I'm always on the lookout for potential game-changers in the development of digital billboard technology. Billboard companies have experimented with alternative technologies in a few cities, LED technology probably won't be completely replaced any time soon.Meanwhile, Sony and Samsung have been tapping into OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology to make sleek, thin screens for televisions and cellphones. However, brightness is still an issue. What looks great on a television in an artificially lit room, simply can't overcome natural sunlight.
Interestingly enough, Ford Motor Company began the research project that might be the next big breakthrough in digital out-of-home advertising. Originally intended as a way to make brake lights that blend seamlessly with the contour of a car, ILEDs (inorganic light-emitting diodes) can also be printed on thin, flexible materials, but are much brighter than OLEDs.
What does this mean to the outdoor advertising industry? In addition to improved portability and ease of installation, digital billboards would become much more energy-efficient, since ILED technology doesn't require a backlight. Such screens could be applied to the surface of existing billboards like wallpaper, allowing advertisers to change their message remotely.
Of course, it's still very new and very expensive, so it may be a long time before we're seeing cityscapes like the ones in Minority Report or Bladerunner.
1 comments:
What a great product development if they can turn it into a viable solution. Overcoming direct light is a huge impediment in the digital signage industry in general. Everything is expensive and not very green. Ford Motor Company, eh? The more I hear about them the more I like. But that could be Mike Rowe's ability to make them sound good. :-)
Post a Comment