(Interview) Leading the way from development to certification of Samsung’s first circadian rhythm display technology

At CES 2023, Samsung Electronics showcased Calm Technology’s services to its users through a variety of differentiated integrated connected experiences. Quiet technology refers to when a technology, through Samsung’s SmartThings platform, is able to automatically connect devices without any action required from the user.

To realize this vision of Calm Technology, Samsung has obtained the first circadian rhythm display (CRD) certification from the German testing and certification agency Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE). The certification was awarded to the Eye Comfort Mode feature of Samsung’s 2023 Neo QLED and Lifestyle TVs, The Frame, The Serif and The Sero.¹

The concept of circadian rhythm pairing with display technologies may seem unusual. So what exactly inspired Samsung to pursue it and what was the process like from planning to development and certification? To find out more, Samsung Newsroom spoke with three professionals who made this recent CRD certification possible, Taehwan Cha from Picture Quality Solution Lab, Gyuheon Lee from Product Development Group and Beomkyun Rha from Product Planning Group.

The unique combination of circadian rhythm and display technology

The term “circadian” is derived from the Latin words “circa” (meaning “about”) and “diem” (meaning “day”). The human circadian rhythm can be described as the biological pattern of engaging in dynamic activities during the day and sleeping during the night as well as the secretion and inhibition of related hormones such as melatonin, cortisol and growth hormones that occur naturally according to this cycle.

“We were ultimately working to find a way to achieve the best picture quality while ensuring viewing safety,” Rha noted of why Samsung started focusing on circadian rhythm. “The result was the creation of Eye Comfort mode, a feature that automatically optimizes image quality based on changes in the circadian rhythm.”

One of the features of Eye Comfort mode is that it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enable the most comfortable picture quality by automatically detecting changes in the viewing environment. Eye comfort mode adjusts the amount of blue light based on local sunrise and sunset times as well as the surrounding lighting environment. By adjusting the luminance level and color of the screen, Eye Comfort mode creates an effect similar to the different lighting styles that occur during the day and night, with lower luminance and color temperature helping the user to sleep well.

“Since the Eye Comfort mode sets the image quality according to the surrounding viewing environment, the user can enjoy good image quality without any quality degradation even in less light. blue,” Rha explained. “When planning our approach to CRD, it was extremely important that we could control the amount of blue light emitted without affecting image quality, so we engaged in constant research and discussion with the team. development and the image quality team right from the planning stages.”

Eye comfort mode, the secret to optimizing image quality at all hours of the day

As the Eye Comfort mode works on the basis of localized information to recognize sunrise and sunset times, it must be able to exploit regional geographic information about the location of the TV.

“The basic algorithm allows the TV to obtain and operate based on sunrise and sunset information from a regional weather app, which is identified based on the location information of the TV,” said said Lee. “Thanks to this algorithm, users can watch TV with picture quality optimized for changes in their circadian rhythms wherever they are in the world with Eye Comfort Mode.”

In addition to local sunrise and sunset times, the surrounding lighting environment is critical to optimizing image quality for CRD purposes. As a result, the light sensor built into the TV measures the amount of external light. Then it determines how bright or dark the viewing environment is to automatically optimize image quality for the user.

CRD certification, the last obstacle to improving reliability

▲ The Neo QLED 2023 TV is measured using a spectroradiometer, which measures a screen’s luminance, chromaticity coordinates, spectrum and more.

Once a technology has moved out of the planning and development stages, the final step in the process is to cement the value of the technology through certification from an external body. For their CRD technology, like all others, the certification process began with establishing the relevant objective and standardized criteria.

Through an external collaborative project, Samsung discovered a Circadian Stimulus Index (CS) as defined by the US Lighting Research Center. This CS index can quantitatively express the effect of eye comfort mode in numerical form by association with the power of a light source to inhibit an individual’s melatonin secretion.

Following this discovery, Samsung then developed a test project in collaboration with an external research institute and proceeded to set up a certification with the VDE in order to obtain the CRD certification.

To earn the trust of our consumers, it is crucial that we can obtain certifications for our technologies from a credible agency,” explained Cha. “Although ‘circadian rhythm’ may be a somewhat unfamiliar term, it has been used even in the name of the certification to emphasize the intent and added value of the technology, which is to provide optimized image quality depending on the circadian rhythm.

Provide the ultimate viewing experience to users

Despite obtaining VDE certification, those working on CRD technology are still determined to develop even more ways to provide users with the best possible image quality. “Because people have different image quality preferences, my goal is to provide customizable image quality based on personalized needs ultimately,” Lee said.

For Rha too, the next step is firmly rooted in personalization. “Display technologies have advanced tremendously in recent years, and I think we’ve reached a point where the industry has a similar approach across the board,” he explained. “In the future, I want to focus on and develop user-friendly features specific to each user.”

Finally, for Cha, image quality is a consideration that must be integrated into all aspects of development. “I always wonder how I can create value in the TV features and performance technologies we design when working on external picture quality assessment and certification,” he noted. “My goal is to integrate these technologies and practices into all stages of our process, from product planning and development to the final stage of certification.”

Going forward, Samsung is constantly striving to provide the ultimate viewing experience that takes viewing safety into consideration. In addition to the CRD certification the company recently received, the company also received “Eye Care” certification from VDE and “Glare-Free” validation from UL last year, which is testament to the company’s journey. continuous innovation that Samsung pursues.

Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for all the latest on the company’s major TV and display products.

¹ Certified models: 2023 Neo QLED Q70C and higher models.