Our eyes take great delight in being easily entertained with rich colors and deep contrast. Ideally, that’s the goal when we use digital displays for business purposes. But great-looking displays don’t happen by chance. Creating a fantastic-looking display is an exacting process of matching the capabilities of our eyes with technology designed to take advantage of those capabilities.

Considering Contrast

While there are many reasons for a great-looking display, a primary one is how well those displays reproduce the dark regions of displayed content, in context of the ambient lighting. This might seem contrary to intuition – that the brighter regions of an image should dominate image quality. But if dark/black regions are not truly dark, then image quality will suffer from a lack of depth, even if the brighter regions are made increasingly brighter. The term brightness contrast is used to describe the difference between the brightest (white) and darkest (black) regions of a displayed image. This is often expressed as a ratio: white/black. Examples of high and low brightness contrast images are shown in Figure 1 below. Certainly the high brightness contrast image on the left is more appealing than the low contrast image on the right.

Figure 1 – High brightness contrast (left), low brightness contrast (right)

Contrast ratio is traditionally measured in the display industry under the very special condition of no ambient background lighting. Displays are seldom operated in a pitch-black environment, though, and typically compete with many sources of ambient light.

“It is useful, then, to consider the observed contrast ratio by taking into account the environment of the display,” said Harry Presley, optical engineer with Atlanta, Georgia-based display manufacturer MRI. “Under these conditions the observed contrast ratio is analogous to a signal-to-noise ratio, because ambient light acts like a source of noise that can degrade the observed contrast.”

Another factor to be considered when evaluating a display is color gamut, or the total range of colors that a display can produce. A large color gamut is synonymous with deeply saturated primary colors: red, green and blue. Examples of high and low color saturation images are shown in Figure 2. These two images have the same brightness contrast, but the high saturation image on the left is obviously more appealing.

FIgure 2 – High color saturation (left), low color saturation (right)

While having high color saturation is very important, white regions of displayed content must be purely rendered as well. Obtaining both of these attributes requires careful colorimetric engineering as well. The optical spectrum of the backlight must be optimized relative to the transmission of the red, green and blue color filters in the liquid crystal glass. “MRI, for example, achieves this optimization using fully customized LED spectrums in all of our LCD products,” Presley said. “That results from using state-of-the art simulation and testing tools.”

The Capability of Vision

High contrast, in the context of both brightness and color, is key to achieving images that are visually appealing and attention-grabbing. Conversely, low contrast images seem dull as a result of degraded information.

The human visual ‘system’ represents a complex mixture of perception, adaptation, sensitivity, acuity, day vs. night, aging effects and so on. One phenomena of human vision is that people do not perceive brightness on an absolute scale, but instead judge it relative to other things within their instantaneous point of attention. For example, in Figure 3 the stripe in the middle appears brighter on the left side than on the right side. In reality, the stripe does not change at all. Also note that there is a specific point near the middle where the center stripe virtually disappears into the background. This is where the contrast ratio exactly equals 1 and the stripe cannot be resolved. What that means is that brightness is a relative perception, and that contrast greatly affects the ability to resolve details in an image.

Figure 3 – Relative brightness perception

The human eye is capable of seeing a total brightness range of 1012 or more, but not simultaneously. For typical light levels the eye has an instantaneous dynamic range (IDR) of ~104 (10,000:1). The IDR may be viewed as a window of dynamic range that can slide up and down the total possible range as the eye adapts to different brightness levels. The center of the IDR is set by the average brightness within our field of view at a particular time.

As the actual brightness increases, though, the eye becomes less and less sensitive to changes in brightness. Said another way, it takes increasingly larger steps of actual brightness in order to realize equal steps of perceived brightness. Due to this compressive behavior the eye perceives just 360 nits as being half-way (50 percent of IDR) to the maximum of 2,000 nits.

Overcoming Ambient Light

So what gets in the way of displaying high contrast images? “The biggest enemy in outdoor or any high-ambient light applications is the reflection of ambient light from the front of a display,” Presley said. “These ambient reflections will effectively limit how black a display can go, akin to raising the noise floor of the display,” he said. “Also, reflected light will mix with the light being emitted by the display, so at the same time the color gamut will be compressed.”

Reflections are often categorized as being specular or diffuse. Specular reflection, also called glare, represents mirror-like reflection. Specular reflection can be an issue for both daytime and nighttime operation, as there can be many relatively strong sources of light at night as well. On the other hand, diffuse reflection represents scatter-like reflection, such as from a piece of rough paper. Diffuse reflection causes an incident ray of light to break into many smaller rays over a full hemisphere of reflected angles. Therefore, objects and light sources become “scattered” and unrecognizable upon reflection.

In reality, practically nothing exhibits purely specular or purely diffuse reflection. Since specular reflection is mirror-like then its effects are viewing angle dependent, whereas diffuse reflection has very low angular dependence. The low contrast image shown in Figure 1 is indicative of a display having a high diffuse reflection because the image is uniformly degraded and there are no obvious mirror-like reflections from any external objects or ambient light sources.

How much contrast ratio is enough? Many commercial displays claim to exceed 1,000,000:1, but this is always measured in a dark room with no ambient light. In truth, relatively modest contrast ratios can be sufficient for maintaining attractive content. Figure 4 below illustrates various contrast ratios via simple grey-scale blocks. Within every block the lighter colored square is the same shade; only the outer ring of each block is being varied. The difference between contrast ratios of 20:1 and 30:1 is scarcely evident, so 20:1 would appear to be a sufficient goal.

Figure 4 – Contrast ratio examples

Solar illumination on the face of a display represents the most significant challenge to contrast ratios. At midday with a clear sky, the sun can produce up to 100,000 lm/m2 of illumination onto a surface directly facing the sun. If this illumination were to then reflect from a perfectly white, diffuse object similar to a sheet of white paper, the brightness of the reflection would be about 32,000 nits.

Assuming a display that can produce 3,500 nits for white content, and desiring a minimum contrast of 20:1, then the effective “brightness” for black content, including solar reflection, must be limited to 175 nits (3,500 nits ÷ 20). The maximum diffuse reflection of solar illumination by the display is therefore 175 nits. Finally, the allowed diffuse reflectivity of the display is 0.55 percent (175 nits ÷ 32,000 nits). “When evaluating a display, look for one where diffuse reflectance does not exceed 0.4 percent,” Presley said. “On average, MRI displays produce a diffuse reflectivity of only 0.2 percent, which equates to a minimum contrast ratio of 54:1 in direct sunlight. Even in a worst-case scenario with full solar illumination, MRI still maintains a contrast ratio of 28:1.”

Figure 5 – Contrast ratio vs. Diffuse reflection

Optical Filters

The use of infrared (IR) filters to reduce solar heat absorption can also degrade image quality. It is very difficult to create commercially viable IR filters that do not have undesired effects in the visible portion of the optical spectrum, especially at the red end of the visible spectrum. Similarly, the use of ultraviolet (UV) filters can degrade image quality at the blue end of the visible spectrum. The use of IR and/or UV filters is easy to spot by the unnatural tint that they impose on images and reflections, by the way that they shift the colors of a displayed image as a function of viewing angle, and they also tend to have a reflective mirror-like appearance.

Why, then, would a display manufacturer use such filters? The answer is usually out of desperation! If a manufacturer is using a liquid crystal panel that is not rated for high temperature operation (e.g., a high clearing-point temperature), has a poor overall design for thermal management, and/or has not used smart ways to reduce UV damage, look for strange colored tints and poor color reproduction and luminance when viewed off-angle.

In summary, a “great looking display” is given that title by the humans that view it. The mindset behind the design of a great looking display begins with the interaction between the human eye and the display. It is further developed as we take into account where that interaction will take place. In other words, we have to consider how the environment where the display is operating will affect the way the human eye perceives the visual image, and design around that. That’s the key.

This article originally appeared on Digital Signage Today. Author credit to Richard Slawsky.

The post What Makes Digital Displays Look Good? appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

How will an outdoor display actually perform when you take it outside?

It is common practice for LCD manufacturers to publish performance specifications, such as brightness, contrast ratio, and color saturation based on measurements taken in a dark room, at a 0° angle, under controlled temperatures, when the display is
brand new. This practice is problematic for consumers intending to use displays outdoors, as they are often unaware how such an environment affects display performance, and that specifications used during technical evaluation may fail to accurately
represent real-world performance.

To equip consumers with a simple method for understanding how a digital display marketed for outdoor use will actually perform outside, the Optical Performance Score was developed in conjunction with display manufacturers, industry consultants,
and commercial end-users.

The Optical Performance Score is based on mathematical models and confirmed by real world measurements that account for variables directly affecting display performance in an outdoor environment, including: ambient illumination, ambient temperature, reflection, viewing angle, and LED age. Figures for brightness, contrast ratio, and color saturation are the key outputs of the analysis.

METHODOLOGY

The outdoor environment undergoes cyclical changes over time. Brightness and temperatures change as the sun rises and sets over a single day. A display marketed for outdoor use should be able to perform to the end-users satisfaction under any ambient conditions.

The two external factors which most directly affect display performance outdoors are: 1) ambient illumination; and 2) ambient temperature. When the sun is shining in the sky, displays have to produce a lot of brightness to be visible. As temperature rises, electronics heat up, become less efficient and their performance suffers. To control for these variables in the mathematical analysis and real world measurements, the following constants are used to represent the outdoor environment:
Ambient Illumination: 50,000 lux
Ambient Temperature: 35°C (95°F)

In many places the sky is much brighter and temperatures are much higher for days and weeks on end. In other places temperatures may only rarely or never reach 35°C. These constants serve as a middle ground between the more and less extreme environments. As digital displays are often mounted in highly trafficked areas, they are typically viewed off-angle, otherwise pedestrians would walk directly into them. Understanding this, it is important that the testing account for display performance as perceived off-angle from the center of the display. The following measurements angles, set at 15° increments, are used in the analysis:

Viewing Angles: 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°

Off-angle performance in the positive direction should be mirrored by the corresponding angles in the negative direction, thus the measurements from one direction will suffice.

Finally, it is common understanding that electronics lose efficiency and performance as they age. In an LCD display, aging is most visibly manifested in the LED backlight, as maximum output diminishes by approximately 10% year over year. To account for how a display’s age affects brightness, contrast, and color saturation the analysis considers performance at the following points along the display’s life:

Display Age: Day-1, end of year 1, end of year 2, end of year 3, end of year 4, end of year 5

PROCEDURE

As previously stated, the factors which constitute what the human eye perceives when a display looks good are:
1) Brightness;
2) Contrast Ratio;
3) Color Saturation.

The mathematical model that generates output values for these parameters is important to calculate the effect of display age, as historical data for a display’s actual performance in an outdoor environment may be inconsistent, sparse, or unavailable.
To physically measure these metrics under the testing constants a white room was constructed and lined with LED lighting tuned to produce ambient illumination of 50,000 lux through diffuser cloth which helps create uniformity. The room temperature is controlled to 35°C using forced air heating and cooling systems. The free standing display is placed on a mechanical turntable which allows for precise angular adjustment. Measurement instrumentation is stationary so as to achieve accuracy
across all performance measurements. This essentially replicates the testing environment in which existing product specifications are established, but instead more accurately recreates an environment representative of outdoors.

Display brightness, contrast and color saturation are measured at each of the 5 angles in the white room, using a Minolta CS-100 Spectrophotometer from a distance of 1 meter, with a minimum measuring area of 14.4mm in diameter.

Brightness: The amount of light passing through the front of the display which hits the viewers eye, commonly expressed in nits (cd/m2). Measured with the display field set to white.

Contrast Ratio: The difference between the brightest and darkest regions of a displayed image, expressed as a ratio of white/black. Measured with the field set to white, then black.

Color Saturation: Color gamut is the total range of colors a display can produce, where a large color gamut is synonymous with deeply saturated colors. Measured as color coordinates in red, green, and blue.

BASELINE PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

To establish acceptable display performance values in an outdoor environment, a cross section of representatives from high-profile brands were surveyed. Because metrics like brightness, contrast and color saturation are not common vernacular, the survey did not ask for numbers; rather respondents were asked to view photos of a display taken in the light room with incrementally lower brightness, contrast and color saturation and to identify the point at which the reproduced image quality would be inadequate for their brand’s use. A DSLR camera with set ISO, f-stop, shutter speed, and focal point was used to capture the images presented in the survey.

By correlating the survey responses with the brightness, contrast, and color saturation settings of the displays in the selected photographs, the following values were identified as the baseline for acceptable image quality in an outdoor environment.
Luminance: 1500 nits
Contrast: 20:1
Color Saturation: 70%

Precluding the measurement of a display’s optical performance in an outdoor environment are basic expectations that should go without saying, but just to make sure these assumptions are entirely clear we posed the following questions in the survey:
1) Is it acceptable for your display to go black or blotchy (solar clearing) when exposed to direct sunlight?
2) Is it acceptable for your display to produce distorted or obscured images when viewed with polarized sunglasses?

As expected, respondents overwhelmingly responded with “NO” to these two questions. Many displays marketed for outdoor use actually run into problems satisfying these demands and as such, it is important that these pass/fail metrics are represented in the Optical Performance Score.

SCORING METHODOLOGY

Now that we have defined our testing environment, data collection procedure, and baseline performance expectations for luminance, contrast, and color saturation, we can discuss how this data plots the Optical Performance Score. For each measurement of brightness, contrast, and color saturation over angle and display age a simple mark of pass/fail is recorded against the baseline performance requirement for that specific metric. Meeting or exceeding the performance expectation earns points; falling short earns a zero.

Each performance metric has a maximum possible score of 30 points, 1 point per measurement over angle and age. Adding individual scores for the three core metrics gives a score out of 90 possible points. 10 points are available to displays free from solar clearing defect and distorted images when viewed with polarized sunglasses. A four-sided radar graph is generated to visually represent the final Optical Performance Score. The greater the filled area, the better the display performs in an outdoor environment.

SUMMARY

The LCD performance specifications commonly discussed today, (i.e. brightness, viewing angle, contrast, color saturation, etc.) were developed out of the television market. The tests created for measuring these metrics were designed around the environment where most people typically view a television: on-angle in a dark, temperature controlled room. This makes sense because it answers the consumer’s core question, “how good will this TV look when I watch it in my family room?”

As the practice of placing LCDs outdoors has gained momentum over the last decade, display manufacturers marketing displays for outdoor use have, for some reason, failed to reconfigure their testing and specification methodology to account for the factors at play in an outdoor environment. So when a commercial end-user asks the question, “how good will this display look if I place it outside my storefront?” they are unwittingly being told how good the display will look indoors.

The Optical Performance Score and testing procedures as outlined in this document are designed to define how a display performs in an outdoor environment. They account for the important variables which affect how a display performs when viewed outside – ambient illumination, temperature, viewing angle, display age, solar load, and whether or not the viewer is wearing polarized sunglasses. This test answers many common questions that come up when planning an outdoor deployment, including:
– Will the display be bright enough to see when the sun is beating down on it?
– How will the outdoor environment affect display aging?
– Does the display look good off-angle?

Display manufacturers can and should test their displays for outdoor performance. This simple procedure results in an easy to understand indicator for how their outdoor displays actually perform outside. If a manufacturer is unwilling or unable to publish their Optical Performance Score, we need to stop and ask, what is not being said? Why is there an aversion to discussing outdoor performance in the context of what really matters?

The Optical Performance Score is made to protect and inform consumers. Now that you know about it, ask for it.

The post The Optical Performance Score appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

LG-MRI is proud to announce our latest line of Outdoor Digital LCD Displays for customers and markets new to the world of digital signage, and looking for a reliable, cost-competitive technology solution. NeoVu™  is inspired by LG-MRI’s flagship BoldVu® product line and offers bright, vivid images even in direct sunlight environments.

Some key features of the NeoVu™ display include:

• 3000 nit brightness
• 7.5mm vandal glass
• IP56 environmental rating
• Cooling system inspired by CoolVu®
• Optional stand to become a free-standing display

This product family is added to LG-MRI’s existing outdoor display offerings to include:

• BoldVu® Extreme – 4500 nit brightness / 55° C temperatures / full sun / 10 year performance life
• BoldVu® – 3500 nit brightness / 50° C temperatures / full sun / 10 year performance life
• BasicVu® – 850 nit brightness / 50° C temperatures / no sun / 10 year performance life

NeoVu™ outdoor digital displays are available for purchase through LG Electronics sales offices and LG-MRI enterprise technology partners.

The post Announcing the All New NeoVu™ Outdoor Digital Display appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

MARTA set out to retrofit 10 existing bus shelters to accept LG-MRI exterior rated hi-bright single-faced 72-inch LCD displays. These digital bus shelters are situated at highly trafficked locations in Atlanta that are visible to vehicles and pedestrians.

BACKGROUND

Outfront Media was trying to maximize opportunities with these displays. The digital forum allows for maximum flexibility to advertisers for dayparting, content changes and last-minute buys.

CHALLENGES

Coordinated efforts were made with LG-MRI to develop a display cabinet that would cleanly integrate the LCD module and the static ad-copy for the outside shelter face. In addition, that display cabinet had to allow for service and maintenance, provide protection from vandalism and stand up to the rigors of the environment. Primary electrical feeds needed to be trenched to each location providing the required electrical service.

SOLUTIONS

Through the coordinated efforts with the design team at LG-MRI, along with the assistance of Tolar Manufacturing in Corona, CA (the original manufacturer/supplier for the bus shelters), the ad cabinet was fabricated, provisioned and well-integrated into the bus shelter. As the ad cabinet is the first element of the installation, Transit Shelter Builders needed to remove the bus shelter and then re-install it after the ad cabinet was installed. Transit Shelter Builders coordinated with local utilites to coordinate and provision the electrical feed.

RESULTS

By all accounts, all parties are pleased with the integration of these digital bus shelters. Outfront Media has seen an increase in ad sales at these displays. The advertisers are also pleased with the dynamic options now available to place their ad content. MARTA is pleased that the bus shelters provide state-of-the-art technology with the hopes and anticipation of further digital development within its system.

Image and Editorial Credit to Digital Signage Connection.

The post MARTA Uses LG-MRI Displays in Atlanta Bus Shelters appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

Influential digital signage industry blogger, Dave Haynes, recently published an article that highlights a successful ad campaign where content is curated based on who is in front of the display. The BoldVu Displays are stationed at Santa Monica Mall in sunny Southern California and were deployed in 2010 by EYE Corp. and have operated continuously since then.

From his post:

The campaign ran for eight weeks at the Santa Monica Place shopping mall, on eight screens, using Quividi’s software and running on EYE Corp. digital posters.

“Consumers see up to 5,000 ads every single day, and we wanted to create a responsive, engaging campaign that cut through the noise,” says Jeff Tan, head of strategy at Posterscope USA, which planned the campaign. “By leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver real-time dynamic content, we helped GMC connect with audiences via personalized location-based communication strategies. This proved particularly effective in the crowded environment that is the Santa Monica Place shopping mall.”

The screens had cameras/sensors that “anonymously detected and determined whether a passing shopper was a man or woman, alone or with a group or part of a couple or a family, adult or child or even frowning or smiling. No data or images of any type were collected, stored or shared at any time, ensuring privacy.”

“Once detection was made, the digital screens were populated with fun and humorous creative video content and brand messaging promoting the virtues and features of the GMC Acadia tailored to the identified audience. The screens also featured a number of interactive games, both for children and adults, like Simon Says and a virtual staring contest, all of which were designed to further deepen engagement and maximize viewer interaction with the screens.”

“The ability to personalize content and messaging to a variety of target audiences really came to life in this campaign,” says EYE Corp Media CEO Jeff Gunderman. “Through this partnership with Posterscope, GMC and Quividi, we were able to showcase the power of digital place-based screens when combined with cutting edge technology.”

And the video on Youtube

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This week, Jean-François Decaux, Co-Chief Executive Officer, JCDecaux and Graeme Craig, Commercial Development Director, Transport for London (TfL), celebrated the 500th digital screen installation on the prestigious TfL bus shelter network.

Jean-François Decaux, Co-Chief Executive Officer, told us “London is a global hub and we take great pride in the strength of our digital proposition. We are at the forefront of the digital transformation in Out-of-Home advertising in one of the most powerful and influential cities in the world. The partnership with TfL has been essential to achieving our vision of a global digital showcase.”

The digital transformation of TfL’s bus shelter network is a core element of JCDecaux’s vision to make London the global showcase for digital Out-of-Home. A key part of the roll-out was the total digitisation of Oxford Street, with its digital screens synchronised last year to dramatically increase the impact and noticeability of the Oxford Street network. The Luxury network extends across the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Kings Road, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner, High Street Kensington and Park Lane.

Graeme Craig, Commercial Development Director, Transport for London said, “I am delighted to celebrate the 500th digital screen on our bus shelter network. Even at the half-way point, this is already the largest digital rollout in the world, reflecting our shared confidence in London and its bus network. Working closely together we are transforming London and the industry, generating vital commercial revenue for us to reinvest in transport.”

This new channel of communication for London has increased the vibrancy of bus shelter advertising to the benefit of both advertisers and passengers with new dynamic capabilities and increased screen quality. A new data centric strategy has been enabled through JCDecaux’s SmartBrics planning platform and its Smart Content management system driving a new era of contextual, topical and socially integrated campaigns across London.

This article originally appeared here.

View Project

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MRI recently formed a multi-year partnership with Ingenuity Sun Media as the exclusive digital media provider for NASCAR events hosted by the International Speedway Corporation. Together, MRI and ISM have deployed a digital network called “ISM Vision, Powered by BoldVu®”. The network includes LCD and LED displays spread across twelve tracks around the United States.

In this new digital media program, MRI provided their 4K 86″ LCD display that operate at 6000 nit brightness in direct sunlight. This is the first major deployment of the newly released Gen-11 BoldVu® XT series of outdoor LCDs. This initial deployment of displays are mobile and can be moved around the track to reach the right audience at each event. These displays will appear at each venue throughout the entire racing season.

BoldVu® XT outdoor LCDs are commercially available through MRI’s authorized reseller partners.

View Project

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Manufacturing Resources International, the firm behind BoldVu® outdoor LCD technology employed by leading out-of-home media companies for street furniture and transit screens, has just released the world’s first “All-Glass Touch Panel” for their large format outdoor digital displays. This touch technology delivers a truly tablet-like touch experience, with as fast as 10ms response time.

This new type of projected capacitive (PCAP) touch panel sets a new global benchmark for optical performance with transmissivity of 93.46%, 0.006% diffuse reflection, and 1.948% specular reflection. For those less familiar with what these numbers mean in the real world, this new touch technology is, for all intents and purposes, invisible to the human eye and allows for uninhibited image projection.

“This is truly a huge leap forward for touch technology in outdoor displays,” says Bill Dunn, President and CEO of MRI. “With increasing market momentum around the digitization of street furniture and deployment of smart city kiosks, this monumental breakthrough in visual performance of touch-enabled displays could not have come at a better time.”

Existing PCAP Sensors

This All-Glass touch technology is a tremendous leap forward over other types of PCAP touch panels used in most interactive outdoor displays today. By comparison, traditional micro-mesh PCAP panels when placed behind even the clearest of glass have a transmission of 76.7%, which translates to needing 1.22x more backlight power to achieve luminance (x) as the same display would without the touch panel.

Another variation of PCAP technology, constructed of wire sensors sandwiched between panes of a clear plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET), range between 86-91% transmissive, which is better than the wire mesh approach, but still results in a necessary increase in backlight power somewhere between 1.02-1.07x to achieve the luminance (x) as the same display without the touch panel. And because of their plastic composition, they tend to warp and lose their responsiveness from constant expansion and contraction due to prolonged solar exposure and temperature fluctuation.

Optical Shortcomings

Micro-mesh and PET-based wire PCAP panels, by nature of their physical structure, often exhibit a strong specular reflection or metallic “glint”, especially when viewed off-angle. Next time you see an outdoor kiosk with a touch panel, look a little more closely and you can actually see the wires running through the screen.

Another issue with other wire-mesh and PET-based PCAP sensors is the amount of diffuse reflection they exhibit. Diffuse reflection refers to the way a ray of light is scattered at many angles. The higher the diffuse reflection, the more the contrast and color gamut drop through the floor. High diffuse reflection is particularly evident when viewing dark content – black isn’t actually black, it’s grey. Inability to produce high contrast results in dull and barely visible picture.

Micro-mesh and PET-based touch sensors also suffer from highly noticeable birefringence when viewed through polarized sunglasses. You have probably seen this before when filling up at the gas station – strange colors and patterns appear on the pump’s digital screens. Using touch technology that blacks out and distorts a human-sized, outdoor display when viewed with sunglasses is hardly ideal. This effect devalues the advertising space and is a hard sell knowing that so much time and energy goes into maintaining brand integrity.

The All-Glass Touch Panel

MRI’s new touch technology, unlike the others discussed thus far, uses no plastics or wires, and is instead comprised of a multi-layered, laminated stack of glass panes. Bill Dunn comments, “The visual difference between this and other PCAP screens is astounding, colors are so much more vibrant, and blacks are truly black. And there are no wires!” There is also no birefringence when viewed with polarized sunglasses and as promised, the screens feel very responsive to touch interaction.

MRI’s All-Glass Touch Panel is exclusively shipping on BoldVu® 55-inch outdoor displays, with 75-inch and 86-inch versions to be made available in early 2018. The price premium for the All-Glass Touch Panel on BoldVu® displays will be very comparable with other PCAP touch panels in use today.

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LG-MRI Withdraws from Participation at DSE 2020

ATLANTA, Feb. 28, 2020

Following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration that the coronavirus outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), LG-MRI announces that we will withdraw from exhibiting and participating at Digital Signage Expo (DSE) 2020 scheduled for Las Vegas in early April.

LG-MRI has participated in DSE for more than 10 consecutive years. As such, LG-MRI deeply regrets having to make this difficult decision but the safety of our employees and valued customers continues to be our number one priority. With the WHO recommending that individuals “promote social distancing,” LG-MRI intends to heed that recommendation by avoiding participation in large public events until the situation stabilizes.

Related meetings and discussions will be rescheduled locally in more private settings. LG-MRI appreciates the support from its business partners and customers for their understanding.

# # #

The post LG-MRI Withdraws from Participation at DSE 2020 appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

LG-MRI, the proven market leader in outdoor LCD displays for media and advertising, has revealed its Generation 10 BoldVu® outdoor display.  Available in sizes: 55”, 75”, 86”and 98”, the new BoldVu® has been optimized to boost operating luminance to 3500 nits, in the real world environment, without any loss in image quality or luminance over its 10-year performance life.

“This is a huge leap in display technology,” stated Bill Dunn, Chairman of LG-MRI. “For many years we have been the only manufacturer capable of producing a display that achieves and maintains 2500 nit luminance in an outdoor environment for the entire life of the display.  Now at 3500 nits, the next nearest competitive product is only half as bright and cannot even approach our 10-year performance life.”

At 3500 nits, the new generation BoldVu® produces 40% more contrast and 10% more color saturation than its predecessor.

In an outdoor environment, the luminance from the display is competing against the reflected ambient light off the cover glass and front of the LCD.  “Our new AG/AR technology dramatically reduces reflected ambient light, which when combined with the significant increase in display luminance, boosts contrast and color saturation, making visuals on the display that much bolder,” explained Dunn.  Color saturation is further enhanced, while power is significantly reduced, through the use of the next generation LCD color filters, combined with the latest technology in LED color saturation and efficacy.

To address the topic over power consumption with a brighter display, MRI Vice President of Engineering, Dave Williams detailed, “our ultra-high definition (UHD) 75” BoldVu® achieves 3500 nits using only 13.5 amps peak at 120VAC when new in a 25°C ambient environment, and 17 amps at 50°C after 10 years of aging.  By comparison our previous generation full high definition (FHD) BoldVu® 72” at 2500 nits used 15 amps at 25°C and 17.5 amps at 50°C after 10-years of aging.”

All this to say, the new BoldVu® consumes less power at 3500 nits than the previous generation did at 2500 nits, with no increase in unit price.  Williams further emphasized, “Our displays were far and away the most power efficient in the market, now they are significantly brighter and even more power efficient.”  Over a 10 year period, a BoldVu® compared to the nearest competitive product amounts to an approximate 50% savings in power consumption, all the while producing image quality that is twice as bright and bold.

The post LG-MRI Announces 3500 Nit BoldVu LCD Display appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

Our eyes take great delight in being easily entertained with rich colors and deep contrast. Ideally, that’s the goal when we use digital displays for business purposes. But great-looking displays don’t happen by chance. Creating a fantastic-looking display is an exacting process of matching the capabilities of our eyes with technology designed to take advantage of those capabilities.

Considering Contrast

While there are many reasons for a great-looking display, a primary one is how well those displays reproduce the dark regions of displayed content, in context of the ambient lighting. This might seem contrary to intuition – that the brighter regions of an image should dominate image quality. But if dark/black regions are not truly dark, then image quality will suffer from a lack of depth, even if the brighter regions are made increasingly brighter. The term brightness contrast is used to describe the difference between the brightest (white) and darkest (black) regions of a displayed image. This is often expressed as a ratio: white/black. Examples of high and low brightness contrast images are shown in Figure 1 below. Certainly the high brightness contrast image on the left is more appealing than the low contrast image on the right.

Figure 1 – High brightness contrast (left), low brightness contrast (right)

Contrast ratio is traditionally measured in the display industry under the very special condition of no ambient background lighting. Displays are seldom operated in a pitch-black environment, though, and typically compete with many sources of ambient light.

“It is useful, then, to consider the observed contrast ratio by taking into account the environment of the display,” said Harry Presley, optical engineer with Atlanta, Georgia-based display manufacturer MRI. “Under these conditions the observed contrast ratio is analogous to a signal-to-noise ratio, because ambient light acts like a source of noise that can degrade the observed contrast.”

Another factor to be considered when evaluating a display is color gamut, or the total range of colors that a display can produce. A large color gamut is synonymous with deeply saturated primary colors: red, green and blue. Examples of high and low color saturation images are shown in Figure 2. These two images have the same brightness contrast, but the high saturation image on the left is obviously more appealing.

FIgure 2 – High color saturation (left), low color saturation (right)

While having high color saturation is very important, white regions of displayed content must be purely rendered as well. Obtaining both of these attributes requires careful colorimetric engineering as well. The optical spectrum of the backlight must be optimized relative to the transmission of the red, green and blue color filters in the liquid crystal glass. “MRI, for example, achieves this optimization using fully customized LED spectrums in all of our LCD products,” Presley said. “That results from using state-of-the art simulation and testing tools.”

The Capability of Vision

High contrast, in the context of both brightness and color, is key to achieving images that are visually appealing and attention-grabbing. Conversely, low contrast images seem dull as a result of degraded information.

The human visual ‘system’ represents a complex mixture of perception, adaptation, sensitivity, acuity, day vs. night, aging effects and so on. One phenomena of human vision is that people do not perceive brightness on an absolute scale, but instead judge it relative to other things within their instantaneous point of attention. For example, in Figure 3 the stripe in the middle appears brighter on the left side than on the right side. In reality, the stripe does not change at all. Also note that there is a specific point near the middle where the center stripe virtually disappears into the background. This is where the contrast ratio exactly equals 1 and the stripe cannot be resolved. What that means is that brightness is a relative perception, and that contrast greatly affects the ability to resolve details in an image.

Figure 3 – Relative brightness perception

The human eye is capable of seeing a total brightness range of 1012 or more, but not simultaneously. For typical light levels the eye has an instantaneous dynamic range (IDR) of ~104 (10,000:1). The IDR may be viewed as a window of dynamic range that can slide up and down the total possible range as the eye adapts to different brightness levels. The center of the IDR is set by the average brightness within our field of view at a particular time.

As the actual brightness increases, though, the eye becomes less and less sensitive to changes in brightness. Said another way, it takes increasingly larger steps of actual brightness in order to realize equal steps of perceived brightness. Due to this compressive behavior the eye perceives just 360 nits as being half-way (50 percent of IDR) to the maximum of 2,000 nits.

Overcoming Ambient Light

So what gets in the way of displaying high contrast images? “The biggest enemy in outdoor or any high-ambient light applications is the reflection of ambient light from the front of a display,” Presley said. “These ambient reflections will effectively limit how black a display can go, akin to raising the noise floor of the display,” he said. “Also, reflected light will mix with the light being emitted by the display, so at the same time the color gamut will be compressed.”

Reflections are often categorized as being specular or diffuse. Specular reflection, also called glare, represents mirror-like reflection. Specular reflection can be an issue for both daytime and nighttime operation, as there can be many relatively strong sources of light at night as well. On the other hand, diffuse reflection represents scatter-like reflection, such as from a piece of rough paper. Diffuse reflection causes an incident ray of light to break into many smaller rays over a full hemisphere of reflected angles. Therefore, objects and light sources become “scattered” and unrecognizable upon reflection.

In reality, practically nothing exhibits purely specular or purely diffuse reflection. Since specular reflection is mirror-like then its effects are viewing angle dependent, whereas diffuse reflection has very low angular dependence. The low contrast image shown in Figure 1 is indicative of a display having a high diffuse reflection because the image is uniformly degraded and there are no obvious mirror-like reflections from any external objects or ambient light sources.

How much contrast ratio is enough? Many commercial displays claim to exceed 1,000,000:1, but this is always measured in a dark room with no ambient light. In truth, relatively modest contrast ratios can be sufficient for maintaining attractive content. Figure 4 below illustrates various contrast ratios via simple grey-scale blocks. Within every block the lighter colored square is the same shade; only the outer ring of each block is being varied. The difference between contrast ratios of 20:1 and 30:1 is scarcely evident, so 20:1 would appear to be a sufficient goal.

Figure 4 – Contrast ratio examples

Solar illumination on the face of a display represents the most significant challenge to contrast ratios. At midday with a clear sky, the sun can produce up to 100,000 lm/m2 of illumination onto a surface directly facing the sun. If this illumination were to then reflect from a perfectly white, diffuse object similar to a sheet of white paper, the brightness of the reflection would be about 32,000 nits.

Assuming a display that can produce 3,500 nits for white content, and desiring a minimum contrast of 20:1, then the effective “brightness” for black content, including solar reflection, must be limited to 175 nits (3,500 nits ÷ 20). The maximum diffuse reflection of solar illumination by the display is therefore 175 nits. Finally, the allowed diffuse reflectivity of the display is 0.55 percent (175 nits ÷ 32,000 nits). “When evaluating a display, look for one where diffuse reflectance does not exceed 0.4 percent,” Presley said. “On average, MRI displays produce a diffuse reflectivity of only 0.2 percent, which equates to a minimum contrast ratio of 54:1 in direct sunlight. Even in a worst-case scenario with full solar illumination, MRI still maintains a contrast ratio of 28:1.”

Figure 5 – Contrast ratio vs. Diffuse reflection

Optical Filters

The use of infrared (IR) filters to reduce solar heat absorption can also degrade image quality. It is very difficult to create commercially viable IR filters that do not have undesired effects in the visible portion of the optical spectrum, especially at the red end of the visible spectrum. Similarly, the use of ultraviolet (UV) filters can degrade image quality at the blue end of the visible spectrum. The use of IR and/or UV filters is easy to spot by the unnatural tint that they impose on images and reflections, by the way that they shift the colors of a displayed image as a function of viewing angle, and they also tend to have a reflective mirror-like appearance.

Why, then, would a display manufacturer use such filters? The answer is usually out of desperation! If a manufacturer is using a liquid crystal panel that is not rated for high temperature operation (e.g., a high clearing-point temperature), has a poor overall design for thermal management, and/or has not used smart ways to reduce UV damage, look for strange colored tints and poor color reproduction and luminance when viewed off-angle.

In summary, a “great looking display” is given that title by the humans that view it. The mindset behind the design of a great looking display begins with the interaction between the human eye and the display. It is further developed as we take into account where that interaction will take place. In other words, we have to consider how the environment where the display is operating will affect the way the human eye perceives the visual image, and design around that. That’s the key.

This article originally appeared on Digital Signage Today. Author credit to Richard Slawsky.

The post What Makes Digital Displays Look Good? appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

LG-MRI is proud to announce our latest line of Outdoor Digital LCD Displays for customers and markets new to the world of digital signage, and looking for a reliable, cost-competitive technology solution. NeoVu  is inspired by LG-MRI’s flagship BoldVu® product line and offers bright, vivid images even in direct sunlight environments.

Some key features of the NeoVu display include:

• 3000 nit brightness
• 7.5mm vandal glass
• IP56 environmental rating
• Fully-outdoor ready – no additional enclosure required
• Optional stand to become a free-standing display

This product family is added to LG-MRI’s existing outdoor display offerings to include:

• BoldVu® XT – 6000 nit brightness / 55° C temperatures / full sun / 10 year performance life
• BoldVu® – 3500 nit brightness / 50° C temperatures / full sun / 10 year performance life
• BoldVu® LT – 850 nit brightness / 50° C temperatures / no sun / 10 year performance life

NeoVu outdoor digital displays are available for purchase through LG Electronics sales offices and LG-MRI enterprise technology partners.

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MARTA set out to retrofit 10 existing bus shelters to accept LG-MRI exterior rated hi-bright single-faced 72-inch LCD displays. These digital bus shelters are situated at highly trafficked locations in Atlanta that are visible to vehicles and pedestrians.

BACKGROUND

Outfront Media was trying to maximize opportunities with these displays. The digital forum allows for maximum flexibility to advertisers for dayparting, content changes and last-minute buys.

CHALLENGES

Coordinated efforts were made with LG-MRI to develop a display cabinet that would cleanly integrate the LCD module and the static ad-copy for the outside shelter face. In addition, that display cabinet had to allow for service and maintenance, provide protection from vandalism and stand up to the rigors of the environment. Primary electrical feeds needed to be trenched to each location providing the required electrical service.

SOLUTIONS

Through the coordinated efforts with the design team at LG-MRI, along with the assistance of Tolar Manufacturing in Corona, CA (the original manufacturer/supplier for the bus shelters), the ad cabinet was fabricated, provisioned and well-integrated into the bus shelter. As the ad cabinet is the first element of the installation, Transit Shelter Builders needed to remove the bus shelter and then re-install it after the ad cabinet was installed. Transit Shelter Builders coordinated with local utilites to coordinate and provision the electrical feed.

RESULTS

By all accounts, all parties are pleased with the integration of these digital bus shelters. Outfront Media has seen an increase in ad sales at these displays. The advertisers are also pleased with the dynamic options now available to place their ad content. MARTA is pleased that the bus shelters provide state-of-the-art technology with the hopes and anticipation of further digital development within its system.

Image and Editorial Credit to Digital Signage Connection.

The post MARTA Uses LG-MRI Displays in Atlanta Bus Shelters appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

Influential digital signage industry blogger, Dave Haynes, recently published an article that highlights a successful ad campaign where content is curated based on who is in front of the display. The BoldVu Displays are stationed at Santa Monica Mall in sunny Southern California and were deployed in 2010 by EYE Corp. and have operated continuously since then.

From his post:

The campaign ran for eight weeks at the Santa Monica Place shopping mall, on eight screens, using Quividi’s software and running on EYE Corp. digital posters.

“Consumers see up to 5,000 ads every single day, and we wanted to create a responsive, engaging campaign that cut through the noise,” says Jeff Tan, head of strategy at Posterscope USA, which planned the campaign. “By leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver real-time dynamic content, we helped GMC connect with audiences via personalized location-based communication strategies. This proved particularly effective in the crowded environment that is the Santa Monica Place shopping mall.”

The screens had cameras/sensors that “anonymously detected and determined whether a passing shopper was a man or woman, alone or with a group or part of a couple or a family, adult or child or even frowning or smiling. No data or images of any type were collected, stored or shared at any time, ensuring privacy.”

“Once detection was made, the digital screens were populated with fun and humorous creative video content and brand messaging promoting the virtues and features of the GMC Acadia tailored to the identified audience. The screens also featured a number of interactive games, both for children and adults, like Simon Says and a virtual staring contest, all of which were designed to further deepen engagement and maximize viewer interaction with the screens.”

“The ability to personalize content and messaging to a variety of target audiences really came to life in this campaign,” says EYE Corp Media CEO Jeff Gunderman. “Through this partnership with Posterscope, GMC and Quividi, we were able to showcase the power of digital place-based screens when combined with cutting edge technology.”

And the video on Youtube

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This week, Jean-François Decaux, Co-Chief Executive Officer, JCDecaux and Graeme Craig, Commercial Development Director, Transport for London (TfL), celebrated the 500th digital screen installation on the prestigious TfL bus shelter network.

Jean-François Decaux, Co-Chief Executive Officer, told us “London is a global hub and we take great pride in the strength of our digital proposition. We are at the forefront of the digital transformation in Out-of-Home advertising in one of the most powerful and influential cities in the world. The partnership with TfL has been essential to achieving our vision of a global digital showcase.”

The digital transformation of TfL’s bus shelter network is a core element of JCDecaux’s vision to make London the global showcase for digital Out-of-Home. A key part of the roll-out was the total digitisation of Oxford Street, with its digital screens synchronised last year to dramatically increase the impact and noticeability of the Oxford Street network. The Luxury network extends across the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Kings Road, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner, High Street Kensington and Park Lane.

Graeme Craig, Commercial Development Director, Transport for London said, “I am delighted to celebrate the 500th digital screen on our bus shelter network. Even at the half-way point, this is already the largest digital rollout in the world, reflecting our shared confidence in London and its bus network. Working closely together we are transforming London and the industry, generating vital commercial revenue for us to reinvest in transport.”

This new channel of communication for London has increased the vibrancy of bus shelter advertising to the benefit of both advertisers and passengers with new dynamic capabilities and increased screen quality. A new data centric strategy has been enabled through JCDecaux’s SmartBrics planning platform and its Smart Content management system driving a new era of contextual, topical and socially integrated campaigns across London.

This article originally appeared here.

View Project

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MRI recently formed a multi-year partnership with Ingenuity Sun Media as the exclusive digital media provider for NASCAR events hosted by the International Speedway Corporation. Together, MRI and ISM have deployed a digital network called “ISM Vision, Powered by BoldVu®”. The network includes LCD and LED displays spread across twelve tracks around the United States.

In this new digital media program, MRI provided their 4K 86″ LCD display that operate at 6000 nit brightness in direct sunlight. This is the first major deployment of the newly released Gen-11 BoldVu® XT series of outdoor LCDs. This initial deployment of displays are mobile and can be moved around the track to reach the right audience at each event. These displays will appear at each venue throughout the entire racing season.

BoldVu® XT outdoor LCDs are commercially available through MRI’s authorized reseller partners.

View Project

The post BoldVu® Displays Power ISM Vision Network at ISC Tracks appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

Manufacturing Resources International, the firm behind BoldVu® outdoor LCD technology employed by leading out-of-home media companies for street furniture and transit screens, has just released the world’s first “All-Glass Touch Panel” for their large format outdoor digital displays. This touch technology delivers a truly tablet-like touch experience, with as fast as 10ms response time.

This new type of projected capacitive (PCAP) touch panel sets a new global benchmark for optical performance with transmissivity of 93.46%, 0.006% diffuse reflection, and 1.948% specular reflection. For those less familiar with what these numbers mean in the real world, this new touch technology is, for all intents and purposes, invisible to the human eye and allows for uninhibited image projection.

“This is truly a huge leap forward for touch technology in outdoor displays,” says Bill Dunn, President and CEO of MRI. “With increasing market momentum around the digitization of street furniture and deployment of smart city kiosks, this monumental breakthrough in visual performance of touch-enabled displays could not have come at a better time.”

Existing PCAP Sensors

This All-Glass touch technology is a tremendous leap forward over other types of PCAP touch panels used in most interactive outdoor displays today. By comparison, traditional micro-mesh PCAP panels when placed behind even the clearest of glass have a transmission of 76.7%, which translates to needing 1.22x more backlight power to achieve luminance (x) as the same display would without the touch panel.

Another variation of PCAP technology, constructed of wire sensors sandwiched between panes of a clear plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET), range between 86-91% transmissive, which is better than the wire mesh approach, but still results in a necessary increase in backlight power somewhere between 1.02-1.07x to achieve the luminance (x) as the same display without the touch panel. And because of their plastic composition, they tend to warp and lose their responsiveness from constant expansion and contraction due to prolonged solar exposure and temperature fluctuation.

Optical Shortcomings

Micro-mesh and PET-based wire PCAP panels, by nature of their physical structure, often exhibit a strong specular reflection or metallic “glint”, especially when viewed off-angle. Next time you see an outdoor kiosk with a touch panel, look a little more closely and you can actually see the wires running through the screen.

Another issue with other wire-mesh and PET-based PCAP sensors is the amount of diffuse reflection they exhibit. Diffuse reflection refers to the way a ray of light is scattered at many angles. The higher the diffuse reflection, the more the contrast and color gamut drop through the floor. High diffuse reflection is particularly evident when viewing dark content – black isn’t actually black, it’s grey. Inability to produce high contrast results in dull and barely visible picture.

Micro-mesh and PET-based touch sensors also suffer from highly noticeable birefringence when viewed through polarized sunglasses. You have probably seen this before when filling up at the gas station – strange colors and patterns appear on the pump’s digital screens. Using touch technology that blacks out and distorts a human-sized, outdoor display when viewed with sunglasses is hardly ideal. This effect devalues the advertising space and is a hard sell knowing that so much time and energy goes into maintaining brand integrity.

The All-Glass Touch Panel

MRI’s new touch technology, unlike the others discussed thus far, uses no plastics or wires, and is instead comprised of a multi-layered, laminated stack of glass panes. Bill Dunn comments, “The visual difference between this and other PCAP screens is astounding, colors are so much more vibrant, and blacks are truly black. And there are no wires!” There is also no birefringence when viewed with polarized sunglasses and as promised, the screens feel very responsive to touch interaction.

MRI’s All-Glass Touch Panel is exclusively shipping on BoldVu® 55-inch outdoor displays, with 75-inch and 86-inch versions to be made available in early 2018. The price premium for the All-Glass Touch Panel on BoldVu® displays will be very comparable with other PCAP touch panels in use today.

The post LG-MRI Launches All-Glass Touch Panel for BoldVu® Displays appeared first on LG-MRI | Digital Outdoor LCD Display Solutions.

LG-MRI Withdraws from Participation at DSE 2020

ATLANTA, Feb. 28, 2020

Following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration that the coronavirus outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), LG-MRI announces that we will withdraw from exhibiting and participating at Digital Signage Expo (DSE) 2020 scheduled for Las Vegas in early April.

LG-MRI has participated in DSE for more than 10 consecutive years. As such, LG-MRI deeply regrets having to make this difficult decision but the safety of our employees and valued customers continues to be our number one priority. With the WHO recommending that individuals “promote social distancing,” LG-MRI intends to heed that recommendation by avoiding participation in large public events until the situation stabilizes.

Related meetings and discussions will be rescheduled locally in more private settings. LG-MRI appreciates the support from its business partners and customers for their understanding.

# # #

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Manufacturing Resources International (MRI) has launched its next generation InfiniteTouch PCAP touchscreen technology. An optional feature exclusive to BoldVu® displays, the All-Glass InfiniteTouch sensor is now driven by an industry breakthrough Digital Touch Controller. With signal-processing tech by Austin-based start-up, SigmaSense, the new controller promises high definition touch, including gloved-hand and hover detection. With this new technology users can navigate an interactive interface from many inches away from the glass, not using clunky camera-based motion controls, but electrical capacitance – the energy that quite literally flows through our fingertips.

InfiniteTouch is LG-MRI’s large format ITO (indium tin oxide) touch sensor constructed entirely of index-matched glass, and which contains no plastic films, sense wires, or micro-mesh. It delivers the same optical transparency as a smart phone or tablet, but in a jumbo sizes up to 86 in. diagonal. This glass also utilizes a permanent, sputtered titanium dioxide first surface coating that exhibits both a degree of self-cleaning and anti-bacterial properties.

For interactive kiosks in sun-soaked spaces InfiniteTouch ensures optimal optical performance, and is visually indistinguishable from a comparable display without a touch sensor, even after prolonged exposure to sunlight or other environmental challenges like extreme temperatures. Additionally, InfiniteTouch is part of a stack of laminated vandal glass which is highly impact-resistant – a necessity in public spaces.

Up until now this kind of optical performance, durability, and longevity has been impossible in large format touch sensors. The inconsistent and high impedance of index-matched, optically transparent ITO transmit and receive lines, combined with transmission line length due to the sheer size of a 75 in. or 86 in. touch sensor has literally been impossible to electrically drive. There is just too much electrical noise and interference for the sensor to operate with any sense of stability. This is where SigmaSense’s signal processing technology, SigmaDrive, makes all the difference.

SigmaDrive Provides the Data Necessary for the Next Generation of Interactive Displays

SigmaDrive is a breakthrough sensing technology where a system can now both stimulate and receive sensing data on the same pin, simultaneously. This allows sensed signals to be referenced against the driven signals, enhancing the ability to more effectively control environmental and transmission issues that have plagued previous solutions.

Software control of the SigmaDrive modulators assures predictable performance in noisy environments. Powerful digital filtering rejects out-of-band noise and delivers high signal to noise ratio (SNR) at ultra-low drive voltages. The result is industry leading touch performance and hover sensing, without the painful sensor tuning associated with today’s complex, unstable and noise susceptible analog systems. Tuning becomes a matter of minutes or hours instead of weeks or longer.

With this incredible SNR, SigmaDrive achieves capacitive imaging, where we are not just seeing touches as dots at X, Y coordinates, we can actually image the entire screen concurrently and tell the difference between rain water, objects on the screen, and can see a gloved hand interacting with the screen or in proximity to it. It’s essentially a video stream of the entire touch surface. No touch technology has ever remotely approached this capability.

Touch imaging of InfiniteTouch sensor, including gloved hands (lower right pair)

The SigmaDrive chips are embedded on SigmaVision controller boards, designed and manufactured by Manufacturing Resources International. The controller reports touch events at 300Hz, up to 10X faster than possible in the past. This translates to a super responsive and more fluid-feeling user experience.

LG-MRI Chairman and MRI President/CEO, Bill Dunn comments, “from a remote monitoring perspective every other touch controller technology leaves us blind as to whether or not the touchscreen hardware is behaving as expected, but with SigmaDrive the blinders have been removed – we can monitor and test the entire touch surface in real-time and in X, Y, and Z space from any authorized IP device, totally independent from the media player.” No longer does a tech need to be onsite to evaluate touch performance. “The SigmaSense SigmaDrive controller is the only practical way to mass deploy touch enabled large format outdoor displays.”

MRI retains global exclusivity on the application of SigmaSense’s signal processing technology to interactive outdoor displays larger than 55 in. diagonal. Dunn continues, “There is tremendous value in the remote diagnostics capability of the touchscreen. Our displays operate in high traffic areas where onsite work can be very disruptive, with SigmaDrive, everything we need to know is available in the monitoring tools.”

Touch in a World Changed by COVID-19

The launch of the new InfiniteTouch sensor with Digital Touch Controller is timely in a world changed by COVID-19. While interactive displays and kiosks remain ubiquitous fixtures for self-service in retail, travel, and entertainment venues there is understandable apprehension around touching surfaces whose cleanliness is unknown.

Some “hygienic” touchscreen solutions are being introduced to the market, from low-tech concepts like hand sanitizer pumps glued to the side of a kiosk, to software-based solutions where a user’s mobile phone proxies as a remote control. Unfortunately, in these and most of the other solutions being discussed in the industry, the extra steps and behavioral changes are being pushed onto the user. By no fault of their own, their interactive kiosk experience is now more cumbersome, and many are asking, “is it even worth it?”

MRI views this new reality from our characteristic engineering perspective, reflecting on the question – what can we do to improve our technology to address public concern over touching interactive displays? In this mindset, ‘hygienic interactivity’ is a challenge owned by the kiosk, not one where new behaviors or expectations are pushed onto the user. Our answer – improve the touchscreen technology so we can detect a hover state, many inches away from the glass. If we indicate, via a simple graphic on the screen that reads “Hover Enabled”, that a user can use all the normal touchscreen gestures without having to physically touch the glass we’ve kept that navigation experience intact without the user requirement for a post-interaction hand washing, or an impromptu neck exercise as they ping-pong their focus back and forth between their smartphone and a kiosk.

MRI believes that better touch sensing capability empowers human-empathetic workarounds for the traditional finger-to-glass interaction and hover touch is an intuitive start. After all, these machines are supposed to make our lives better, easier, more enjoyable, should not the onus for remaining relevant in light of increased hygienic awareness be on them?

If you’d like to talk to us about InfiniteTouch technology, you can reach out here.

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