Weight of LCD TVs Cut in Half
As most research goes towards improving image quality in LCD TVs, such as the recently announced Quattron technology in Sharp TVs , one recent breakthrough will help people bring a new LCD TV home easier.
Researchers from a Japanese chemical company, Teijin, and Yamaguchi University have developed a way to cut the weight of LCD TVs in half.
According to Japanese newspaper Nikkei, the researchers have been able to make LCD screens 50 percent lighter by substituting plastic for the glass used to enclose the liquid crystals in the display.
Normally, the silicon solid-state devices in the screen create too much heat for plastic to handle, so manufacturers have had to put them on heavy glass substrates that can resist the heat. But the researchers say that a layer of heat resistant silicon dioxide on plastic can perform the same function. The plastic, and the frame to support it are much lighter than current LCD frames and glass.
It's possible the plastic solution could make LCD images clearer too. The plastic is capable of supporting higher-power solid-state devices, which in turn can improve image quality.
Don't look for lighter LCD TVs very soon , though. Teijin has not commercialized the technology and is still looking for a major electronics partner to help bring the technology to market sometime in the next three years.
