Company unveils iFire brand to launch its flat panel commercialization strategy
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. - iFire Technology Inc. (formerly Westaim Advanced Display Technologies Incorporated), a subsidiary of The Westaim Corporation, today demonstrated a significant brightness achievement in the development of a full-color, solid state flat panel display at the DisplayWorks International conference in San Jose, California.
The company also announced it is changing its name from Westaim Advanced Display Technologies Incorporated to iFire Technology Inc. as part of its strategy to commercialize its flat panel technology.
Brightness Achievement
iFire Technology Inc.’s prototype is an 8.5-inch QVGA (320 X 240v) pixel-format, full-color iFireTM flat panel display with an average brightness of 150 cd/m2. The fundamental brightness breakthrough is a result of a proprietary new materials system that the company calls iFireTM. A similar prototype was demonstrated in December 1999 at an International Display Workshop conference in Sendai, Japan.
“This brightness level is equal to product-quality brightness for small graphic display applications and represents a significant step toward the commercialization of our flat panel technology,” said Joe Virginia, Vice-President of Business Development for iFire Technology Inc. “We have come a long way in a short period of time and are very proud of our rapid flat panel display technological developments.”
“Westaim has shown the flat panel display world that there is life beyond LCD and plasma. With their steady pace of technology progress, they should be on track to make an impact on the market in the near future,” noted David E. Mentley, Senior Vice President of Stanford Resources and a recognized expert of flat panel display technology.
“iFire Technology Inc. has succeeded in achieving unprecedented brightness levels in a full-color electroluminescent display,” said Professor Shosaku Tanaka, a prominent Tottori University research scientist who has specialized in electroluminescent technology for more than 30 years. “To my knowledge, this is the best filtered brightness performance ever reported for a pattern phosphor material system in a solid state display.”
iFire Technology Inc.’s solid state display technology can be applied to a wide range of color graphics applications ranging in size from 2 inches to 50 inches. It is an inherently digital device, making it ideal for a wide range of applications, from small graphic displays such as automotive instrumentation, to ultra-large flat panel displays for digital high-definition television. A light emitting display, it has unrestricted viewing angle and unsurpassed video response performance. Originally based on low-cost printed circuit board technology, iFireTM displays employ a simple structure, use low cost raw materials and have a lower cost manufacturing process than competitive display technologies. iFire Technology Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Westaim Corporation.
The Westaim Corporation specializes in launching exceptional technologies into the marketplace. In addition to iFire Technology Inc., its technology subsidiaries include: Westaim Biomedical Corp., which has developed an infection control technology for use in the treatment of wounds, and Surface Engineered Products Corp., which has developed surface engineering technologies and materials for severe applications in the petrochemical industry. Westaim also operates three industrial businesses, which produce aerospace materials, coin blanks and chemicals. Westaim is a TSE 300 company whose common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “WED”.
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CONTACT:
Tony Johnston
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs
The Westaim Corporation
(403) 234-3103
Website: www.westaim.com
e-mail: info@westaim.com
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