The technology of electronic signs has been improved at an immeasurable speed. New light sources widely used in other industries started to be consecutively applied on sign market. Plasma signs, which are currently on a rise in application areas, are now expanding into the P.O.P. market, as they have adapted the PDP technology.

Plasma Lighting Display Based
on PDP Technology
The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and the Plasma Display Panel (PDP) share in common that both are used for screen that displays visual images, such as computer monitors and television screens. They, however, are different in terms of the materials they use to display images and the size of images they display. PDP, which is also often dubbed as 몆lasma television? displays images using plasma, a substance state after gas. Plasma refers to gas in which positive and negative ions are all mingled as the element and compound of the air are completely separated through air collision under high pressure. In order to make a PDP, mixed gas is injected first between two thin substrates of glass. In a vacuum state, a high voltage of electricity is run through the positive (+) and negative (-) sides of the substrates. The gas injected earlier in between the substrates becomes plasma and then re-stabilizes itself again, emitting aurora-like light, which is used to display visual images. Signs that utilize this property of plasma are increasingly found not only in the outdoor advertisements, but also in P.O.P. and interior display. The new type of sign is also expected to bring about changes in the market of LED display panels and P.O.P. neon signs that have traditionally expressed texts with focus on letters.

Thinner, Lighter,
More Futuristic-Looking
Plasma signs reflect the trend of the digital era by replacing various provider of customer-oriented information with the latest technology. The display system at the Honam Line Express Bus Terminal in Seoul nowadays provides ticketing information to customers, and the same method of display system is used for show-time schedules at various multiplex theaters. New signs installed inside the elevators of major buildings also provide information, while the signs installed inside the aquariums of banks provide information of currency and stock exchange. The existing perceptions of signs and P.O.P. that have traditionally served as means of advertisements are also transformed. Mere display does not attract people뭩 attention any more. A shift is being made from the traditional signs made up of paper, fabric, and P.O.P. neon to the new signs with high-class technology including plasma, LCD, and PDP. Plasma signs are increasingly becoming thinner, lighter, and more futuristic-looking thanks to the advancement in technology.

Unlimited Potential in Sign Market
Although the current application of plasma signs is limited, it is expected to bring in much innovation and reform to the sign market soon. This latest technology of a digital system with almost an unlimited potential for development has now reached a realistic price range as well. The features of plasma signs include low consumption of electricity, longevity, luminance, and environment-friendliness. A plasma sign consumes less than 50W of electricity, and lasts for up to 30,000 hours. It also makes an effective lighting sign, since is luminance goes beyond 700 candelas. It is also very environment-friendly, since it does not use any harmful material like mercury. CEO Heoh Man-hyuk of Cheonin GPSB Co., Ltd. that supplies plasma signs throughout the nation says that plasma signs can express a total of twelve colors; that they can be made into the max., size of 110cm× 60cm; that the company has exported forty plasma signs to Kings team, Philadelphia, one of the teams on NBA; that it costs about US $ 300 to produce a customized plasma sign of 50cm × 30cm; and the ready-made ones cost only about 60% of the customized ones.