At DisplayWeek 2024, Chris Chinnock of Insight Media visited the technology suite of Rain Technology, a specialist in switchable privacy and directional display intellectual property. The company demonstrated how its patented active retarder stack can be integrated into various screens to toggle between “Share” and “Privacy” modes.

Laptop Solutions (HP Collaboration)

Rain Technology has an exclusive partnership with HP for their privacy screens (branded as HP Sure View).

• Mechanism: An active retarder stack—essentially a large single-cell LCD—is embedded in the display. When activated, it restricts the output to a narrow cone, making the screen appear dark to anyone viewing from an off-axis angle.
• User Control: Users can toggle this mode via a physical button or software trigger. While the demo showed the screen brightening when privacy was off, this is a specific implementation choice rather than a requirement of the tech.

Automotive Innovations

Rain showcased two primary applications for vehicles, often in collaboration with Tianma:

• No-Driver-Distraction (NDD): A switchable asymmetric screen designed for passenger displays. It can be tuned so that only 0.2% to 0.5% of light passes toward the driver’s side, preventing distraction while allowing the passenger full view.
• Display Screen Branding™: Instead of showing a blank black screen when in privacy mode, this technology allows a logo (e.g., “Rain” or an automaker’s badge) to be visible to the peripheral viewer (the driver) while the passenger continues to view content.

Point of Sale (POS) and ATMs

Rain demonstrated a Switchable Privacy application for retail and banking:

Automatic Privacy: Once a customer inserts a card or begins a sensitive transaction, the screen automatically switches to Privacy Mode to prevent “shoulder surfing” or PIN theft.

The Transaction Trigger: In a POS or ATM setting, the screen remains in “Share” mode for general use or marketing.