Last week’s CES 2021 highlighted how major consumer electronics brands are focused on improving one’s health. Recent events have changed the new normal, to include distance learning and work-from-home, thus adding greater amounts of screen time to daily life.
At the electronics expo, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, LG, and other major brands announced the inclusion of Eyesafe in their consumer products, signalling a major shift towards consumer electronics designed for human health.
CES 2021 highlights of products designed for human health include:
- LG announced the world’s first Eyesafe TV panel – the low blue light Eyesafe television display, a 65″ OLED screen, marks the beginning of Eyesafe’s expansion into the global TV market, comprising 230 million units annually. The new display, designed to meet Eyesafe requirements for low blue light emissions and optimal colour performance, is certified by the leading independent testing and certification firm TÜV Rheinland. LG expects to introduce more Eyesafe Certified TV displays in 2021.
- Dell Technologies announced Dell XPS laptops are Eyesafe and have met the industry’s leading set of low blue light requirements for consumer electronics. The Dell-Eyesafe partnership began over 5 years ago, evolving over time to include collaboration on blue light research, technology and product solutions. Dell stands out for its early adoption of Eyesafe for low blue light and colour performance.
- Lenovo announced plans to expand Eyesafe across notebooks, monitors and more product segments, including enterprise. Ahead of CES 2021, Stefan Engel, VP of Lenovo’s Visuals Business, confirmed that 100% of Lenovo’s monitor business will be Eyesafe Certified within the next few years. He also predicted Eyesafe blue light and colour performance standards will become a requirement in workplace purchasing. The prediction is aligned with California’s Blue Light Resolution CA SCR-73, which identified the health issue of device blue light exposure for California’s citizens, children, and workers.
- HP announced the world’s first Eyesafe monitor series made with recycled, ocean-bound plastics. The HP M-Series monitors include 3 models– the HP M24f, M27f, and M32f FHD. There will also be additional models in the series that include features such as QHD panel, USB-C connectivity, or integrated speakers, launching later in 2021. The displays are made from 85% recycled material, 5% of which is ocean-bound plastic, and are all Eyesafe Certified. This certification recognizes products that meet industry-leading requirements for low blue light emission and optimal colour performance. The M-Series, available in March 2021, will be the first HP monitors to come to market as Eyesafe, joining HP’s Envy and Spectre x360 lines, which were announced in the Fall of 2020.
- UnitedHealthcare and Eyesafe announced a collaboration to help provide more Americans with information and protection related to excessive screen time and eye health. To help serve its members, UnitedHealthcare and Eyesafe are developing educational tools to help support eye health as people continue to use digital devices. One example is the recent 2020 Screen Time Report, in which the two companies conducted a survey to assess the opinions of employers and eyecare professionals related to the potential health issues associated with excessive screen time and blue light exposure. To help build upon those efforts, Eyesafe is expanding a line of patented screen filters to reduce blue light on electronic devices. Designed with input from doctors, these aftermarket screen filters address the legacy market of devices that do not have built-in Eyesafe technology.
- TÜV Rheinland and Eyesafe announce plans to expand the popular Eyesafe Display Certification program for consumer electronics. Building on the increased popularity of the TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe Display certification programme, expanded certification was announced at CES 2021 for Television, with LG Display announcing the world’s first Eyesafe TV panel. TÜV Rheinland and Eyesafe plan for expansion of the popular programme to near-eye and augmented reality applications.
The CES 2021 Eyesafe Exhibition comes in the wake of significant data sets collected, indicating rising levels of screen time by consumers. Consumer behaviour has shifted, perhaps permanently, to a society where people live, work and play online. In turn, Eyesafe, along with its partners in consumer electronics and healthcare, are focused on providing research, education and solutions to mitigate the potential health impacts of high-energy blue light. Together, these companies are helping define the future of electronics and vision health.