USDC Initiates CRADA with NIST for Display Daylight Readability Measurement

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 26, 2007—The U.S. Display Consortium ( USDC), a public/private partnership chartered with developing the flat panel display (FPD) industry infrastructure, today announced that it has commenced a two-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The $450,000 program will enable the development of tools and techniques to measure the character contrast of the many display devices that are used outdoors in numerous applications.

As display devices become increasingly mobile, the demand for sunlight-readable displays is becoming more critical. However, at present, the term “sunlight-readable” is ill-defined, and there is no industry standard measurement method available. This makes it difficult for the display manufacturer and customer to determine the quality and performance of a product, or compare product specifications. A standard sunlight readability measurement would be invaluable in providing feedback to display designers, benchmarking display development, and improving next generation products.

“NIST has been actively involved in the development of display metrology standards, procedures, and practices for many years,” stated Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA). “They are the premier national facility in this area and have developed significant capability through the NIST Display Metrology Project. I am pleased that the USDC decided to initiate its first-ever CRADA with NIST, as the institute is uniquely qualified to conduct this metrology program.”

A CRADA is a written agreement between a federal agency and the private sector under which the agency can provide personnel, services, facilities, equipment, or other resources – but not funding - and the private sector parties can provide funds, personnel, services, facilities, equipment or other resources toward the conduct of specified research and development efforts consistent with the federal agency’s mission.

Providing a set of daylight readability measurement procedures would allow for simple, inexpensive testing and validation of display performance for a wide variety of applications including avionics, mobile devices, hand-held devices, medical applications, security, and military. Such a ubiquitous impact would greatly serve the display community, enabling characterization and evaluation of these emerging technologies and applications. The Council for Optical Radiometric Measurements (CORM) has specifically identified the need for the development of adequate display metrology, along with many members of the USDC

The USDC program is a collaborative effort of private industry and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, located in Adelphi, Md.

Contacts:

Heidi Hoffman
US Display Consortium
(408) 993-8111
heidi@usdc.org

Stacey Voorhees
MCA
(650) 968-8900
svoorhees@mcapr.com

About the U.S. Display Consortium
The USDC is an industry-led public/private partnership providing a common platform for flexible electronics and display manufacturers, developers, integrators and the supplier base. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the consortium’s primary mission is to fund supply-chain projects and share the results with member companies. The USDC provides a communication channel among industry, government and financial communities for flexible electronics and display industry issues; sponsors conferences and workshops to broaden the impact of technological developments; and educates consumers on the importance of flexible electronics and displays in providing access to information technology. More information can be found at www.usdc.org

About NIST
Founded in 1901, NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration. NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.

The NIST Display Metrology Project is the premier national display measurement facility, has many years experience in solving tough measurement challenges, and has been actively involved in the development of display metrology measurement standards, procedures, and practices. NIST disseminates the results of its research not only in technical papers, short courses and seminars, but also through active participation in standards development. More information on NIST is available at www.nist.gov.