Researchers from HP propose a new composable monitor design - that is based on microLED display modules (tiles) that can connect together to construct complete monitors. The researchers explain that microLED is a key technology as it enables a bezel-less design.
The main idea is to create Lego-like building blocks, both flat and curved, that can connect in both horizontal and vertical configurations.
The research paper discusses the mapping between screen blocks and physical displays to make it easy for both users and operating systems to understand and details how this design fits well into various applications.
Interestingly, the researchers acknowledge that event with a completely bezel-less design, with a careful mechanical design that minimizes the gap between adjacent connected block, the users may still see a and a thin line between modules. This is also true for these high-end tiled microLED TVs sold by Samsung, LG, Sony and others. There are ways to mitigate this problem, for example by coating the modules with a special coating and filling the gap between the modules with materials that will compensate the difference in dielectric constants, which is not really a practical solution. It is also possible to bring the boundary planes closer than fraction of the wavelength, but this is also not practical (as the gap will need to be less than ~ 0.1um – 0.2 um).
A more practical solution (but still one that is not easy to implement) is to use materials with continuously variable refractive index in a way to compensate for distortion caused by the boundary. Finally, it's possible to distort the image so as to mask the distortion caused by the boundary. This is not an easy algorithm, but one that is possible.
The MicroLED industry have long discussed the unique ability of microLEDs to create seamless displays. This is one of several benefits that microLEDs enable, compared to OLEDs (in which the encapsulation does not enable seamless designs). The MicroLED Association believes that microLED developers should focus on applications in which microLEDs brings clear advantages to enable market penetration, and this work by HP is a good example.
