Is it possible for a TV to be transparent?

If you're a tech enthusiast and a sci-fi fan, you likely remember the strikingly large transparent screen in the 2002 film "Minority Report" where Tom Cruise's character gazed at it [source: Tomcruise.com]. Even if you're not a futuristic clairvoyant, wouldn’t it be fantastic to own a TV like that? Well, that day may come sooner than you think.

For the past two decades, electronics companies have been striving to perfect screens utilizing a technology known as organic light-emitting diodes. OLEDs — if you believe the buzz — are set to revolutionize our TV-watching experience. OLEDs are essentially thin plastic sheets between layers of glass that light up when exposed to tiny electrical currents. They’re incredibly slim, energy-efficient, and deliver sharp, vivid images that look stunning from almost any angle. These attributes make OLEDs perfect for the large, wall-sized TVs that we use for watching sports or appreciating the intricate moves on "Dancing with the Stars." Additionally, OLEDs are lighter and more flexible than traditional flat panels, making them easy to move around or even embed in a wall. But what really excites fans of futuristic tech is that OLEDs are almost completely transparent, except for the images they display [sources: Kanellos, Blau]. Haier has even released a promotional photo showing a man's hand visible behind a screen so clear it could allow a fortune teller to read his palm through it [source: Baldwin].

While transparent TV prototypes have been showcased at industry expos for years, manufacturers have been much slower in bringing these products to market. As of now, the latest estimate is that these TVs will be available for sale to the public in 2013 [source: Savov].

How Transparent TV Displays Function

The primary type of transparent TV screen, an OLED display, owes its remarkable features to its construction. Essentially, OLEDs consist of layers of plastic — the organic, or carbon-based material in the name — placed between two layers of glass. This is why you can see through an OLED screen. The design also includes minuscule clear cathodes that introduce electrons into the display, and anodes that allow the electrons to exit the device. When powered on, electricity is sent through the plastic layers, causing a chemical reaction that generates the image on the screen [source: Antonaidis].

One advantage of an OLED over a liquid crystal display (LCD), another common display type, is that when electricity flows through the plastic, it emits light by itself. In contrast, an LCD screen only forms shapes and colors, requiring an external light source to be backlit. This means OLEDs consume less electricity than LCDs and, unlike LCDs, can produce true black by not emitting any light in certain areas. A plasma screen offers similar capabilities, but because it contains gas, it needs thicker glass and is bulkier than an OLED, making it less efficient [source: Maxwell].

While OLED technology has numerous benefits, it’s not the only transparent TV type available. Engineers have also developed methods to make LCD screens transparent as well.

Other Developments in TV Technology

OLEDs have been used in phones and other gadgets for some time, with the first OLED TVs making their debut in Japan in the mid-2000s. However, the early models featured small screens and were prohibitively expensive — for instance, a 15-inch (38-centimeter) model from LG, a leading Korean electronics company, sold for an eye-watering $2,700. One of the challenges was that producing large OLED displays was a complex task. Additionally, the early models were more susceptible to moisture than traditional flat-panel TVs, and manufacturers were wary of upsetting customers if their new TVs malfunctioned [source: Kanellos].

The delay in OLED's widespread adoption has caused some consumer electronics analysts to question the viability of large OLED TVs that companies like Samsung have showcased at industry events in recent years. For example, writer Vlad Sarov from The Verge has even referred to the technology as "hype-emitting diodes" [source: Sarov].

Some electronics companies have also managed to create transparent displays using older liquid crystal diode (LCD) technology. Samsung, for instance, has designed a transparent window that doubles as a TV screen. The window-screen is powered by sunlight (or, on cloudy days or at night, by energy stored in solar-powered batteries), making it significantly thinner than a conventional LCD screen [source: Heimbuch].

Looking ahead, we can expect even more incredible developments in TV technology. For instance, we may see OLED screens so thin and flexible that you’ll be able to roll them up and store them in a closet — or even carry them in your pocket when you're not watching [source: Owen].