Plasma

Plasmonics breakthrough promises faster computers and communications

By Dario Borghino

17:14 October 21, 2009 PDT

Plasmonics is a promising emerging technology that attempts to put together the best of two worlds — optics and electronics — to achieve faster computation and communication by making optical devices significantly smaller. In recent research, a team of European scientists has solved a long-standing problem in this field by sending signals over a long distance in a breakthrough that brings this technology much closer to mass production. Read More

Extending Moore’s Law using nuclear fusion

By Darren Quick

22:22 August 20, 2009 PDT

We recently looked at a technique that could help extend Moore’s Law by using DNA molecules as scaffolding to pack more power and speed into computer chips. Now researchers from Purdue University and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory are working to achieve the same result by adapting the same methods used in fusion-energy research to create extremely thin plasma beams for a new class of 'nanolithography'. Read More

New ion engine could reach Mars in 39 days

By Michael Mulcahy

18:41 July 28, 2009 PDT

Last week, as the world celebrated the first lunar landing, Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins both called for NASA to make Mars its next goal. But the chemical propulsion system that took them to the moon would take six months, at least, to get a man to Mars and cost hundreds of billions of dollars. However, a new ion plasma rocket being developed by another former astronaut, Franklin Chang-Diaz, could potentially reach Mars in just 39 days using a fraction of the fuel. Read More

Light Tape: bending light... and other applications

By Jeff Salton

19:48 June 30, 2009 PDT

Think of a light bulb you can wrap around your finger or roll-out to create a display that would rival the Griswalds' efforts in Christmas Vacation. Light Tape is an extremely flexible lighting strip that has seemingly more applications than LED or neon lighting systems. Thinner than a credit card, and with a bend radius of 2mm, Light Tape can go just about anywhere – indoors and outdoors. It’s even wearable. Read More

Seiko Epson takes a big leap in OLED screen technology

By Mick Webb

02:32 May 28, 2009 PDT

Could the end be nigh for plasma and LCD screens? Seiko Epson has recently announced a further development in ink-jet technology, which does away with some of the problems still dogging the much-vaunted organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology. In particular, Seiko Epson has signaled it is moving toward a 37-inch HD OLED screen by creating a uniform deposit of organic material while removing the uneven layering of the ink-jet method. Read More

Panasonic 2009 TV range wrap-up

By Darren Quick

00:40 May 7, 2009 PDT

Although LCD has been clearly outselling plasmas TVs in recent times, plasma still maintains a number of advantages over its rival format, most notably in contrast ratio. So while some manufacturers, such as Pioneer, have ceased making plasma panels, Panasonic is persisting, with plans to launch 11 new VIERA plasma models this year. Although the company understands the value of LCD, too, with nine LCD models included in the 2009 VIERA TV line-up. Read More

Panasonic shows slimline prototype plasmas

By Darren Quick

01:58 May 1, 2009 PDT

Panasonic is giving Australian consumers a glimpse of future plasma display technologies first showcased at CES 2009. The two 50-inch prototype plasma TVs demonstrate next generation improvements to materials and processes, cell design, and circuit and drive technology, resulting in less energy consumption and twice the luminous efficiency of earlier models, all in an ultra-thin 8.8mm thick package. Read More

Bang & Olufsen launches a whale of a TV for a whale of a time

By Paul Best

02:14 April 30, 2009 PDT

If Bang & Olufsen’s spanking new BeoVision 4 103-inch plasma TV were a mouth it would swallow you whole – and you wouldn’t even touch the sides going down. That’s how big it is – and one of the biggest going around – with a pretty big price to match. Read More

Panasonic climbs aboard Hollywood's 3D roller coaster

By Darren Quick

01:21 April 29, 2009 PDT

While the popularity of 3D movies has had more ups and downs than a roller coaster, the technology is experiencing a resurgence in popularity with Hollywood scrambling to generate more 3D content. The latest manufacturer taking the ride up is Panasonic. The electronics giant has announced it will start developing a professional 3D Full HD production system consisting of a twin-lens P2 professional camera recorder and a 3D-compatible High Definition Plasma display. Read More

LG's 2009 Audio/Visual range: connectivity, convergence and clean, clear interfaces

By Loz Blain

23:16 April 2, 2009 PDT

LG's latest Audio/Visual offerings are moving down the path of connectivity and convergence, and delivering some very nice user interfaces. LG's new "Technology Design Centre" made its debut at the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix on the weekend where the Korean company introduced its PS80 big-screen plasma "Time Machine" TV, with built-in hard drive and digital video recording, its YouTube-capable super-fast BD370 Blu-ray player, its HB954WA 1000w home theatre 5.1 system, tuned by Mark Levinson and featuring wireless rear speakers, and the LH50, an ultra-quick 200hz LED-backlit LCD TV that intelligently adjusts picture controls according to the ambient light conditions in the room. Read More

The era of digital signage approaches

By Mike Hanlon

06:06 March 9, 2009 PDT

With large screen prices dropping dramatically due to mass production, digital signs are now at a price point where they make sense as a cost-efficient communication medium for a variety of applications across retail, hospitality, tourism, public transport, trade shows and out-of-home advertising. Panasonic released three Full High Definition (FHD) commercial Plasma panels this week, topped by a 1920 x 1080p 58 incher with 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, a 100,000 hour life span and a front panel of tempered glass for protection in hostile public places. The screens can simultaneously display two different AV sources and hook together 25 at a time as multi-screen systems. Read More

Panasonic's 3D Full HD TV system

By Darren Quick

22:42 January 28, 2009 PST

With the head of LG Display recently quoted as saying that flat-panel LCD prices have bottomed, the world's electronics manufacturers are looking for the next big thing to keep the coffers ticking over. With a number of companies rolling out various 3D TV technologies over the years, it’s obvious that many think that this will be the next big thing. Panasonic is one such company that has spent a lot of time and money investing in 3DTV. The fruit of its labor: the world’s first 3D Full HD (3DFHD) Plasma Home Theater System. Read More

Mitsubishi's Laser TV now shipping in the US

By Noel McKeegan

17:31 October 29, 2008 PDT

October 30, 2008 Following its premiere as a totally new display category at the CES in January, a 65-inch version of Mitsubishi's LaserVue high-definition television has hit U.S. stores. The world's first laser-powered TV, which promises unparalleled performance including twice the color and significantly lower power consumption than both its LCD and Plasma cousins, is being sold for USD$6,999. At 10 inches, it might be slightly thicker than some of the flat-screen offerings we've seen in recent times, but the trade-off is a set that delivers 1080p definition at 120Hz and operating power of approximately 135W using laser beams to provide "an extensive range of rich, complex colors, along with truly distinct clarity and immersive depth of field" according to Mitsubishi. Read More

Engadget HD on Vampire Energy - don't shoot the plasma

By Tim Hanlon

21:56 July 30, 2008 PDT

July 31, 2008 Yesterday we showed you GOOD Magazine's data on Vampire Energy, but Ben Drawbaugh from Engadget HD didn't like the look of it. Using a Kill A Watt, he measured the standby draw of a 60-inch Pioneer Kuro plasma to be 20 Watts - that's an annual cost of $20 (based on a price of $0.11 per kilowatt-hour) - far from the $159 figure that GOOD Magazine claimed. Read More

The plasma-powered flying saucer

By Kyle Sherer

03:00 July 9, 2008 PDT

University of Florida mechanical and aerospace engineering associate professor Subrata Roy has submitted a patent for a circular, spinning craft that can hover and take off vertically. The wingless electromagnetic air vehicle, or WEAV, is just six inches across, but has the potential to be scaled up to a much larger size. The WEAV is covered with electrodes that ionise the surrounding air into plasma, which functions as the conducting fluid. Passing a current through the plasma creates lift and momentum. Read More

Arpro packaging turns into a TV stand

By Jude Garvey

06:16 May 20, 2008 PDT

Concerned about the high volume of non degradable waste which makes up most consumer packaging, UK designer Tom Ballhatchet has developed an innovative idea for re-using the box your television comes in as a durable stand. Read More

Flexible, lightweight, 1-millimeter thick, 125-inch plasma display

By Darren Quick

23:49 May 18, 2008 PDT

May 19, 2008 There’s at least one reason to look forward to the InfoComm 2008 conference in Las Vegas this June with next-generation large-screen display manufacturer Shinoda Plasma announcing plans to exhibit a flexible, 1-millimeter thick, 125-inch film-type prototype display that can be used as a curved or wrap-around screen. At a low-key unveiling on May 15, Shinoda Plasma announced plans to exhibit the 3 x 1 meter, (9 feet 10-inches x 3 feet 3-inches) plasma tube array (PTA) display, which consists of 3 seamlessly integrated 1 x 1 meter square sub-modules and offers a resolution of 960 x 360 and weighs in at 3.6 kilograms (8 lbs), or about 10 times less than a conventional plasma display. At the unveiling Shinodo Plasma also confirmed their intent to begin small-scale production of a 150-inch (3 x 2 meter) version this autumn. While digital signage and advertising applications are sure to be the main uses for the ultrathin displays, there are sure to be plenty of people wanting a display or two for the walls at home to avoid painting. Read More

Pioneer’s 2008 KURO plasma displays

By Darren Quick

02:04 May 12, 2008 PDT

Pioneer's new 2008 line of KURO plasma displays feature black levels five times deeper than the previous award-winning KURO, plus SRS WOW HD technology incorporating SRS Definition and Optimum Mode, which adjusts the picture based on video and room light conditions. Read More

A flatter flatscreen: LG's PG60 Plasma TV

By Noel McKeegan

21:19 May 5, 2008 PDT

May 6, 2008 Once an afterthought in terms of interior design, televisions have become an aesthetic centerpiece in many new homes and as a result, manufacturers are striving to complement the sleek, minimalist lines that distinguish modern architecture. LG's new Plasma offering - the PG60 - does just that by incorporating "single layered technology" which merges the screen and TV into one continuous unit, creating a seamless, bezel-less unit that looks like a single sheet of glass. Read More

Panasonic's gargantuan 150-inch plasma display

By Noel McKeegan

23:48 January 7, 2008 PST

January 8, 2008 The size of nine 50" plasma screens combined, the world’s largest advanced high definition (HD) plasma display panel has been unveiled by Panasonic at the 2008 International CES. The prototype 150-inch PDP features an 8.84 million pixel resolution (2,160 x 4,096), an effective viewing area of 11 ft (3.31 m) wide x 6 1/4 ft (1.87 m) high 103-inch PDP and boasts true-to-life color reproduction and quick response with the same brightness as the then record breaking 103-inch PDP shown at the same event a year ago. The 150" plasma is one of several prototypes in the PDP field being presented by the company at the CES. These include a 42-inch panel with "double efficiency technology" that halves energy consumption compared with previous Panasonic panels and a one-inch super-thin 50-inch PDP. Read More

LG releases world's only 32-inch Plasma TV

By Noel McKeegan

21:49 October 22, 2007 PDT

Oct. 23, 2007 Recent trends have seen LCD screens growing large enough to rival their plasma cousins, but now LG have announced its first 32-inch plasma TV, giving consumers the option of a plasma screen in the fast growing small TV market where LCDs are dominant. The new 32PC5RV will be released in Brazil this month followed by a worldwide rollout to 27 countries by November. Read More

The 42 inch mobile computer

By Mike Hanlon

June 7, 2007 Presentations are leveraged interpersonal communication and we’re a great believer in having the most effective tools for the job when you have the attention of so many important people at the same time. We love stories about how expertise gained in one industry can be applied to another and the hook with this story is that JACO has been providing point-of-care wireless carts to hospitals worldwide for several decades. The company has now applied its engineering and manufacturing expertise to fill a market void for presentation systems aimed at education, hospitality and professional service firms. The top-of-the-range, 42-inch, height-adjustable Premier System has an integrated computer, high speed WiFi, wireless keyboard/mouse and a battery supply so it offers true mobility without ever requiring the system to be powered down. Moving a complete presentation system from where it is to where it is needed has never been easier. Indeed, it could also be the mobile desktop which you move around the office or home to suit your needs. It could also be adapted to become a mobile DJ system, a mobile home theater system a retail technology merchandising system ... big possibilities with this product. Read More

US $1000 12-Foot Inflatable Home Theater

By Mike Hanlon

June 7, 2007 Getting a group of people together is about as much fun as you can have, and all too frequently, the excuse for such a get together is to watch an event on the big screen. Now there’s a way of ruggedising the big screen experience so you can take it outdoors In terms of bang-per-buck, the Sima 12-Foot Inflatable Home Theater is a ripper because for US$1000 you get to protect your monstrous pride-and-joy and make it much more versatile at the same time. For those among us who just have to spend a lot of money to get into the experience, there are lots of outdoor speakers designed to look like rocks, wireless, in-ground speakers and ... and we think it’s a great idea that might yet spawn an entire outdoor home entertainment industry. Read More

Heat resistant exhaust coating helping vehicle manufacturers meet Euro 5 emissions standards

By Loz Blain

June 4, 2007 We've spoken previously about the amazing heatproofing properties of Zircotec's ceramic thermal coating. Extremely heat resistant, the coating has been put to use by several Formula One teams to move heat out of the engine bays of their race cars. Now it seems this highly effective spray-on coating could have a part to play in emissions reduction and assisting engine manufacturers in meeting the strict Euro 5 emissions standards while contributing to power increases. Read More

Panasonic to sell 103-inch plasma display

By Mike Hanlon

April 23, 2006 Worldwide demand for plasma TV screens is expected to top 25 million units in 2010 – plasma displays are just that much bigger for the price. Accordingly, we have a market shaping up as a wonderful contest between the world’s largest plasma manufacturers. Prior to 2006, LG and Samsung had both displayed 102 inch not-for sale plasmas, but in January at CES, Panasonic unveiled a 103 inch and claimed the heavyweight championship. Now, Panasonic has decided to put the 103-inch screen into production. Yes folks, you’ll actually be able to buy one before the end of the year though no price has been mentioned just yet. We think this will signal a declaration of war in the very large display market as the highly competitive Korean companies LG and Samsung love to play “mine’s bigger than yours” and can be expected to focus attention on the area. Read More