New microdisplay turns heads

by Michael Singer November 9, 2005 3:57 PM PST

At the 22nd annual Flat Information Displays (FID) Conference, this week, vendors showcased the latest advancements in LCD, plasma and projection technology.

But a literal head turner was the eMagin Z800 3DVisor stereoscopic headset.

The visor allows for interactive 3D video game content or viewing movies on the equivalent of a 105-inch screen viewed at 12 feet, in full-color stereovision.

Complimenting the video is an integrated audio system with high-fidelity earbuds and a built-in, noise-canceling microphone. To power all these capabilities, the 3DVisor requires only a standard USB port.

Two high-contrast microdisplays inside the visor allow for full-motion video in more than 16.7 million colors. The visor, which retails for $899, also has a head-tracking system that allows for a 360-degree angle of view.

The two microdisplays are .59-inch screens based on Organic Light Emitting Diode, or OLED, technology, which is made of carbon-based molecules.