Army Lab Partners With Consortium To Develop Advanced Display Technologies

Compiled ByDeborah Austin With cutting-edge information-technology systems now a U.S. Department of Defense priority due to terrorism concerns, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and U.S. Display Consortium (USDC) are partnering to advance the development and manufacturing of new flat-panel-display (FPD) technologies. The move is synergistic, says John Pellegrino, director of ARL's Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate. The San Jose, Calif.-based USDC -- a public-private partnership supporting the electronic display industry -- offers its members' research-and-development capabilities, while ARL contributes an advanced display research facility and expertise in micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) devices, optical devices, and helmet-mounted and FPD technologies. While it will focus on military applications, the partnership expects some technology advancements to blend into consumer devices. For examples, head-mounted microdisplays for military aviators also could work in surgery or machine maintenance; near-to-eye display devices for military squad leaders could function in advanced security systems for airports and other facilities. ARL is the principal Army organization for research and exploratory development of electron device and sensor technology for battlefield applications. It is based in Adelphi, Md.