Televisions have come a long way since they first started broadcasting moving images into households almost a century ago.
We’ve ditched the bulky cathode ray tube in favor of ultra thin, ultra light screens with more realistic displays than ever before.
But, televisions are still going places—and if Panasonic is any prognosticator, the TVs of the future will be nearly invisible in our homes.
The electronics giant recently unveiled its latest concept of an invisible TV that seamlessly blends into your house’s décor. When off, the new TV looks no different than an ordinary panel of glass—but when switched on, it provides a bright display that is nearly indistinguishable from that of a conventional TV.
According to an Engadget article, the new invisible TV is a glass panel with an embedded mesh OLED screen, offering up unprecedented picture quality when turned on yet ultra transparency when off.
Panasonic unveiled the new TV at the recent CEATEC electronics expo in Japan. This isn’t Panasonic’s first such concept, however, which made its debut at CES 2016 earlier this year. But the newly unveiled OLED TV is an improved iteration, featuring a brighter display that doesn’t require extra illumination like the original concept.
Panasonic is using the power of technology integrated into smart materials to appeal to consumers’ lifestyles, with new products that directly integrate into the home. The invisible TV is just one such product that Panasonic is dreaming up—other concepts include a table that can cook its own food, a sake and wine fridge that can offer up food pairings and recipes, and speakers integrated into rugs.
Watch this Panasonic video to see some of the tech company’s latest concepts.
Credit: Panasonic Newsroom; YouTube
But don’t get too excited just yet—the company says it will be at least a few more years before the invisible TV is commercially available.