3M invests in Pixel Qi; looks to future LCD tech for digital signage ...

3M?s New Ventures arm?announced on Monday that it has invested in Pixel Qi, which manufactures liquid crystal display panels that it says use less energy and can be read in direct sunlight.

The investment?is a boon to the three-year-old startup, which?will use the funds to build out engineering and sales teams. The company was founded by Mary Lou Jepsen, who was part of the team behind the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project.

The deal also deepens the company?s relationship with 3M, whose?Optical Systems Division makes films that optimize the light throughput of LCD technology.

The applications in question? Mobile computing. While smartphones, tablet computers and other such devices are the most obvious places to use this technology, the outdoor display industry ? specifically digital signage ? is a major opportunity.

As we look to embed computers (and screens) in more and more places ? from retail storefronts to highway signs to bus stops ? we?ll need display technology that draws little power but offers lots of performance. This is certainly a step in the right direction.

Source: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/3m-invests-in-pixel-qi-looks-to-future-lcd-tech-for-digital-signage/19135

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