2006 International Display Research Conference (IDRC) Emphasizes Focus on Research With Setting at Kent State's Liquid Crystal Institute.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- For the first time in the event's history, the Society for Information Display's (SID) International Display Research Conference (IDRC) will take place in a university setting in 2006, underscoring the conference's focus on research and allowing attendees to participate in laboratory-based workshops. IDRC 2006 will take place September 18-21 at the Liquid Crystal Institute (LCI) at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, U.S.A, which is about a one-hour drive from Cleveland.

IDRC is unique in the world of technical display conferences because it is a hands-on event that focuses on the research behind the hottest display technologies, including plasma displays, liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), flexible displays and electronic paper. While the conference is a great opportunity to learn about the impact these technologies will have in the near future, it also offers a rare glimpse at how they will be used for years to come.

"Other conferences put a heavy emphasis on what's available now and what's going to be available a year from now, whereas at IDRC, you have the underlying work that is pointing toward the future of displays," explained Conference General Chair and LCI Associate Director Philip Bos. This theme will be established in the Keynote Address, entitled "Flat-Panel Display World in 2012," by Jun H. Souk, executive vice president and director of the LCD Research and Development Center for Samsung Electronics.

The futuristic theme will permeate the entire technical program of IDRC 2006, which is still being finalized. The IDRC 2006 program will be formatted to attract a wide range of participants, from students or scientists looking to break into the world of display technology, to industry investors, to seasoned display professionals. The program will be divided into 15 technical sessions that will cover the following topics:

--Flexible Flat-Panel Displays

--Electronic Paper and Reflective Displays

--Advances in OLED/PLED Devices

--Advances in AMLCD Materials and Alignment

--AMLCD Compensation Films/Backlights/Color Filters

--AMLCD Devices

--Advances in Projection Devices

--Active Substrates

--Nano-Science and Technology in Displays

--New Display Materials and Applications

--Advances in Plasma, FED and CRT Devices

--MEMS

--Ink-Jet Processing of Displays

--Research in Medical Displays

--3-D Displays

A highlight of IDRC 2006 is sure to be its one-of-a-kind participatory workshops, during which attendees can see first-hand how LCD prototypes are made and even build their own basic display devices. These workshops will take place at the LCI, a center for basic and applied liquid-crystal research. It is home to a 2,500-sq.-ft. clean room for LCD production, a characterization facility featuring 2,000 sq. ft. of lab space and a 2,000-sq.-ft. synthesis facility.

Workshops will be offered in three tracks created for attendees at all levels of involvement in the display industry, Bos said. The first track will focus on display fundamentals and basic display technology. Another will target more advanced professionals interested in device prototypes. The third track, which will concentrate mainly on flexible displays, will be aimed at display experts who are already at the top of their field but want to review this cutting-edge technology.

Several other special events are planned for IDRC 2006. Professor Stephen Forrest of Princeton University will deliver a plenary lecture entitled, "Displays and OLEDs: Perfect Together?" A special evening roundtable discussion will focus on the pioneers of display research at the legendary RCA Laboratories. There will also be an evening open house at the LCI's cutting-edge facility.

To learn more about IDRC 2006, including how to register for the conference, visit http://www.sid.org/conf/idrc2006/idrc2006.html

About IDRC

The 26th International Display Research Conference (IDRC 2006) is the premier conference for the presentation and discussion of the new ideas and research that will shape future displays. This forward-looking conference rotates yearly between North America and Europe -- where it is called EuroDisplay -- and offers an intimate look at display topics being actively researched, both in universities and in the industry as a whole.

About SID

The Society for Information Display (SID) is the premier international professional society exclusively devoted to the advancement of electronic-display technology, manufacturing and applications. Its international headquarters are located at 610 South Second Street, San Jose, CA 95112, U.S.A. Visit SID online at www.sid.org.