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LCD Screen With Embedded Optical Sensors

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the the-screen-that-looks-back dept.

dk3nn3dy writes "Sharp has developed a LCD display with optical sensors built into the displays pixels, without requiring a touch-sensitive film to be bonded on top of the regular screen. The optical sensor is similar to that used in scanners, allowing for notes or business cards to be scanned by the screen itself. As the optical recognition technology is built into the pixels it also simplifies tactile recognition based on simultaneously touching multiple points. Future uses include fingerprint authentication on the screen of your mobile phone or PDA, or iPhone style touch recognition. Volume production will start next spring."

6 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. Focus length? by Chairboy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I wonder if this technology could be used to two-way displays? Instead of a discrete camera, just have the whole screen be an interferometry based "camera". Video phone where you're looking at each other instead of slightly off to one side...

    1. Re:Focus length? by hedwards · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Unlikely, the lens technology is almost assuredly limited to focusing just a mm or so beyond the front glass. This might be the start of that ability, but I would expect for the video phone to arrive before that does. People by and large just don't want to have to worry about their appearance when calling or emailing.

      I would be very curious to hear how they are planning to deal with the fingerprints and scratching that will almost assuredly occur.

  2. Re:Queue the Big-Brother/Orwell freaks in..... by suv4x4 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Aside from the obvious concerns; this sounds like a great tech that could allow ....
    shit everything I can think of is evil..
    sorry. =)

    Right, just like your keyboard allows you to share your most personal and private info to the world. But you just won't, how about that.

    Also: it works as a scanner, not a camera. It sees in focus only what's directly placed on top of the screen.

    Good for barcode scanning, touchscreens, or portable scanner. As well as a bunch of other quite cool and "non-evil" uses.

  3. Apple Patent by xirtam_work · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm sure I've seen an Apple Inc. patent for a device that does this. It might even have been posted here on Slashdot.

    Hopefully these sensors only work up close like a scanner, rather than like a webcam.

  4. Re:Smile! You're being filmed! by tomhudson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    We'll have to stop with the "In Soviet Russia computer monitors YOU!" jokes.

    Schizophrenics will finally be able to say "See - it IS watching me!"

    Of course, since they're more sensitive to IR than to visible wavelengths, you can defeat them by pointing a heat lamp at them. You'll still be able to see the picture, but "they" won't be able to see you.

  5. Apple patent on "Integrated sensing display" by wal9001 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The patent:
    http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=P TO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2F srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220060007222%22.PGN R.&OS=DN/20060007222&RS=DN/20060007222

    It definitely seems like a similar concept.