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Philips Magnetic Tiles Let You Build Any 3D Display
Posted by Jesus Diaz at 5:40 AM on August 26, 2008
I've spent the morning at Philips Research Labs in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and I've seen some pretty amazing inventions that may not be far away from a shop near you. One of the coolest was these magnetic LED tiles that allow you to build any kind of 2D- or 3D-shaped display by just attaching one to the next. The results, combined with the beauty of the animated colour LEDs behind the diffusing glass, are stunning. The way it works seems like magic.
I've spent the morning at Philips Research Labs in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and I've seen some pretty amazing inventions that may not be far away from a shop near you. One of the coolest was these magnetic LED tiles that allow you to build any kind of 2D- or 3D-shaped display by just attaching one to the next. The results, combined with the beauty of the animated colour LEDs behind the diffusing glass, are stunning. The way it works seems like magic.
The display itself gets programmed by just placing an illustration under a camera, which captures the basic structure and animates it in random patterns. Since each tile is intelligent--they know each other's position at any give time--the animation spreads through the tiles seamlessly. Putting the tile together is as easy as that: just place it next to the edge you want and it will stick thanks to very powerful magnets.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
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Sora57
Posted 6:13 AM 26/8/08
Why do they need to be magnetic? Instead of using powerful magnets to attach them to each other, just design the module to latch on to the adjacent one. The magnetics seem cool, but only there for the cool factor-- not to serve any additional purpose. I imagine they are not electro-magets or a loss of power will cause the whole display to fall like a house of cards.
This could be great for video walls. No wires connecting the modules is awesome. I've worked with what seems like miles of wire bhend them and they can be REPULSIVE. But the magnetic function, although it looks ATTRACTIVE, puzzles me.
Sora57
Lupus_Yonderboy
Posted 6:07 AM 26/8/08
Damn. That's pretty freakin' cool. Anyone know what the pixel pitch is? Looks like it's over 10mm, though that could be the content running through it. Any other options on Video sources?
Lupus_Yonderboy
siville
Posted 5:59 AM 26/8/08
Displays even! darned fingers!
siville
siville
Posted 5:58 AM 26/8/08
Perfect for dislays at trade shows!
siville
gizak
Posted 5:54 AM 26/8/08
magnets and led's, two of my favorite nerd toys.
gizak
LittleJon
Posted 6:44 AM 26/8/08
Damn! Another of my good ideas that I did nothing about now implemented by someone else!
I was toying with this idea about 6 years ago, although I has thinking Lego-like, not magnets. m
LittleJon
nutbastard
Posted 7:14 AM 26/8/08
@Sora57:
latch as in a mechanical fastener? no good for things that are constantly stuck together and pulled apart. magnets are good for this sort of thing.
nutbastard
Uncle Remus
Posted 8:29 AM 26/8/08
I'd have to say I was unimpressed. I don't see anything that is groundbreaking here. And mechanical hooks or latches would be a whole lot cheaper and could easily withstand any amount of putting together and taking apart that these screens would be used for. Bleh!
Uncle Remus
mricyfire
Posted 11:56 AM 26/8/08
that isnt 3d at all...just 2d arranged in different ways.
mricyfire
Sora57
Posted 1:00 AM 27/8/08
@nutbastard: If they are going to be constantly rearranged, I agree with you. But if they are going to be set up for a few days or more, a simple allen key turn on the back can extend legs that interlock with the adjacent modules.
Sora57
toyotaboy
Posted 3:46 AM 27/8/08
I bet these are expensive.. cool technology, just hope they can make it affordable. I wouldn't mind making my entire wall a display
toyotaboy
SEEN
Posted 7:43 AM 27/8/08
@mricyfire: 3D as in the display itself is 3D, not the content on the screen is 3D
SEEN