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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."

3 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.