions seperate, but still put them in the same unit. Like a printer/copier/scanner. It saves space on the desktop. (the physical desktop, not the virtual one.)

    Personally, I don't like multi-purpose units (the whole putting-your-eggs-in-one-basket concern) but some people do.

    --
    Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
    -- Pablo Picasso
  53. Sounds more like a Kiosk thing by ianscot · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Maybe the costs for this wouldn't be more than a separate monitor and scanner? Those two items are basically commodity priced right now, for most people's uses anyway. The combo screen would need to be pretty cheap to compete.

    We have maybe, maybe 15 copies for several hundred people right now, and a few flatbed scanners around the office here. There's no shortage. I can see some new applications, and all -- potentially conferencing, and people would scan to OCR stuff more (if affordable OCR would work for the things they want to use it on) -- but would these really cost out, if those are the selling points?

    Easier to see this at public kiosk sort of things -- "hold up your coupon, please" and other cooler variations on touch-screen I/O applications. There the cost difference doesn't seem like a lot next to the convenience of the combined screen/reader. Seems like that'd be the first place to run into it...

    --
    "Fundamentalism" isn't about divine morality. It's about human authority.
  54. In Soviet Slashdot... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...the grammar nazis flame YOU

    B-}

    1. Re:In Soviet Slashdot... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ACK! Slashdot is in Soviet Russia?

  55. Office parties by rf0 · · Score: 1

    I can just see it now people using screen to copy their arses rather than photocopiers. :)

    Rus

  56. Never sent? by Litterbox · · Score: 0

    You mean all those faxes I *thought* I sent never really made it?!?! Holy %@*&!

  57. Remember??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Remember jokes about clueless newbies trying to fax documents by holding them up to the monitor?"

    ROTFL, No!
    Wait, were they using TeleMessage from Outlook, or MightyFax?

  58. What about whiteout? by catch23 · · Score: 1

    So are the newbies who put whiteout on their screen also ahead of their time? When will we see monitors that translate the whiteout on the screen to an actual selection-delete?

  59. Re:Why? by Spazholio · · Score: 1

    I tend to agree with this line of thinking. The printer/copier/scanner thing makes sense: it prints things on paper, it scans things off of paper, it replicates things that are printed on paper. There is a common thread to all those tasks. The monitor/scanner thing doesn't have a common thread. Not that it NEEDS to, it just seems like a proof-of-concept, whiz-bang, "look what I made" kinda thing.

  60. IN SOVIET RUSSIA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your monitor watches you!

  61. Scary thought... by eaddict · · Score: 1

    first is starts out reading the paper, then it can do facial recognition WITHOUT the user knowing! Though there would be good uses for this (ie ATMs/Pharmacys/etc) there are downsides too. Just another small step for Big Brother.

    --
    "If you are on fire you can just stop, drop, and roll. If you fall into Lava you are just dead." - my 5yr old daughter
  62. Re:Why? by Spazholio · · Score: 1

    Then allow me to sate your curiosity: I happen to like touch screens on areas where there is a need for convergence. On a 19" monitor, one can assume that there is a desktop (a physical one) associated with it. Therefore, there is space to have other peripherals, like keyboards, mice and the like. On a PDA, there is limited room, so convergence becomes a necessity. One needs to be able to write on the same area they read. The only exception to the rule is after market keyboards and the Zaurus, which has one included. As for touch screens - if they're in an office environment, overkill. No need. But in a place like a restaurant, where it's much simpler to not have to use a keyboard and just tap the name of what someone's ordering, it's a great idea.

    There is no hard and fast rule that says that there has to be any "hard and fast rules" about this sort of stuff. But coming from a tech support background, whenever there is a device that does the job of 2 (or more), it either doesn't do either as good as the separate devices, or one aspect breaks and makes the whole thing worthless.

  63. you mean... by ce110ut · · Score: 1

    "Remember jokes about clueless newbies trying to fax documents by holding them up to the monitor?"

    you mean that doesn't really work?

    [scratches head...]

  64. ahead of their time... by Psykechan · · Score: 1

    Remember jokes about clueless newbies trying to fax documents by holding them up to the monitor? Perhaps they were just ahead of their time.

    So the joke about the lady who turns on her van's cruise control then goes back to check on her baby and ends up in a ditch is ahead of her time? We already have the rudimentary technology to do this (GPS, Optical recognization, smart highways) but I would still say that she's clueless.

    We must understand what technology can and can't do for us, then try to overcome what it can't. Anyone who doesn't bother to understand is clueless by definition.

  65. Not a camera - a scanner by wowbagger · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is not a device that can form an image from an object at a non-trivial distance from the display - this is a device that only images an object placed against it.

    I would expect the primary intent of a device like this would be in a web-pad type device. Picture a clipboard, but thicker. Your customer hands you a printed item (work order, recept, whatever). You place the item face down against the display and push a button on the side. You remove the item from the display, and verify the scan took, then hand the item back to the customer.

    This would no more allow your monitor to image what is going on in the room than putting your flat bed scanner up on edge and leaving the top open would.

    1. Re:Not a camera - a scanner by bartle · · Score: 1
      This is not a device that can form an image from an object at a non-trivial distance from the display - this is a device that only images an object placed against it.

      The best illustration of this use is probably Sun's Starfire video. It's an amusing short film of what the future will look like, at least according to Sun. The centerpiece of the movie is a large, wraparound console that is not only touch sensitive but will automatically scan anything that is placed on it.

      There would appear to be a copy of the movie here for anyone interested.

    2. Re:Not a camera - a scanner by aztektum · · Score: 1

      Think if it were a camera though. In a few years we'd have face-to-face communication like in star trek and we don't have to look up to the corner of our monitor or somewhere to a webcam or something. That would be kinda neat.

      Of course we all know it'll be 3-5, 7-10, 10-15 years. Take ur pick

      --
      :: aztek ::
      No sig for you!!
  66. Reflective rendering. by EnsilZah · · Score: 1

    Hmm... interesting..

    I wonder how it would look if you used this to render metals and other reflective materials...

  67. Oh no... by dachang · · Score: 1

    Pretty soon you will have people putting their butts against the monitors to photocopy them...

    The horror!

  68. Been done. Kinda. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Like this only less useful?

  69. Tablet PCs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Microsoft's Tablet PCs? It's not quite whiteout, but you can cross out a word and it automatically gets erased.

  70. Re:Why? by B3ryllium · · Score: 1

    The only "really cool" thing I can think of for this technology is the aformentioned vidoeconferencing applications.

    It's Star Trek style. Admit it. A viewscreen like this would behave exactly like the screens in Star Trek.

  71. Re:Why? by lawpoop · · Score: 1

    Well, I think the common thread you propose is a bit tenuous. You could make the same kind of argument saying that this is a totally new device for image io, not a monitor and a scanner joined together. The common thread would be digital images (i.e. it displays digital images, it scans digital images).

    --
    Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
    -- Pablo Picasso
  72. Re:Pinky? Are you pondering what I'm pondering? by B3ryllium · · Score: 1

    Well, I think so, Brain - but where are we going to find bovine-sized pantyhose this late at night?

  73. Are we Jumping the Gun? by JohnDenver · · Score: 1

    Who's to say this technology is useless?

    First of all, I'm not saying there isn't a lot of useless technology. There is. I've seen it. I've even developed some useless technology myself.

    At this point it's probably too expensive to justify putting into every PDA and LAPTOP as an integrated scanner for people who don't want to carry scanners around.

    Who's to say it won't be cheap enough to produce in 5-10 years? It may make Toshiba a lot of money as an integrated LCD scanner technology as it could add a lot of value to thier existing PDA/Laptop product line possibly giving them a much bigger chunk of the market.

    Am I optimistically speculating? Yes. Atleast I'm not jumping the gun calling it useless.

    --
    "Communism is like having one [local] phone company " - Lenny Bruce
  74. Re:Why? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

    "Why? (Score:0, Insightful)
    A monitor is an output device. A scanner (optical reader, whatever) is an input device. Why merge the two when they should be mutually exclusive? This isn't a troll, I'm truly curious as to how this will be better than just a traditional monitor/scanner setup."


    Heh I know it's happened before, but that's the first time I've seen a moderation like that.

  75. Double Plus Good! by WareW01f · · Score: 1

    Wow, if we installed one of these in everyones house, we could teleconference with our gym and do exercises in the morning and... wait... something about this is very familiar....

  76. Simple reason why: better alternatives exist by StandardCell · · Score: 1

    It would be relatively easy to integrate an existing image sensor into the bottom of a laptop with a slim feeder.

    Of course, OLED and other display technologies will likely make LCD screens obsolete due to their durability and ease of replacablitity in 5-10 years. The difference with that technology is that the research was directed towards a goal with clear benefits versus existing technology. I should know, since it's the thing I'm most paranoid with in a laptop. Not to mention that LCDs are major consumers of power on a laptop. They are the bottleneck to the future.

  77. I guess that means I'll need some cleaner by AssFace · · Score: 1

    Because I am going to constantly be pressing my ass and genitals up against the screen.

    I mean... I do that now, but if it is going to scan it too - I might as well clean it. The monitor that is... I'll never clean my ass, nor the twig and berries.
    That's right, I said never.

    --

    There are some odd things afoot now, in the Villa Straylight.
  78. Re:Why? by Spazholio · · Score: 1

    Oh yeah? How about this? =)

    Why? (Score:-1, Insightful)
    A monitor is an output device. A scanner (optical reader, whatever) is an input device. Why merge the two when they should be mutually exclusive? This isn't a troll, I'm truly curious as to how this will be better than just a traditional monitor/scanner setup.

  79. Re:better invisibility cloak... by Rick.C · · Score: 1

    ... which I'd want to wear while sitting in front of my LCD monitor/scanner to preserve my privacy.

    --
    You were 80% angel, 10% demon. The rest was hard to explain. - Over The Rhine
    "Math in a song is good."-Linford
  80. So essentially... by mazarin5 · · Score: 1

    This is just hightech silly putty?

    --
    Fnord.
  81. Needs a lens to be a camera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The basic technology is a light sensor array. It can retrieve a contact image (fingerprint reader, flat-bed scanner, etc.), but it won't make coherent images of distant objects (farther than about the pixel dimensions) unles there is a focused image at its surface. That requires a lens, pinhole, or other mechanism to establishes a correlation between pixels and (x,y) positions at the distant field of view. Take off your glasses and you'll be safe ;^)

  82. combined with the speakers in the LCD... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... the whole multimedia packaage is now in your screen. kewl.

  83. Perhaps the next feature will be... by bdhein · · Score: 1

    a CD-ROM that doubles as a coffee cup holder!

  84. Mod parent up! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's funny and true!

  85. Z80 CPU on glass, may be old but URL works. by mrmeval · · Score: 1

    http://www.ucpros.com/Newsletter/newsletter%202002 %2010.htm#Sharp%20Builds%20Z80%20CPU%20on%20Glass

    This seemed an appropriate choice to add.

    --
    I'd go on a Vegan diet but the delivery time from Vega is too long. --brownkitty
  86. LCD Display is REDUNDANT by Ghengis · · Score: 1

    I love watching Digital Versatile Disc Discs on my Liquid Crystal Display Display, but to upgrade I had to go by the Automatic Teller Machine Machine to make a withdrawal.

    --

    "The best laid plans of mice and men gang oft agley..." - ROBERT BURNS

    1. Re:LCD Display is REDUNDANT by otis+wildflower · · Score: 1

      under windows, free berkeley standard distribution or gnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugn ugnugnugnugnugnugnugnugnu^C damn recursive acronyms...

      (and damn lameness filters... GNU should be capitalized :p)

  87. CRT already does this! by boatboy · · Score: 1

    If you have a regular CRT, your monitor can already do this fairly easily! iMac monitors seem to work the best.

  88. wtf? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This tech is low / no priority. Such research money would be better spent on making TOUCHSCREEN LCD panels cheap and ubiquitous. Then we'll have 'star trek'-like technology and ease-of-use. This is wasted tech - the product would be a combo machine that cost more than getting a dedicated monitor/scanner, with NO additional benefit.

    I want to see touch screen LCD panels at Best Buy. Then I'll start giving my cash away. Not for this tech, though.

  89. Just dandy that is! by xutopia · · Score: 1

    Big Brother will love this monitor!!!

  90. Re:Why? by Josuah · · Score: 1

    "A monitor is an output device. A scanner (optical reader, whatever) is an input device. Why merge the two when they should be mutually exclusive? "

    Does your keyboard have a caps-lock light?


    That's not a good analogy. The caps lock LED is an indicator of state. It's not really an output, because it is not used to provide you with the result of a function. (LEDs on switches are an output, in my book.) Hitting the caps lock key is not a function itself, it's like one input to a two-input function, i.e. caps lock plus a character.

    A better analogy would be tablet PCs or those drawing/input tablets sold by Wacom. Or even simpler, a PDA screen. I think the problem here with output = input is that you can only do one or the other. i.e. if you put a piece of paper on the screen, you can't see what's on the screen anymore. Saves space maybe, but I think most users would find this behavior kind of weird (not to say they wouldn't get used to it).

  91. Re:Why? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

    "That's not a good analogy. The caps lock LED is an indicator of state. "

    Yes, that would be output. As a matter of fact, I vaguely remember reading a Slashdot article about the computer sending morse code to the caps lock indicator as an indication that something went wrong.

    Though your example is quite accurate, the point of my comment was simply that there is no absolutist reasoning that can work in a situation like that. He had mentioned earlier in the thread that he felt touch screens were a matter of form factor, thus they're exempt. Convenient, eh? :)

  92. This is just for global surveillance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What better way to keep track of people than to have monitors that watch back. Just what all you socialistic linux users would love i bet so you can see all your fat greasy selves watching everyone else while you sit around thinking up how the world will be so much better with out MS and corporations, how evil the US is around while your code sits and rot while dictators run the world and drug dealers down the street run everything. Only way to deal with them is to wipe them out.

  93. Integration by Cainxinth · · Score: 0

    Now all you need to do is combine that technology with this LCD Screens Double as Speakers, make it a flexible e-ink or oled display, and add a Bluetooth connection to a WiFi/ GPRS PDA-Cellphone in your pocket.

    You can walk down the street with a rolled up piece of plastic that captures video, plays audio, and is connected to the net. Cram in a microphone and voice recognition software and you've got a product that kicks a tricorders ass.

    technolust

  94. Apple's Knowledge Navigator by Anonymous+Codger · · Score: 1

    During John Sculley's reign, Apple put together a video, "Knowledge Navigator", showing where personal computing might be going in the 21st century. Intelligent agents, full natural language understanding, full video instant messaging, etc.

    One scene showed a guy with a portable machine who was using it to talk to a friend. He held his newspaper up to the flat screen so it could be scanned and sent to the person on the other end of the connection.

    So one piece of the puzzle may be on its way.

    --
    No sig? Sigh...
    1. Re:Apple's Knowledge Navigator by mamahuhu · · Score: 1

      I remember the same video - it was around 1989 or so. There was one guy sitting on a park bench with a newspaper, he pressed it to the flat screen it then OCRed it and began to help him to learn to read it, prompting him as he read it out aloud.

      Sculley believed passionately about this. There is a paper he wrote about the Knowledge Navigator here

      So the Knowledge Navigator was a real mix of technologies. But ultimately such video productions and thought experiments were all about developing the Apple brand. I saw the video at an Apple tech show in Auckland NZ and that was preaching to the converted - but Sculley saw this brand development as crucial. Wired has a great article about Apple the brand. Sculley developed Apple into one of the most recognised brands in the world.... and Apple are still living on his legacy.

      But Sculley also viewed the idea of this sort of technology, and especially Newton, as the future. I recall that he went on after leaving Apple to work with a company developing a wireless device for the Newton. He is still a believer in this vision - this article from 2000 suggests a merger with 3Com - Palm and Apple = Newton redux = iPalm?

  95. portable fax machine in your PDA?... by cosyne · · Score: 1

    Back in the day you could get Handheld scanner things that you just drag across a documnent. They probably still exist. You could just put a linear optical image sensor along the edge of a PDA, an optical mouse-type sensor at each end to see how fast it's moving, and drag it across a document. Probably hell on your batter life, but assumably you're not doing this all day. Or you could build it into an ipaq sleeve with extra battery.
    Still, neat idea.

  96. Xerox developing this too... by Julz · · Score: 1

    I remember something like this quite a while back. Xerox was developing it but having problems with bleading of the light from the display cells. I suggested that maybe they could use blinkers similar to the ones put on race horses to stop them freaking out about things in their peripheral vision. Also suggested that this would be a great thing for Net kiosks.
    Don't have a clue where they got to with the device though.

    --
    When shit hits the fan get some of these https://youtu.be/pY-GncsZ-UE
  97. Face to Face prank calls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When I was a kid (class of '84), one prank was that you would call two numbers from two payphones(free calls to the operator or 411 when it was free or paid calls to two people--a couple that had broken up, etc.) and turn the receiver of one phone so that earpiece of one was connected to the moutpiece of the other.

    Then you would put your ear up to the joint and listen to the confusion and arguments; "Operator." "operator." "may I help you." "what did you want?" "ma'am why are you calling the operator?" "*I*'m the operator!" "this isn't funny." ...

    Oh the joy and hysterics ... such fun.

    Now kids can have the same fun by putting two monitors face to face.

    "I didn't call you, you called me." "Don't be an idiot. " hee hee hee

    What's my age again?

  98. So what you are saying is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That you are a shemale?

    1. Re:So what you are saying is... by scorp1us · · Score: 1

      No, that since I have a shlong, I have no need for breast enlargement...

      --
      Slashdot's rate-of-post filter: Preventing you from posting too many great ideas at once.
  99. Lens? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't understand what the point of thousands of light sensors would be if there isn't a large lens to focus light on them. Will each pixel have its own lens, like the compound eyes of a fly?

  100. SUN's Starfire video/experiment by midgley · · Score: 1
    In a similar era the man who did a lot of the Apple Mac's user interface design ("Tog") directed a film called "Starfire" for SUN.

    The idea was that it was hard to produce a next generation interface, but relatively easy to fake it.

    The film is on a video unfortunately in American format (so most of our UK/EU domestic VCRs don't play it) and is good.

    The major item of the workstation or office desk is a screen about 2 metres across, 1.5 m high and continuou with the desk surface, IE with a tightening curve from horizontal to vertical.

    At least part of it was to be scanner, so in a nice bit of theatrical business as well as accepting paper documents and adding their image to the workspace, half a sandwhich got scanned in, and then wiped with a swipe of the hand off into the virtual rubbish bin.

    It is about time that appeared as a DVD, rather than a video.

    Picture

    paper about their approach

  101. Star Trek by Shadowin · · Score: 1

    So, still more Star Trek style technology comes to be. I always wondered why the hell Picard was talking to a screen.

  102. two words : view camera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A dievice like this will take a picture from a distance if you place a light tigh box with a pin hole over it. If they made the screen 4x5 you could use it as a camera back for a standard view camers

  103. Re:Why? by Josuah · · Score: 1

    "That's not a good analogy. The caps lock LED is an indicator of state."

    Yes, that would be output. As a matter of fact, I vaguely remember reading a Slashdot article about the computer sending morse code to the caps lock indicator as an indication that something went wrong.

    Though your example is quite accurate, the point of my comment was simply that there is no absolutist reasoning that can work in a situation like that. He had mentioned earlier in the thread that he felt touch screens were a matter of form factor, thus they're exempt. Convenient, eh? :)


    Yeah, I agree with your comment (and disagree with his) about the coupling/de-coupling of input and output devices. But normal operation of a caps lock LED is not morse code ;P

  104. Photos of Apple's Knowledge Navigator by mamahuhu · · Score: 1

    Here are some photos of the Apple Knowledge Navigator. This is a page from the larger document about the Knowledge Navigator mentioned in my other post.

    And here is a video - very s l o w - someone mirror it....

    1. Re:Photos of Apple's Knowledge Navigator by mamahuhu · · Score: 1

      The video is 61 Megabytes - it plays fine in Quicktime once you download it - but it is not stream-able.

  105. Videos of Apple's Knowledge Navigator by mamahuhu · · Score: 1
  106. Want a picture of the future? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Imagine a boot stomping on a human face, forever.

  107. Last Post! by alpg · · Score: 0

    Live never to be ashamed if anything you do or say is
    published around the world -- even if what is published is not true.
    -- Messiah's Handbook : Reminders for the Advanced Soul

    - this post brought to you by the Automated Last Post Generator...