Revolutionary 3D displays with homogeneous, fully customizable surfaces and a razor-sharp display

In the Technical Competence Center of Bayer MaterialScience, the film experts Roland Künzel (front left), Konstantin Leonhardt (right) and Manfred Lindner experiment with a Black Panel film for rear projection.
Photo by Bayer AG

A new development is set to revolutionize the fittings of future car interiors – three-dimensional displays with homogeneous, fully customizable surfaces and a razor-sharp display. Special Makrofol® RP polycarbonate films from Bayer MaterialScience are used in these displays. The company will showcase these as part of an interior concept of the future at the K 2013 plastics trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany. RP stands for rear projection, a technology that has proved successful in displaying razor-sharp images on a projection surface. In indicators and displays, the film is transformed into an illuminated screen with the aid of back-lighting.

“My car is my castle” is one way to describe the tendency of many drivers to withdraw into the private sphere of their vehicles. Known as cocooning, this is when drivers enter a trusted environment to flee from the pressures of modern life at least for a short time. Automakers are now also focusing more closely on vehicle interiors, but for a different reason – they want to create a unique design and ensure that their products stand out from the competition.

3D images in HD quality
In addition to customized vehicle interiors, drivers would also like to have current and important information at their fingertips. Traditional displays on flat black surfaces are no longer very popular – not even in small and midsize vehicles. Nowadays, people are too used to high-resolution flatscreen TVs and computer monitors. Thanks to recent developments in the electronics industry, images are now absolutely sharp on 3D surfaces, too – even when watching videos.

“Our films enable brilliant image reproduction in HD quality,” says Oliver Bruns, head of marketing for functional films at Bayer in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. “They can be shaped using conventional film processing methods and present engineers with considerable design freedom, even for large components.”

And that is not all. Makrofol® RP films are also scratch-resistant and can be equipped with any kind of surface – from transparent to black and from shiny to matt. Currently undergoing development are products for touchscreen applications that are resistant to sweat, cleaning agents and chemicals even when these come into frequent contact with screens.

When these are switched off, drivers see only an elegant, matt black surface, and are not distracted by structures or other effects below it. This is based on Black Panel technology, which was developed a few years ago by Bayer researchers. When switched on, the displays are activated, and show only the information the driver has selected. The finished components have a modular design which means they can be built in anywhere – in the dashboard, in central consoles and in door trims.

The film is currently being launched onto the market. “Everyone involved benefits from the fact that the associated value chain is already in place – from film manufacturers and processors through to component suppliers and automakers,” says Dirk Pophusen, head of automotive film applications in Europe. Bayer MaterialScience is already in contact with major automakers and direct suppliers. The company has bundled existing core competencies in light management, for example with Black Panel and diffusing films, and deformable coating films into the new technology. Digital displays serve as interactive shop windows The Makrofol® RP film will also be put to good use at K 2013. At Bayer MaterialScience’s stand A 75 in hall 6, visitors will be able to discover more about the company’s solutions and products at interactive media tables. A seamless user interface and illumination of the media table are achieved using rear projection technology. Thanks to special sensors, the interactive displays react to visitors’ gestures, allowing them to explore the dreams and content presented there in a playful way, fully in keeping with the company’s motto for the stand – “Sharing Dreams, Sharing Value – Be Part Of It.”

There are a host of other promising possibilities for interactive displays with films and expertise from Bayer MaterialScience. The computer and electronics industry and many other sectors working with optical displays could also benefit from this technology. This applies not least to digital advertising media. Retailers have to come up with something special if they are to hold their own in the face of the booming online trade. Digital displays are likely to become an important means of communication for addressing customers directly and in a way that piques their interest. These displays give retailers the opportunity to showcase several products and messages at the same time on a single screen. Alternatively, animations can be used to transform presentations into eye-catching displays that are sure to be more appealing to customers. Interactive communication could lead to more intensive and longer-lasting customer loyalty.

For further information, please visit: www.bayer.com

• CID: 23