New screen technology takes cue from butterflies in using ambient light to to light up displays

A new screen that gets brighter from environmental light could soon be in the works due to research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) at the University of Central Florida.

The new technology uses similar structures to those that give colors to the wings of butterflies in order to brighten the display with light reflected from the environment rather than with light from an LED, according to a NSF news release.

Using nanoscale structures, butterflies and other animals show color by scattering and reflecting light.

"This display is more of a natural look than current computer or smartphone screens," Debashis Chanda, with UCF's NanoScience Technology Center, told NSF. "It is like seeing a portrait on the wall at your house. It doesn't have that glare or extra light."

The new technology would both reduce glare and save power, making for a more visible screen that also consumes less electricity.

"The reduction of light is important because staring at brightly lit computer and smartphone displays for prolonged periods can cause eye strain, headaches and other health problems," Chanda told NSF.