By doubling the resolution of existing liquid-crystal displays (LCDS), IBM has created a monitor which, when viewed from 18 inches away or farther, shows images that the human eye finds indistinguishable from the real thing. LCDS work by sandwiching a thin sheet of liquid crystals—in this case, thin-film transistors---between two narrowly separated panes of glass. Typically, small glass spheres have held the two panes of glass apart, impairing by refraction the performance of the display. IBM has replaced the spheres with small posts, which are located in the interstices between pixels, and so do not disturb the light as it leaves the excited liquid crystal. In the past, attempts to achieve such high pixel rates have been stymied by the build-up of electrical static, which caused problems with the brightness of the screens. The IBM groups have solved this by using a laser to scan back and forth across the glass, preventing the build-up of static electricity. The new screen could also help petroleum engineers to speed up their analysis of where to drill from one month to one day. Similarly, the higher fidelity will allow CAD (computer-aided design) systems, especially in the motor and aerospace industries, to work faster --- because the detail revealed by the new monitor can cut out costly prototype-building exercises. RAM’S idea is that the new monitor will allow designers of all sorts to go straight from computer image to final product, eliminating many costly and time-consuming middle stages.
