According to the American Heart Association, more than 60 percent of teenagers spend more than 20 hours per week in front of screens from computers or televisions. Even more, a third are exposed to nearly 40 hours each week and around seven percent spend more than 50 hours each week in front of a screen. These numbers are staggering but as we rely more and more on technology to transmit information and communicate with one another, it is not surprising that we spend a good portion of our week in front of a screen.
However, have you ever wondered how these displays evolve? Its hard to imagine the first four-color display had only the capacity to produce up to 16 total colors. Up until the late 1980s and early 1990s, these displays were considered quite advanced. However, once wedgebase displays were introduced, computer software was able to illuminate individual lamps at varying brightness levels to omit 256 and then finally 512 colors.
In today’s world of Light Emitting Diode (LED) televisions and computer screens, its hard to imagine those days. Today, we have displays that are capable of omitting up to 4.4 trillion different colors. These much more advanced displays have changed the ways in which we watch television and communicate. We are now able to store high resolution and high definition videos directly onto our phone and watch them on the smallest of displays. Just think about how often you are looking at some type of display.
As the world relies more heavily on electronic equipment, many directives have been initiated in order to reduce the waste produced by our constantly changing and evolving electronics and technologies. For example, all component parts, including resistors, must meet restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliances in many parts of the world.