tft display kawasaki manufacturer

The biggest news is of course the new 4.3-inch TFT screen. But it is not just a pretty screen as it includes features that could be found on bigger (read: more expensive) bikes. There is the auto contrast feature; Bluetooth connectivity for music and phone calls; GPS navigation via connection to a phone app; and thankfully a gear position indicator.

Japanese motorcycle manufacturer, Kawasaki, unveiled the new 2020 version of its middleweight naked motorcycle, the Z650. All-new Kawasaki Z650 now gets revised styling and new-age instrument cluster which comes with Bluetooth connectivity.

There are not many changes made to the bike, however, they are enough to give the naked bike a fresher feel. The 2020 version gets new LED headlight with a redesigned cowl, a 4.3-inch full-colour TFT display, more comfortable pillion seat as well as new Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tyres.

The instrument cluster of the Z650 now has connectivity options via the Kawasaki Rideology mobile app. You can even change the appearance of the cluster and access ride logs as well as other bike-related options. The Rideology app provides call or email alerts, vehicle info, a riding log, vehicle settings, and the ability to customize the display. The display also adjusts for day or night riding.

There is no change made to the frame and powertrain and the bike continue to use the lightweight trellis frame which is hung on 41mm telescopic forks up front and monoshock at the rear end. To haul the bike to zero, there are twin 300mm petal discs at the front and single 220mm disc at the rear. Kawasaki has added only dual-channel ABS as a safety measure and bike doesn’t get any other electronic aids. The weight of the bike is also about 3kg lower than the outgoing model, hence an increased power to weight ratio.

At present, the Kawasaki Z650 is priced at Rs 5.69 lakh ex-showroom in India. Looking at the changes made, the 2020 version will not cross the Rs 6 lakh mark which will still be a good deal to consider.

has a long experience in the market of displays for over more than three decades. The displays include products based on passive, TFT- and LTPS-technology, as well as colour filters and backlights. New display lines are utilizing AM-OLED technology.

KAWASAKI, JAPAN, September 29, 2015 — NLT Technologies, Ltd. (NLT, President: Susumu Ohi; Head office: Kawasaki, Kanagawa) announces development of a prototype 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel) TFT LCDs with embedded display port (eDP) for industrial applications. NLT has also begun development of an 18.5-inch Full HD module equipped with eDP interface.

The new 15.6-inch Full HD prototype incorporates NLT’s proprietary Super Fine TFT technology (SFT) for wide viewing angles and high color gamut　meets the display characteristics frequently required by the industrial equipment market. Also its thin and light weight design enables the display to be used in a variety of applications such as portable, high end products.

eDP is a high speed serial interface standard which is used to connect the LCD module and the graphics processing board. eDP allows for compact interface design because it enables connection of image resource equipment (such as personal computers) directly to LCD modules, using a graphic processor that is compatible with the DisplayPort standard. Also less space is required for the driver board, thus a　more compact design of the connector will be achieved because the signal line can be decreased due to the higher speed transmission of eDP compared to conventional LVDS interface. Furthermore, eDP is suitable as a countermeasure for EMI of the interface cable since it does not require an external clock signal.

As the industrial display applications become more compact and require smaller outline and higher resolution density, It is predicted that the demand for eDP will increase since it achieves more compact design and higher speed transmission. As major graphic processor manufacturers encourage adoption of Display Port instead of LVDS interface, acceleration of eDP expansion to the market is likely to follow.

It goes without saying that TFT screens are becoming a more common feature on motorcycles these days. Even entry-level beginner-focused two-wheelers are starting to feature this fancy tech—heck, even some e-bikes come equipped with full-color TFT screens. That said, what exactly is a TFT display, and is it even any better than an analog instrument cluster? On top of that, why do more and more manufacturers seem to be slapping a TFT screen on all their models?

Well, for starters, a TFT, or Thin-Film-Transistor Liquid Crystal Display, is similar to what you find on your smartphone. Although not necessarily as fancy and capable of displaying millions of colors as your brand new iPhone, the TFT screens on most premium motorcycles are touted as full-color, and feature graphics and animations that really elevate the riding experience. As such, it’s no surprise that more and more manufacturers are outfitting their bikes with this tech. Indeed, three years ago, the notion of having a bike with a full-color display was exciting. These days, however, it’s pretty much a standard feature.

I’m sure you remember the days when an SD card with a 512MB memory would set you back thousands of pesos. Nowadays, you can pick up a 256GB microSD card for the same amount of money, and from a reputable brand. The same is true with TFT screens, and quite frankly, all facets of technology. That being said, it could be argued that fitting a motorcycle with a TFT display is in fact cheaper and more cost effective than opting for an analog instrument cluster, especially if you’re a manufacturer with economies of scale at your disposal.

Indeed, well-crafted analog displays like that on the Triumph Thruxton could very well soon be a thing of the past, or something reserved for enthusiasts and collectors. Like a beautifully crafted watch, a high-quality analogue gauge cluster is truly something to behold, and something purists and classic aficionados hold near and dear to their hearts. As such, it could be argued that the mechanical instrument cluster could soon be considered a premium feature among high-end classic-style motorcycles.

At the end of the day, TFT displays have their benefits, and it can be argued that these benefits are strong enough to send analog gauge clusters the way of the dinosaurs. For starters, they’re adjustable, and easily configurable. They’re also a lot more visible with auto-contrast technology allowing them to adjust automatically to ambient light. Furthermore, they simply allow manufacturers to stuff in more data, keeping the rider informed about their bike. A TFT screen is pretty much like a tablet for your bike, allowing you to keep tabs on all the information it has to offer you.

Every year, motorcycle manufacturers make various improvements to their lineup, everything from little internal details, to new paint, to full-on redesigns. Over the years we’ve watched these machines get better, faster, and safer. In the 2020 model year, though, the majority of motorcycle manufacturers seem to be hopping on the TFT wagon. What does that mean for us, the riders?

We are all familiar with the Thin Film Transistor, or TFT screen, on our smartphones, hand-held video game displays, computer monitors, and car “infotainment” systems. The technology has advanced rapidly in the last few years, and motorcycle manufacturers have suddenly determined that they are ready for the harsh environment a motorcycle display needs to endure. During an attentive walk around of the International Motorcycle Show in New York City this past weekend, we noticed that new bikeswithoutTFT screens are becoming the rare exception.

Some manufacturers began outfitting their newest bikes with TFT screens a couple of years ago, but the 2020 model year has seen a sudden industry-wide shift. Major manufacturers like BMW, Kawasaki, Honda, and Yamaha, and even smaller companies like Energica, outfit their bikes with a TFT.

All of us who have been riding for many years are used to analog dials and gauges. Some of us are concerned about the longevity of the TFT, and in my opinion, those concerns are valid. Certainly, we’ve all seen our smartphone screens give up the ghost after only a few years of use. Some of us have an affinity for older motorcycles and have repaired or restored those old analog speedometers and gauges. We know that they often work flawlessly for decades. When they need repair, it’s a question of fixing or replacing internal mechanical parts. Not so with the futuristic TFT screens.

Those of us who are not hopeless luddites tend to sing the praises of a screen that can and does change to show machine and engine speed, a navigation display, the state of the motorcycle’s electronic suspension, tire pressure, the traction control setting, and a whole host of other information. The versatility of a TFT over traditional analog gauges is unquestionable: we might soon be able to program them ourselves with our preferred screen settings, just like our smartphones.

From a manufacturing point of view, TFTs simplify the process. The same TFT can be used on every motorcycle in a manufacturer’s lineup, with only a change of software to make the screen bike-specific. Does that mean a TFT will eventually be extremely inexpensive and easy to replace, should it ever go bad? Right now they’re too new to know for sure, but manufacturers are installing them everywhere, so we will all find out soon enough!

Tianma America, Inc.(TMA) A leading provider of small to medium size display solutions to the Americas, utilizing cutting edge technologies from Tianma Microelectronics and Tianma Japan, Ltd. (TMJ), coupled with state-of-the-art manufacturing resources of the Tianma Group, TMA offers a comprehensive range of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) products and associated technologies. Products include passive character and monochrome, a-Si and LTPS-TFT LCD, as well as AMOLED products with standard product sizes ranging from 1-inch to 21.3-inch and resolutions from QVGA to QSXGA for standard 4:3 aspect and from WQVGA to HD for wide aspect.

The company offers leading edge display technologies including SFT/IPS, Transflective, PCAP touch, high bright, 3D and more. Target markets for TNU include but are not limited to: automotive, avionics, communication, construction, HMI, industrial, marine, medical, POS, as well as consumer.

On October 1st, 2015 Tianma Microelectronics USA and Tianma NLT America merged forming Tianma NLT USA (TNU). On July 1st 2017 Tianma NLT USA"s company name was officially changed to Tianma America, Inc. (TMA) Tianma America has responsibility for all sales, marketing and engineering support of the Tianma Group display solutions in the Americas.

Our company is committed to providing leading technology and quality displays to the consumer, industrial, and automotive industries that are used in applications to include smartphones, tablet PCs, smart wear, automotive instrumentation, industrial and medical instrumentation, avionic display, household appliances, home automation, office equipment, and rear seat entertainment devices. For the industrial market, we offer optimal display products and solutions from our factories in China and Japan to meet the various demands of our customers.

In 2014, Tianma’s shipments of small and medium size modules，a-Si display products for smart phones ranked first among the global panel factories. Our market share for high-end medical devices and HMI products also ranked first worldwide. Many customers have chosen to release their new products globally equipped with Tianma display products. Tianma is committed to continuous innovation, better customer service and supports different requirements for applications in the field.

Tianma has a clear technological and production advantage in the small and medium size display market where it has enjoyed a strong market presence over the years. Tianma has established a National R&D Laboratory on TFT - LCD Key Material and Technology, a National Enterprise Technology Center, and a post-doctoral workstation to enhance the knowledge and technical expertise of our employees. We also undertake multiple major national projects from the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Ministry of Industry.

The possession of new technologies including LTPS-TFT, Oxide-TFT, AM-OLED displays, Flexible displays, Transparent displays, 3D displays and In-cell/On-cell integrated touch technology lays the foundation for innovation and the development of new and exciting products.

We have a comprehensive production line combination including G4.5/G5 a-Si TFT – LCD, G5.5 LTPS TFT - LCD and G5.5 AM-OLED, plus two G6 LTPS TFT-LCD lines, enabling Tianma to achieve the highest possible level of product quality and supply capability. Tianma was the first to start mass production from a G5.5 LTPS production line in China.

With the profound accumulation of technologies, production line development and talent reserve, Tianma will continue to focus on serving display markets worldwide based on technology innovation. With our core values of passion、effectiveness、win-win and the mission to create colorful life, Tianma is dedicated to be the world‘s well-respected leading display company.

As a leading manufacturer of industrial displays, the company continues to develop and manufacture the best possible display solutions for their customers by maintaining a strong customer focus across all processes from research, development and design to production and sales.

With on-going enhancements of the company’s core technologies, coupled with wide-ranging collaboration - from development to production - with Tianma Microelectronics Group (under the umbrella of its parent group, AVIC International Holding Corporation), Tianma Japan continues to deliver advanced display solutions that satisfy their customers’ stringent display requirements.

In general, eight out of 10 of those surveyed were in favor of integrating smartphone and instrument cluster information. To address this desire, some of BMW’s new motorcycles will come with Bosch’s 10.25-inch TFT (thin-film transistor) display with split-screen capabilities. Riders will now be provided with the information they previously had to look to the instrument cluster and their mobile device for, in one location.

The new Bosch display will utilize their smartphone integration system called mySPIN to enable content from motorcycle-centric apps like REVER to display appropriately on one half of the screen, while speed or warning indications will display on the other half.

The content being shown can be regulated by the rider with controls on the handlebar. The screen itself is TFT LCD — this technology improves image quality over the traditional LCD displays. Similar Bosch mySPIN split screens will appear on Ducati and Kawasaki motorcycles, as well, but the display sizes may be smaller.

Basic functions available in the app include: telephone, map display, music, calendar, and contacts. Additionally, riders can opt to download third party apps to add to their Kawasaki SPIN library to be able to interact with them on the TFT display. Available apps include Sygic (navigation), SENA (headset communication), and more.

*Kawasaki SPIN app is not intended for use during vehicle operation. Only use SPIN app when the vehicle is not being operated and it is safe to do so.

Orient Display sunlight readable TFT displays can be categorized into high brightness TFT displays, high contrast IPS displays, transflective TFT displays, Blanview TFT displays etc.

The brightness of our standard high brightness TFT displays can be from 700 to 1000 nits. With proper adding brightness enhancement film (BEF) and double brightness enhancement film (DBEF) and adjustment of the LED chips, Orient Display high brightness TFT products can achieve 1,500 to 2,000 nits or even higher luminance. Orient Display have special thermal management design to reduce the heat release and largely extend LED life time and reduce energy consumption.

Our high contrast and wide viewing angle IPS displays can achieve contrast ratio higher than 1000:1 which can make readability under strong sunlight with lower backlight luminance. High brightness IPS displays have been widely accepted by our customers with its superb display quality and it has become one of the best sellers in all our display category.Transflective display is an old monochrome display technology but it has been utilized in our color TFT line for sunlight readable application. Orient Display has 2.4” and 3.5” to choose from.

Blanview TFT displays are the new technology developed by Ortustech in Japan. It can provide around 40% of energy consumption for TFT panels which can use smaller rechargeable or disposable batteries and generate less heat. The price is also lower than traditional transflective TFT displays. Orient Display is partnering with the technology inventor to provide 4.3” and 5.0”.

Orient Display can also provide full customized or part customized solutions for our customers to enhance the viewing experience. Orient Display can provide all the different kinds of surface treatments, such as AR (Anti-reflection); AG (Anti-glare), AF (Anti-finger print or Anti-smudge); AS (Anti-smashing); AM (Anti-microbial) etc. Orient Display can also provide both dry bonding (OCA, Optical Clear Adhesive), or wet bonding (OCR, Optical Clear Resin and OCG, Optical Clear Glue) to get rid of light reflective in air bonding products to make the products much more readable under sunlight and be more robust.

Touch panels have been a much better human machine interface which become widely popular. Orient Display has been investing heavy for capacitive touch screen sensor manufacturing capacity. Now, Orient Display factory is No.1 in the world for automotive capacitive touch screen which took around 18% market share in the world automotive market.

Based on the above three types of touch panel technology, Orient Display can also add different kinds of features like different material glove touch, water environment touch, salt water environment touch, hover touch, 3D (force) touch, haptic touch etc. Orient Display can also provide from very low cost fixed area button touch, single (one) finger touch, double finger (one finger+ one gesture) touch, 5 finger touch, 10 points touch or even 16 points touch.

Considering the different shapes of the touch surface requirements, Orient Display can produce different shapes of 2D touch panel (rectangle, round, octagon etc.), or 2.5D touch screen (round edge and flat surface) or 3D (totally curved surface) touch panel.

Considering different strength requirements, Orient Display can provide low cost chemical tampered soda-lime glass, Asahi (AGC) Dragontrail glass and Corning high end Gorilla glass. With different thickness requirement, Orient Display can provide the thinnest 0.5mm OGS touch panel, to thickness more than 10mm tempered glass to prevent vandalizing, or different kinds of plastic touch panel to provide glass piece free (fear) or flexible substrates need.

Of course, Orient Display can also offer traditional RTP (Resistive Touch Panel) of 4-wire, 5-wire, 8-wire through our partners, which Orient Display can do integration to resistive touch screen displays.

Engineers are always looking for lower cost, faster, more convenient interfaces to transmit signals and to accept data and commands. The numbers of available interfaces available in the market can be dazzling. Orient Display follows market trends to produce various kind of interfaces for our customers to choose.

Genetic Interfaces: Those are the interfaces which display or touch controller manufacturers provide, including parallel, MCU, SPI(,Serial Peripheral Interface), I2C, RGB (Red Green Blue), MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface), LVDS (Low-Voltage Differential Signaling), eDP ( Embedded DisplayPort) etc. Orient Display has technologies to make the above interface exchangeable.

High Level Interfaces: Orient Display has technologies to make more advanced interfaces which are more convenient to non-display engineers, such as RS232, RS485, USB, VGA, HDMI etc. more information can be found in our serious products. TFT modules, Arduino TFT display, Raspberry Pi TFT display, Control Board.

TFT LCD technology is that interface. All the potential of the data stored between your front and back wheels is released by the dazzling array of shapes and colours displayed by these newest dashboards. They can show you anything and everything, which in turn allows designers and engineers to load you up with more and more electronic features.

These dashes are a combination of the latest liquid-crystal display (good ol’ LCD) technology and the brilliance of thin-film transistors (TFT). TFT and LCD as a team can show us an endless variety of information in incredible clarity and colour, using very little power in the process. It is light weight and takes up very little space, vital considerations when motorcycle designers choose anything to perch above the steering head.

TFTs are certainly not new. The technology was developed in Bell Labs in the USA 60 years ago. It took a while to evolve and become commercially viable. The first TFT LCD colour TV, the tiny Epson Elf, was launched in 1984. This was just two years after Honda dazzled us with the very advanced VF750S, a bike that included an electronic speedo and tacho, as well as an LCD gear indicator, which doubled as a fault-code display.

But realistically, motorcycles of that era didn’t pack the electronic muscle that makes TFT displays almost compulsory nowadays. In fact, Honda perhaps overstepped the mark with its first VF and stripped much of the tech out of subsequent models. Motorcycles plodded along with analogue dials and filament-lit warning lights for years. That was fine while motorcycles were simple mechanical devices, but they’re now far more than that.

Today we need to control all manner of electronics in our motorcycles. Adjustable engine parameters. ABS. Adjustable traction control. A display of info configured for commuting. Another for track days. Entertainment. Communications. Navigation. Our mechanics need access to fault data. They need to update programming. Hell, there was even that scooter that flashed tweets across your screen. Which was that? No, probably best forgotten…

A TFT LCD display can be a touch screen giving you direct control, although dash- or handlebar-mounted buttons, toggles and switches are more common and practical on motorcycles. Arguably, the best setup puts all the controls on the handlebars, where they’re easily and (you’d hope) intuitively manipulated. BMW, for example, has taken great pains to try to make its multi-controller the centre of a logical system, one that demands little direct concentration to manipulate while you ride.

And therein lies the crux of good TFT-based information displays; is it intuitive, so a rider can scroll menus, get warnings, read information and choose settings without having their attention drawn away from the act of actually riding the motorcycle? Distractions kill.

TFT technology is indispensable in avoiding distraction as manufacturers flash more and more information at riders. Apart from the fact that we couldn’t get all the data without TFT LCD screens, we also couldn’t possibly digest it. We’d be facing dashboards that resembled the pilot’s view in the seat of a Boeing 747; dials, lights, buttons, digits and switches everywhere.

There are more subtle advantages of TFT LCDs. Compared with your old-school LCDs, you get better resolution, smoother movement across the screen, sharper contrast and better clarity in sunshine. That last point is a good one when the sun is reflecting off the screen, although there is still room for improvement there.

Viewing angles are a hot topic of conversation among TFT screen users. One drawback of the currently technology is that once you’re a little off-centre from the screen, the detail begins to disappear before the image vanishes altogether. That’s not a problem for us when we’re riding, as we’re centred in front of it and highly unlikely to need to look at it while dangling off the side of the bike.

Another essential factor in the rise of TFT dashboards is their willingness to take input from anything and everything. It will accept multiple digital inputs, giving you access to all your motorcycle’s vital signs, your sat-nav, your communications, your music. Naturally, it will do this wirelessly when the devices warrant it.

There are no limits to the graphic designs that can be assigned to TFT LCD displays. Take your pick of colours, typefaces, sizes, symbols and everything else. From a rider’s perspective, design is vital. Good dash design puts emphasis on crucial information being very visible. The most important info should have the most prominence.

Knowing the name of the person calling you on the phone could be good to know if you don’t want to be sprung wagging work to ride your motorcycle. TFT dashboards can, if the programming is provided, give you choices about what information sits centre stage at any particular time.

The quality of your own eyes may have something to do with whether a dashboard display works well for you, so try before you buy, and check the options available in the menus.

There are plenty of alternatives to TFT LCD screens, some relying on back-lit panels like TFT LCDs do, others emitting their own light. A third type projects images onto a screen. All three types are in use somewhere already, in TVs, mobile devices and more.

A short step up from TFT, IPS (in-plane switching) uses a different means of exciting the liquid crystals, which orientate differently. The result gives wider view angles, more accurate colours and better image quality, but it costs more and has greater power demands. The benefits probably aren’t worth it for a motorcycle screen, simply because we don’t need the quality that, say, a picture editor might demand from their Apple — which is one example of where IPS screens have been employed.

So-called LED (light-emitting diode) screens may imply they are their light source, but the reality is that the LEDs are usually just the source of backlighting for LCDs. In fact, there’s a good chance your TFT LCD screen is just this type.

OLED (organic LED) is different. As the name implies, they’re made from an organic source, electrically stimulated to produce the desired light. This type of display is used in TVs, computers and mobile devices. A handful of cars are using OLED displays, dating back to the Aston Martin DB9’s debut early this century.

Further down the track, electroluminescent displays (ELD), and variations on e-paper and other technologies, may come into play. ELD is already in use in many cars but generally in simpler dashboards than what’s being fitted to current TFT-equipped motorcycles.

Cost and efficiency will determine if and when anything else takes over, but for now TFT plays that role beautifully. Because of our mobile phones and computers, we’re already quite used to looking at flat screens, and we almost instinctively know how to use them as the conduit between us and our technology. Where older dashboards used to give us a page full of information, TFT screens give us a tome of information, displayed a page at a time.

Without TFT screens, we would not have access to the myriad technologies that now add efficiency, safety, entertainment and practicality to our everyday riding.

At the riskof oversimplifying a complex system that would baffle the average brain, your TFT LCD dashboard is created using layers. The thin film containing transistors — the TFT part — is merely one of them, trapped somewhere near the middle, and sandwiched between sheets of glass or transparent plastic.

A backlight behind the dash display is illuminated. However, the liquid crystals in the system block that light. Electrical signals to the crystals cause them to alter their orientation, releasing light. There are also polarising filters to add further control to the transmission of light.

Assuming the electrical impulses are correct, the transistors create a dancing light display to shine through the screen, revealing everything you want to know.

Every pixel ina TFT LCD display has its own transistor, maximising control across the whole screen. Pixel count dictates resolution, so the more pixels you have, the better your screen will look. In theory, there’s no reason why you couldn’t have cinema-quality movies playing seamlessly across your dashboard.

It can also be very efficient, in that the distribution of power is extremely fast, allowing very quick re-drawing of the displayed information, and power is only directed to where it is needed.