For the first time ever, OLEDs and OLED-on-CMOS integration offer the possibility to integrate highly efficient light sources with photo detectors on a single CMOS chip.

So what does this mean? The main application is that this device can show an image and, at the same time, track the movement of the users eye.

Who need this?
This is important for all kinds of applications where your hands are needed for something else, like a pilot flying an aircraft or a surgeon wanting to access vital parameters while performing a surgery.

This enables monolithically integrated optoelectronic applications based on standard silicon. Besides classic optoelectronic sensor applications, this also enables innovative solutions for personalized information systems. One of them is the so called Bidirectional Microdisplay, i.e. an element that displays an image and acts as a camera at the same time by interleaving display pixels and photo detectors in a mosaic style. This allows to provide visual information to the user, at the same time the device is capable of sensing eye movements of the user. Using some sort of modified eyeglasses the user will perceive her or his environment the usual way, additional optical information will be provided using the information system (Augmented Reality). This information may be adapted to the overall context, both unconsciously and by intent. Without using the hands or spoken commands the user can control the presented information just with movement or actions of the eyes. At SID DisplayWeek 2009, Fraunhofer IPMS presents an advanced version of such a Bidirectional Microdisplay as well as a possible application in a Head-Mounted Display.

The current version is a monochromatic display about 1.25 centimeters on each side, with a resolution of 320 by 240 pixels.

Source:Fraunhofer-IPMS