LG, ASSA ABLOY Partner On OLED Displays Embedded In Sliding Automated Doors

December 10, 2020 by Dave Haynes

LG is working with a Swedish access control company to commercialize automated entry doors that have transparent OLED displays embedded in the sliding glass doors.

The new product uses LG’s 55-inch transparent OLED signage display and runs LG’s own CMS SuperSign software, paired with the technologies that drive manufacturer ASSA ABLOY’s  Entrance Systems.

“In addition to providing convenient and touchless access to buildings and structures,” say the companies in joint PR, “the Transparent OLED Automatic Door will present new opportunities for greeting customers, communicating with employees and delivering advertising and marketing content unobtrusively to consumers.”

LG suggests the OLED tech is expandable and “can be easily customized for a variety of doors and entranceways.”

The display would be in tempered glass, so they’re well protected. I’m guessing the bigger challenge is in the electronics, as most digital displays get fixed into a stable position and never moved, while these doors could be opening and closing 24/7, or at least 12 hours daily.

“LG, the leader in next-generation digital signage, and ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems, the global leader in automated sliding doors, are working together to create an exciting, new digital environment,” says Paik Ki-mun, senior vice president and head of the Information Display business unit of LG Electronics Business Solutions Company. “Our previous large-size transparent OLED displays, which can be found around the globe, proved that transparent OLEDs were a very effective medium and we’re now taking that to a whole new level.” 

I wrote about this concept back in August, when a demo surfaced on Linkedin. It’s interesting, but not the sort of thing I think will drive a lot of volume sales. It will be super-expensive, because commercial OLEDs are super-expensive. That narrows the field a lot to thinks like duty-frees in giant airports. I don’t see this coming to a Wegman’s supermarket in Buffalo.

I could see media companies using this at airport arrival zones, where people stare at sliding doors waiting for the relatives or friends to clear customs and pass through sliding doors. Those doors get a LOT of looks and dwell time.

My bigger concern would be reliability. ASSA ABLOY will have the smooth sliding action of its doors down to perfection, but that still means electronics are getting jiggled all day, everyday. Moving parts are not your friend in digital signage.