Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) has steadily become the top-tier market choice for electronics due to its reduced blue light emission, better energy efficiency, and crisper display. That said, its biggest drawback has been its limited lifespan and high cost.
Scientists from Northumbria, Cambridge, Imperial, and Loughborough plan to change that by designing a new system with more stable blue light, making digital screens even less energy-consuming and more sustainable to produce.
Every pixel on our screens is made up of its own tiny OLED, made from special organic materials that glow when electricity is applied. These OLEDs generate vibrant light, creating rainbows by mixing red, green, and blue. While red and green OLEDs are stable, blue subpixels are prone to degradation because energy escapes through pathways, further damaging the molecules.
The more cost-effective solution is a new light-emitting molecule with built-in shields, which will block these destructive energy pathways and control how the molecules interact. By doing so, OLED displays emit purer colours, use cheaper components, and even drive down energy consumption. This discovery could potentially revolutionise how we interact with screens and blue light.
Blue light and its impact today
Blue light is all around us. The sun naturally emits blue light, taking about a third of all visible light. This level of exposure is normal and even necessary to regulate your circadian rhythm. When regularly interacting within healthy levels, this light keeps you alert, helps your memory and brain function, and even potentially helps quell acne and seasonal depression.
As with most things in life, the problem lies in overexposure. This is where your eye damage, sleep deprivation, fatigue, and migraines come in. Unfortunately, many of the items likely surrounding your day-to-day life emit blue light and significantly increase your exposure. Your TV, lights, computer monitor, cellphone, and tablet are the biggest offenders. If you’re dealing with an electronic device with a screen or an LED light fixture, you are exposed to a certain amount of blue light. The unwanted effects of this are usually more pronounced after prolonged sessions, where you start to feel eye strain and an inability to rest.
The average Australian worker spends more than a third of their day in front of a screen. This is why blue light glasses have grown in popularity along with the increase in the population needing vision correction. Advancements in this field continue to improve protection against blue-violet light, resulting in the creation of the Crizal Prevencia. These lenses allow light to pass through the critical part of the eye while using selective filter technology to filter out blue-violet light. Unlike older filters, this still lets essential visible light through to avoid any colour distortion or distraction reflections.
Because light fixtures are also a constant presence in modern life, this industry has taken measures to minimise the negative impact of blue light as well. The Solarcyle Morph Desk Light by Dyson tracks natural daylight to transform for different purposes and times. It also reduces blue light during the evening by switching to an ambient orange with low flicker. When connected to your phone, it can also adjust its light based on your age.
The future of blue light and displays
Innovation has spurred industries forward in screen optimisation and better blue light management. New OLED screens hitting the market are already surpassing the limitations of previous iterations. LG has already previewed an OLED television with integrated AI boosting its colour, contrast, and graphical performance.
In the realm of handheld devices, the new Steam Deck OLED release has been spurring manufacturers left and right to release their own updated devices to compete with its improved display. The ASUS ROG Ally aims to take the crown with its VRR display, but Steam Deck’s crisp graphics and built-in blue light protection still have the edge for visual fidelity and eye protection. Deck users simply have to toggle Night Mode to turn on the blue light filter, which can be adjusted in intensity using a slider (in case the filter affects in-game colours too intensely.)
On top of the advancements already hitting the market, scientists are creating sustainable solutions for flat-panel displays using supramolecular ink. This could replace the need for precious metals in production, making OLED displays cheaper and more sustainable. The future looks bright and blue, possibly without the same risks we face in the current landscape.
