Privacy-enhanced computer display

Developed by Mitsubitshi Electric Research Laboratories, a privacy-enhanced computer display allows information that must remain private to be viewed on computer displays located in public areas (i.e. banks, hospitals and pharmacies) by employing the use of both ferroelectric shutter glasses and a unique device driver.

Technology

Privacy-enhanced computer display technology utilizes a public display image (Pij), a secret display image (Sij), a proprietary device driver, a CRT capable of rapid refresh rates (up to 120Hz) and a set of synchronized ferroelectric shutter glasses. The device driver causes the computer monitor to alternately display (Pij – Sij) and (Sij). The human eye's persistence of vision blurs the two images into [(Pij – Sij + Sij) / 2], which reduces to (Pij / 2), the public image, effectively preventing an unintended recipient from viewing the secret image. The intended recipient, wearing the synchronized glasses, will see only the (Sij) secret image.

Possible applications

• Banks (bank balance information)
• Hospitals (patient health information)
• Pharmacies (prescription drug information)
• Airline ticketing and airport gate agent stations (passenger and security information)