AUO Latest Display Giant To Add MicroLED To Product Portfolio; Showing Demos At TouchTaiwan

April 16, 2021 by Dave Haynes

I wrote earlier today about Touch Taiwan going ahead as a live trade show next week, aimed at a domestic crowd and in an island country that is seeing just a handful of new COVID cases day to day.

An industry friend sent along a show promo video from AUO – a Taiwan company that is one of the largest flat panel manufacturers in the world. The company’s show preview suggests a booth that will have a lot of premium consumer, gaming and commercial monitors. But it also shows AUO can see the market shifting and, like many manufacturers, the need for it to get into direct view LED and microLED.

The video shows several video wall options, which are curiously dubbed ALED. I am guessing the A is for AUO. With that logic, Samsung product could be SLED! Barco could be BLED!

Anyway … here’s the (sort of) explainer from company PR for what turns out to be microLED … maybe … it’s not all that clear from this PR:

With “Infinite Splendors” being the theme, AUO will showcase a whole series of AUO proprietary ALED technologies and applications, including the industry-leading adoption of cutting-edge micro LED display technology to home entertainment and automotive applications; small pitch LED display solutions perfect for indoor and outdoor retail spaces, and performance or exhibition venues.

Next-generation sensing and touch technologies targeting at financial and medical applications, new applications of eye-care technology, smart retail solutions consisting of comprehensive software and hardware integration, and successful cases of circular economy will also be exhibited. AUO will demonstrate its leading position through integrating core display technologies with AIoT to drive innovative field applications and shape the industry ecosystem.

AUO has dedicated to the development of advanced display technology. In the early years, AUO has already invested in microLED technology and introduced it to automotive applications as industry pioneer. This time, AUO will release a whole series of proprietary ALED technologies and applications.

Featuring microLED, innovative products will be further introduced to home entertainment and automotive market. In the meantime, with integrated module, system, installation and after-sale services, AUO will work with its group members and ecosystem partners to engage in large indoor/outdoor spaces by using small pitch LED display solutions to build ultra-large LED wall for retail, performance, exhibition and visual entertainment venues.

Note: so this last paragraph mentions BOTH microLED and small pitch LED, and the next one says “pixel pitch as small as …” So I dunno … maybe it’s micro, maybe not. Most of what is being marketed these days as microLED isn’t really microLED, in technical terms.

Through modular design, LED display can be assembled into giant signage or curved screen as desired. The ultra large LED wall showcased in Touch TW features a pixel pitch as small as P1.25, going beyond the mainstream spec of P2.

The LED wall, capable of showing immersive visual impact and realistic 3D effect, will be the most up-to-date perfect choice for department stores, malls, high-end business spaces or enterprise war rooms. On the other hand, while international travel is difficult for filming in the post-pandemic era, it can also be assembled to construct the setting locally where actors can give their best performance.

The LED displays can also be assembled to build a curved simulated scenario for racing. The virtual scenario displayed on the curved assembly, complementing by the 6-axis dynamic driver’s seat developed by Brogent, the leader of simulation technology, creates a more immersive experience for the racing driver.

Innovative Micro LED Applied for Human-vehicle Interface and Home Entertainment, Delivering Groundbreaking Display Forms and Unparalleled Performance Exploiting the advantages of micro LED, including high brightness, high contrast, wide color gamut, fast response and high reliability, AUO combines the consistently enhanced mass transfer process technology with the active matrix LTPS back panel process cultivated for years and driving circuit design to present a series of automotive display applications.

AUO’s is also showing a 12.1-inch and 9.4-inch microLED displays aimed at automotive applications (future dashboards will be digital).

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