The future of twisted nematic technology is pointed in the direction of 3D presentation for a number of reasons which are as varied as medical imaging and military training. Quality is at the core of the commercialization effort because even though millions of TN-LCD displays and panels are produced annually, the race is to produce three-dimensional presentations. Twisted nematics are playing a key part in that destiny.
The point when liquid crystals, in response to application of a magnetic field along the axes of their molecules, become parallel; is being refined to a degree that permits the manufacture of projectors, monitors and or video panels that allow 3-D perceptions by human observation. This enhancement is a necessary improvement to enable remote visual communications that replicate personal interactions. Such a technology will present realistic imagery that conveys all the visual cues entailed in interpersonal associations.
The future of human existence may depend on energy reduction strategies that could incorporate remote 3-D video to provide personal interactions without necessitating travel. Such alternatives would need to accommodate normal mobility issues as commonly provided by smartphones and tablet PCs today. Twisted nematic LCD displays currently produced provide scalable solutions for rudimentary dimensional presentations that require headsets for perception of the 3-D effects.
As scientists perfected polymer buffering and magnetic switching characteristics of the controlling electronics, expectations for greater brilliance and wider viewing angels are achieved at significantly lower production cost. These factors have gradually increased the competiveness of LCD products utilizing active matrix technology. Demand for more precise definition in display resolutions drives research in the use of twisted nematics liquid crystals and presents promising prospects for future production of cost effective products with even more realistic presentations.
Quality Improvements
Most of the advances in monitors and displays are in reference to color and resolution. Conversely, the issues of quality that determine superiority for consumption purposes are viewing angle, image quality, increased brightness, and lower production line costs.
The high cost of building factories to produce competitive thin film transistors liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD) pushes production of the less costly to produce twisted nematic (TN) into the general display panel market. The product line includes display components for digital televisions, computer monitors, mobile phones, handheld video games, and PDAs and navigation systems. This push also segments the marketplace into quality demanding commercial sells and the less exacting one-off brand name markets.
Screen brightness, as perceptively distinguishable by the human eye, is a result of lessening the scattering of light with respect to the directional movement of the crystal molecules. Improvements to this lessening effect combined with patented faster switching techniques improved image quality by addressing the color gamut with higher luminosity, which corrected color shift errors and deviations.
Over time, several major manufacturers have entered into partnerships and joint ventures that resulted in increasing pixel counts while speeding up switching to yield faster response timing at lower production cost. Developments in alternative technologies for vertical and patterned alignments of pixels lowered distortions in off-perpendicular viewing common in twisted nematic panels. The resulting better viewing angles have since been enhanced with continuously rotating sub-pixels that produce dramatic improvements to viewing angles.
Nine manufacturers produce the world’s supply of TN-LCD display products. Quality is a matter of performance testing of the product as it comes off the assembly lines. Segmented fulfillment is determined by very practical quality factors that sort the destination of the production according to superiority of its performance. The best product goes to commercial channels and the worst is disposed of in the off-brand market. Everything in between is branded by the manufacturers for general consumption.
