Pioneer unveils concepts for future plasma display technologies under the code name "Project KURO" at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Pioneer engineers preview future Project KURO concepts for extreme contrast and advanced design. The extreme contrast concept realizes the reproduction of absolute black, and the advanced design concept becomes the world's thinnest 50-inch display at only nine millimeters (mm) thick.



- Project KURO extreme contrast concept

The extreme contrast concept is the industry's first plasma that can achieve absolute black with no measurable light emitting from the display, when reproducing black. Contrast ratio is defined as the ratio of the luminosity of the brightest color (white) to that of the darkest color (black). A high contrast ratio is desirable to recreate ideal picture quality. In televisions, the truer the black, the more accurate the color.

Exploiting the advantages of self-emitting displays, Pioneer has succeeded in reproducing absolute black by achieving zero-idling luminance in more than six million cells. Ultimately, the KURO extreme contrast concept has a contrast ratio that is literally beyond measurement, rendering the debate of contrast ratio irrelevant.

- Project KURO advanced design concept

At nine millimeters (mm) thick - the world's thinnest in 50-inch class, this Project KURO technology results in a picture that appears to be floating on a wall, where the television becomes simply a canvas for great entertainment. In addition, its extremely light weight (18.6 kg/41 lbs) allows the television to easily be wall-mounted.

Pioneer said that the new 50-inch full hi-definitions plasma displays will be commercialized in 2009. The Pioneer future Project KURO concepts are showcased at the 2008 International CES in Las Vegas.