Google's laboratory for moonshot projects like Internet-beaming balloons and self-driving cars is reportedly hard at work on creating a display that could connect to other similar screens like Legos to create a much larger, seamless image.
Given its modular nature, screens could be developed in all sorts of sizes and shapes to meet different applications according to three people familiar with the plans as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The project is being led by former Massachusetts Institute of Technology processor Mary Lou Jepsen, perhaps best known for co-founding the One Laptop Per Child initiative. It appears as though she has recruited engineering veterans from Samsung and Qualcomm to work on the new project based on LinkedIn profiles.
The concept of linking several smaller displays together to create a large video board has been around for years yet surprisingly, nobody has really done anything to advance the idea.
Even in the home and office, the use of multiple displays isn’t uncommon but just like with larger implementations often used for advertising purposes, screen bezels are always a problem. Bezels are less visible from a distance but up close, they pretty much ruin the experience.
The scope and target audience for the project is unclear at this hour as we are told the project is currently in an early stage. One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to stitch images together across screens, both electronically and through software.
One can’t help but wonder if Google X drew inspiration for its Lego-like screens from Project Ara, the modular smartphone that some believe could revolutionize how we buy and use mobile phones.
