A Mid-Summer Night's Dream (Redux)

Abstract

TEN YEARS AGO, I OUTLINED A WHIMSICAL VISION OF THE FUTURE in my July 2016 Information Display editorial (https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2637-496X.2016.tb00914.x). The piece grew out of my fascination with fully immersive displays—think the “Holodeck” for those of you who are Star Trek fans—alongside the potential for robotics and automation. A decade later, that vision does not feel far off in terms of what might be possible. If you will indulge me, here is a brief reprise of that earlier perspective.

I woke this morning to the sound of my personal robotic assistant gently reminding me of the time. It was almost 7:30 and I had to be at my first meeting by 9:00. My assistant brought coffee to my room and replayed a brief summary of the overnight news headlines to let me know what was happening in the world. … After getting dressed, I went downstairs and turned on the 3D projector to watch more sports coverage while I enjoyed my breakfast. I ruminated about how strange it must have been for people to watch television through little flat windows on the wall instead of having a holo-projection filling the entire room.

“Right on time” I thought as I checked my bio-feedback watch and moved from the kitchen to my studio office. Sitting down in my chair, I turned on my computer and started the virtual conferencing application that would carry me to the meeting room at the company headquarters in Portland. The projector in my office also came to life and an entire meeting room, including a conference-room table, appeared in front of me. I watched as other members of my team popped into view at various seats around the table. Thanks to the light-field camera array pointed at my chair, I also now appeared virtually in front of everyone else at the meeting. We could all see each other in full size and depth and look around the entire room, making it almost indistinguishable from really being there. But, in fact, we were all in different places including China, Europe, the UK, and the US.

The meeting began with a holo-projection of the new product being assembled on the production line. I could see every detail of how the assembler was building the product and what issues he encountered. It was not going well enough and took too long to complete. We went around the room brainstorming about how to make the assembly easier and increase production to the critical target the GM wanted us to hit. After we collected the ideas, our animation artist used those ideas to re-build the original assembly sequence and then we could see exactly how the new assembly would flow based on our changes. A few more bugs needed to be worked out and then the final sequence was sent instantly to the factory floor, where the assembly team was waiting to watch the new projection. It took about 10 more minutes for all the assembly procedures to be electronically re-imaged and then we could see that we had solved the problem.

The weekend before, our daughter played her first soccer game and the entire game was recorded with light-field cameras. After the game, the coach brought us all back to a holo-studio where we could replay all the critical moments of the game and literally walk onto the field in the projection and observe the plays from different angles. She could see and interpret her own foot work, understanding much better how to improve her game. We're hoping for a championship season this year.

It was about noon, and I was getting ready to leave for the meet. I thought I would take the self-driving car we had just bought so I could work some more during the long drive. It was a little extravagant for our budget, but since they added the light-field array cameras to the technology package it's been practically fool-proof and really much safer than my own driving anyway. The combination of full situational awareness in these cars and the neural network deployed on all major U.S. highways had really transformed driving and vehicle safety. The kids love it because the holo-projection turns the inside of the cabin into a virtual movie studio and they even forget they are riding in a car. …

Looking back, I envisioned much of it happening from 2016 to 2026, an optimistic timeline even then. Although I did not spell it out, implicit in that vision was something like current AI technology. Today's AI systems are already capable of functioning as virtual assistants and could increasingly automate tasks such as real-time process automation. Human-like assistive robotics continue to advance, with impressive prototypes and early products beginning to appear.

Fully immersive holographic projection remains a longer-term challenge, likely extending beyond the next decade. However, autonomous driving technologies are steadily approaching maturity, and the in-cabin experience is evolving toward a new level of experience driven by innovations in display technology. I am sure I will see level 5 self-driving automation in my lifetime, but for now, the intermediate and evolving state of driver information systems and passenger entertainment is truly fascinating. My dream is slowly becoming a reality.

This issue explores that trajectory through selected topics on automotive displays, which include both technology and market assessments from insightful authors. Changwook Han of UBI Research examines how OLED and microLED technologies are enabling new design paradigms, while noting that cost, performance, and commercial availability remain key challenges for realizing future visions (and daresay my dream) for 2030 and beyond.

Jun Chen and Dale Maunu of Tianma provide a comprehensive look at evolving vehicle information architectures, including data management and distribution, sensor integration, multi-display synchronization, power and thermal management improvements, and user experience design. They also address the continuing role of LCDs alongside self-emissive technologies, as well as advances in touch and haptic interfaces.

From an application perspective, Armin Wagner-Gentner and Mark Riebe of BMW describe their award-winning implementation called Panoramic Vision, which enhances intuitive operation and driver focus while delivering a stunning visual experience for everyone in the vehicle. This innovation was recognized with the 2026 SID Display Application of the Year award.

For readers interested in the optical metrology and corresponding viewer perceptions of various display solutions, Nilesh Barange and his colleagues at Lincoln Technology Solutions present a study comparing user responses to LCD and OLED displays under comparable vehicle ambient conditions. While the findings align with established trends, they also reveal some interesting nuggets that could inspire further study and inform future research and market differentiation in the luxury display category.

Rounding out our theme and providing some broad perspective, I am very pleased to welcome back author Sweta Dash, who frequently used to publish market analyses in ID. Her Marketplace contribution features a comprehensive view of the automotive displays market in the age of AI and how it may trend going forward. Sweta will provide future contributions to ID, and we look forward to her insights.

Over the last few years, one of our most prolific contributors has been industry consultant Ian Hendy. Known for his well-studied analyses of important industry technologies and the companies that make it all happen, Ian has a rich background in the advancement of display manufacturing. But until reading his interview with Sri Peruvemba in ID Asks, I had no idea how closely he was involved in some important and pivotal moments. Ian's contribution to the formation of LG.Philips LCD was a foundational moment for the industry and also launched his management consulting career that continues to benefit numerous display manufacturers. I know his absolute passion for our industry from my discussions with him while developing some of his recent articles. This is a don't-miss read and a great story to round out our mid-year issue.

As we roll into summer, I hope you all find some time to relax, re-charge, and maybe have your own whimsical visions about where technology and our industry can lead us next. Meanwhile, enjoy our Display Week 2026 highlights in this issue as the editorial team is hard at work developing the full-scope reports for the September/October issue.