Dr. Euan Smith, head of systems and photonics at 42 Technology (42T), is set to present a significant paper at Display Week 2024.
Dr. Smith’s paper, titled “Assessing Colour Capability with Gamut Ring Intersection,” introduces an innovative method for visualizing the range of reproducible colors, known as the color gamut, of electronic display media. This paper is part of a special session dedicated to this new approach, which is being proposed as a new international standard. The goal is to help manufacturers achieve better color consistency across different devices.
The concept of the gamut ring was initially proposed by Dr. Kenichiro Masaoka from Japan’s national broadcaster NHK. Dr. Masaoka partnered with Dr. Smith and others to refine this method as a superior way of assessing color capability. The traditional method of characterizing color in displays uses two-dimensional chromaticity plots, which cannot fully capture the three-dimensional nature of human color perception based on hue, saturation, and brightness. This shortcoming makes it difficult for manufacturers to accurately assess whether a display component can meet the desired performance specifications.
Dr. Smith has developed algorithms and software tools to generate these two-dimensional gamut plots and has made them open source, making them freely available to the public. Additionally, he is co-leading a project with Dr. Masaoka within the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to develop gamut ring plots as a new international standard. This standard aims to provide manufacturers with an approved method for better assessing the color capability of the components they are purchasing.
The first IEC standard being developed focuses on laser projectors used in home and commercial cinemas. However, this method is expected to be applicable to various other display types, such as computer screens, flat-screen TVs, and printed materials. This could potentially lead to a series of new global standards for a wide range of products, ensuring better color consistency and performance across the industry.
