Sharp has developed an LCD technology which is able to display two images at once. Viewing the screen from one angle you see a different image that viewing it from the opposite side.

A technology that is definitely going to be a hit in the signage business was announced by Sharp’s European Laboratories with volume production of the screen to start immediately.

Dubbed Controlled viewing-angle or two-way viewing-angle LCD’s the proprietary Sharp technology seems to have several applications such as shared entertainment/work screens, but another demonstrated application is akin to the privacy LCDs notebook vendor Toshiba is working on. Using the dual image LCDs announced today could let the user of a PDA or notebook see what is really on the screen while those at an angle to the screen would see an entirely different image.

With all the work that’s gone into increasing the viewing angle of LCD displays, this evolutionary technology uses a parallax barrier superimposed on an ordinary TFT LCD. The LCD sends the light from the backlight into right and left directions, making it possible to show different information and visual content on the same screen at the same time depending on the viewing angle.

Controlling the viewing angle in this way allows the information or visual content to be tailored to multiple users viewing the same screen. For example, one user can view the display as a PC screen for browsing the Internet or for editing video shot using a digital camera (IT) while at the same time another user watches video content such as a movie or a TV broadcast (A/V). This ability to enjoy two functions in a single unit in full-screen size will contribute to achieving a full-fledged convergence of digital home electronics A/V and IT, says the company.