Pioneer Developing Transparent Tech To Make Digital Signage Work On Shop Windows

October 9, 2013 by Dave Haynes

Japanese electronics firm Pioneer is working on technology – presumably a film overlay – that it suggests dramatically improves the quality of projections in shopfront windows.

Pioneer tells Diginfo the brightness and transmittance levels are higher than when using a transparent LCD panels (brightness would not be hard, from what I have seen). The company sees this as a new form of digital signage in storefront windows, combining video projection with traditional window dressing. While projection film on shopfront windows is not at all new, that film has typically been opaque and obscured what’s inside the window.

“This is the first time we have shown this display to the public, but we have been developing this unique screen which incorporates our original technology. On this screen the black area is transparent. So this means when there are black areas in the projection, the products in the window behind the projection can be seen. We think this can be used to incorporate video in spaces where it hasn’t been possible before.”

“When compared to previous transparent displays, the light transmittance of the transparent area is overwhelmingly higher. The transmittance level is now more than 80%. We have also been able to make the brightness levels much higher than in previous transparent displays.”

“As this technology is still under development, we haven’t formally decided on when it will be commercialized. In terms of applications, as well as for digital signage in shop windows like this, we are also thinking about using it in vehicles in the future.”

3M has had its Vikuiti film around forever, and there are other films out there as well. But, if Pioneer’s take on this truly allows a window to be largely transparent, that’s pretty interesting. Projectors are brighter now and with LED light engines, can last far, far longer than they did when projection film first came out.

It’s a little hard to say what’s all involved here because the video shows a projector but also some sort of tablet in the window, which may be just something to say Pioneer, or maybe part of the gear???

Some good work with small transparent LCD displays shows what is possible in retail, so imagine what this could do on a grander scale if the lighting is powerful enough to overcome ambient light and make the visuals pop.