OLYMPUS TECHNOZONE Vol.49 2001-03
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Applications for various oppotunities: events, museums, broadcasts, movies....
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| The intense appeal
of a giant100-inch screen. |
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----What sort of interest has there been in this kind of product
from different quarters?
We had inquiries about the product from many
different areas. It was amazing just how many people wanted the
product--and as soon as possible! So last year, in March 2000,
we decided to accelerate the commercialization of the product.
At OTF80, we had both a flat-screen and an arch-shaped prototype
on show, but, although people were looking at the curved one, it
was the flat-screen model that attracted most of the requests.
On close inspection, you realize that the arch-shaped version differs
slightly in terms of specification. For that reason, I got the
feeling that it's the type of product that would be made-to-order
for individual requests, whereas the flat-screen model can be produced
as a standard type of product. So that's how we're positioning
the two.
We've heard of a number of different ways in
which it could be used. Event-related applications are the obvious
ones. But then it could also be used by art museums,
other museums, broadcasting stations, or in a traffic control situation. With
digital movies now starting to take off, it could also have movie-related applications.
Also, since the image is such high definition and the screen is so large, plus
there are no joints on the screen, it's one continuous image--so it has potential
in this area, too."
Up till now, the image with large-screen displays
has been a little rough. As a result, the fixed notion has developed
that you have to be a certain distance from them to view the image.
With this system, however, you can be as close as 30 centimeters
away from the screen and still see the image clearly. I think the
impact of that could be huge.
During development we imagined that the product
would find applications across a number of different fields. It
seems that the market needs really are as broad as we had expected.
----It must be pleasing to have people talking about this product right in front of you?
Naturally. Hardly anybody out there knew that
Olympus was developing a large-screen display like this. In fact,
the DreamTech exhibition was quite an open affair. Before we went
to that show, I contacted a number of people in the industry to
explain to them what we were doing. Many of those who expressed
an interest in what we were doing came along to that show.
During the 17 days of the exhibition, we all
had to take turns at the stand to explain the system to people.
The first thing that surprised people is that
such a large screen has no joins in it. You can't see any joins
in the huge screen on the curved model either.
----How many companies expressed real interest?
I think around seventy companies. We were very
busy every day of the exhibition. There were also a lot of people
from fashion and design-related areas there. Because we had advertised
it in advance with a number of possible applications, we had people
from a wide variety of different areas expressing interest in it.
I guess people just had to come and see it for themselves though,
rather than getting a secondhand account from somebody else.
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