If you thought that flat-screen TV innovations were confined to higher video resolutions, a video technology startup called Displace wants you to think again. Displace has developed new safety features for its 100% wireless TV that you will need to see to believe.
First a little background: At CES 2023 in January Displace unveiled a prototype of its wireless TV that could be easily secured to any surface — with no mounting required — using the company’s proprietary active-loop vacuum technology. Displace TVs promised to solve many common challenges typically associated with flat-screen televisions, which can be unwieldy, tedious to mount, cluttered with wires, and require remote controls that are difficult to navigate.
Displace 55” 4K TVs are super lightweight (around 20 lbs) because, although they require a combination of internal and external batteries, they also remove a lot of weight by using an off-board controller. This makes them easy to transport and combine with multiple Displace TVs to form video walls and mount using the aforementioned active-loop vacuum system.
To eliminate the remote control, Displace TVs are primarily controlled by natural hand gesture movements, in addition to touch and voice interfaces, making it easy to browse, play and control content. They also use facial recognition and computer vision technology, enabling Displace TV content to switch between rooms when users move.
Last week, the company revealed new features that provide a safety backup in the unlikely event that the suction system fails. These include the addition of advanced wall-sensing algorithms, four quick adhesives for stability, and a proprietary self-lowering landing gear system.
The new features address three challenges. First, they keep the wireless TV on the wall longer, even when the batteries aren’t swapped out and recharged. Displace’s newly added internal battery system, redesigned vacuum suction system, and updated active-loop algorithms ensure that the Displace TV will stay on the wall for three to 10 months or more, even without any external batteries plugged in.
The new features also prevent any damage to the wall (without drilling or nailing) using Displace TV’s proprietary active-loop vacuum technology.
Finally, they also prevent any damage to the Displace TV even when unforeseen things happen, such as wall cracks, paint peeling, etc., or when Displace’s active-loop vacuum suction system senses that it can no longer keep the TV attached to the wall due to battery drainage. Displace’s new proprietary self-lowering landing gear system ensures the Displace TV automatically lowers itself gently to the ground to prevent any damage to the TV.
How the New Displace Safety Features Work.
Sensors within the Displace TV constantly measure the battery level and pressure in the vacuum suction system, analyze the wall’s surface, and check leakage on the vacuum pumps. If the vacuum pumps are in danger of not maintaining a seal or the wall’s integrity falters, the Displace TV automatically deploys four quick adhesives for stability and initiates a self-lowering landing gear system. The adhesives work as anchor points, as the Displace TV begins to lower itself slowly on a zipline (from as high as 10 feet) and deploys a reusable foam at the bottom to protect the TV screen.
Displace TV also activates a built-in alarm and flashing lights while lowering itself to keep pets safe and away from the area. While the company calls this “an edge case” scenario, the new safety features are meant to provide ultimate peace of mind for consumers when they attach a Displace TV to the wall without traditional screws and nails.
The sensors also constantly monitor battery life, even when the Displace TV is off, and automatically shut down different internal systems depending on usage to preserve battery power. An unused or barely used Displace TV can operate anywhere from three to 10 months, depending upon the battery power (minimum of three months and up to 10 or more months).
“We’ve performed hundreds of hours of tests to ensure our wall-mounting technology is the safest on the market,” said Displace founder and CEO Balaji Krishnan. “Our vision is for people to have multiple Displace TVs on the walls in their homes, so the TVs deliver value beyond entertainment. Our TVs must be the easiest to secure on the wall and the safest and worry-free to achieve this. We’re very proud that Displace’s new safety features provide additional layers of protection without being invasive. While almost no one will ever need them except for unforeseen circumstances, Displace TVs offer owners peace of mind.”
Reservations for Displace TV are available on the Displace website with a fully refundable deposit and will begin shipping by the end of mid-Q2 2024, with pricing as follows:
1-pack (1 DisplaceTV + 1 Base Control Unit): $4,499
2-pack (2 DisplaceTVs + 2 Base Control Units): $8,099 (10% OFF)
4-pack (4 DisplaceTVs + 4 Base Control Units): $13,499 (25% OFF)
Each Displace TV will include a battery charger with four hot-swappable batteries. Pricing for additional batteries is yet to be determined.
Each base unit will have one HDMI 2.1 input, but multiple base units can be put together for multiple inputs.
For gamers, Displace says they are still working on making a high refresh rate possible; for now, the TVs support 60 fps. The company does not have plans to add an off-air tuner, but the base unit will have USB ports so an external tuner can be attached if needed.
