The Computer Nerd

As we all know oil and water don't mix, but they can make remarkably bright colors. A company of Philips called Liquavista, has decided to try and commercialize a technique that can make screens and monitors based on the fact that water and oil don't mix.

How does this new technology work? CNET explains below:

In electrowetting, each pixel cell contains a small amount of dyed oil and water and a layer of a material that can be converted from hydrophobic (water repelling) to hydrophilic by applying electricity. When the material is hydrophobic, the water pushes away from it and forces the dyed oil against the surface. The pixel, which has a light source behind it, then projects the color of the dyed oil out.

In hydrophilic mode, the water draws toward the surface, shoving the dyed oil to the side, changing the color projecting from the pixel. Flipping the pixels rapidly allows a screen containing millions of the pixel cells to create an image.

I think this is big news because if they succeed, it will replace LCD monitors and be much cheaper too.