LCDs and plasmas have enjoyed a nice run as king of the display hill, and they’ve certainly come a long way in terms of quality and price. However, a new technology called “Telescopic Pixel,” based on an old concept, is making waves as a potential replacement/rival to these champions.

The old technology is that of the optical telescope. It refers to the arrangement of two opposing mirrors where one can change shape via voltage manipulation. With the power off, the two mirrors are parallel and reflect all light back into the source. When power is supplied, one of the mirrors transforms into a parabolic shape and focuses the light onto the second mirror. That mirror, in turn, directs the light back through a 1-pixel hole in the first mirror and then onto the display. (see illustration)

While this process may seem a bit complicated, especially when considering the number of pixels on even the smallest sets, the process offers a much higher percentage of backscreen radiation - 36 percent compared to LCDs 5-10 percent. For computer displays (think laptop batteries), that’s a very important increase in energy efficiency. Pixel response time, another very important benchmark in displays, is also improved. While LCDs typically range in the 2-10 ms spectrum, Telescopic Pixel technology has already achieved times as fast as 0.625 ms. Lastly, the cost of manufacturing these millions of mirrors is also a step ahead of the current designs. It’s low in cost and can use much of the existing machinery already in place.

The most promising aspect to this emerging class of displays is the involvement (funding) of Microsoft. While you may hate their OS, you can’t deny their deep pockets and knack for getting projects pushed through.

For more information on Telescopic Pixel displays, check out a nice overview on arstechnica.com. For the complete story (very detailed) check out this story’s source: Nature Photonics.