Microdisplays, tiny compact displays, require magnifying optics for their deployment in several electronic devices. Microdisplay devices feature high pixel density, user-configurable technology and high resolution which are broadly used for smart watches, smart glasses & other smart devices for enhancing the picture quality with high contrast ratio. Introduction to microdisplay-based holographic display and technological advancements in microdisplays have encouraged the manufacturers of electronic equipment for investing in R&D which in turn is likely to propel the growth of global microdisplays market according to a study by Future Market Insights (FMI).
Increasing Applications in Industrial Electronics and Consumer Electronics is Propelling the Growth of Global Microdisplays Market
Continuous enhancements and rapid development in display technology have provided an opportunity for several types of displays in industrial and commercial market. Compact, small-sized displays, microdisplays possess high resolution capacity improving voice & picture quality in televisions making it a prime device for utilizing at the time of production of display devices. This is encouraging adoption of microdisplays among OEMs for various new devices such as tablets, smartphones & others. Soaring number of applications in several industrial electronics and consumer electronics are major factors fuelling the expansion of the global microdisplays market in the near future. While factors impeding the market growth of microdisplays include high initial manufacturing costs and application of microdisplays in electronic devices.
Introduction to Wearable Devices has driven the Microdisplays Market
The display industry has witnessed rise and fall in the microdisplays market, especially in the RPTV (rear projection television). The introduction to wearable devices such as smart glasses, HMDs (head-mounted displays) and HUDs (head-up displays) created a new way for expansion of the microdisplays market. Novel technology applications in the fields of aerospace, military, medical, industrial and defense has further propelled the growth of the global microdisplays market. Various types of microdisplays such as LCD (liquid crystal display), DMD (digital micromirror device), LCoS (Liquid-crystal-on-silicon) and OLED (organic light-emitting-diode) have been introduced to the market till present. Owing to superior performance & technical stability of OLED, it has become a promising technology in the microdisplays market outpacing LCD technology.
Kopin’s Lightning OLED Microdisplays to make VR Experiences more Convenient & Immersive
The presence of several players has resulted in highly competitive atmosphere in the global microdisplays market. Higher refresh rates, higher resolution, low power consumption and reduced weight are expected to make VR experiences more convenient and immersive. Kopin, Massachusetts-based manufacturer of wearable electronics has stated that its Lightning OLED microdisplays can make all this happen. Kopin introduced its 1 inch diagonal display with 2940 PPI at Consumer Electronics Show recently.
The company states that future-generation microdisplays will be able to support equal to or higher than 3000X3000 resolution and will be capable of fitting into VR head-mounted displays. Kopin’s Lightning display utilizes an array of OLED on silicon instead of glass. Kopin’s Lightning microdisplays are yet under prototype stage. CTO of Kopin, Dr. Hong Choi said that the cost of Kopin’s Lightning microdisplay would be higher as compared to direct-view OLED on glass panels utilized in VR headsets such as HTC Vive and Oculus.
LOMID to Launch OLED Microdisplays with Pixel Density of 2300 PPI
Europe too is set to witness enhancements in microdisplays. A European project, LOMID, has also aimed to launch OLED microdisplays with 2300 PPI capacity. The EU-funded H2020 project known as large cost-effective OLED microdisplays and their applications (LOMID), which was launched in January 2015 & led by scientists from Fraunhofer FEP, has aimed to develop new-gen of large area (13X21 mm) OLED microdisplays focusing on augmented reality as well as virtual reality applications along with visual prosthetics. This project will be run until the end of 2017. This achievement of this project will be attributed to development of robust silicon-based chip design to support both high resolution (1200X1920- WUXGA) along with 11µmX11µm pixel sizes for 2300PPi pixel density, and significantly reliable manufacturing process for backplane.
The information presented here is sourced from Future Market Insights latest. A free sample of this report is available upon request.
Author: Abhishek Budholiya is a tech blogger, digital marketing pro, and has contributed to numerous tech magazines. Currently, as a technology and digital branding consultant with Future Market Insights, he offers his analysis on the tech market research landscape. His forte is analysing the commercial viability of a new breakthrough, a trait you can see in his writing. When he is not ruminating about the tech world, he can be found playing table tennis or hanging out with his friends.
