[Insight] Merck Looks Beyond Displays as AI Era Pushes Optics, Sensing and Computing Together

Merck's IMID 2026 exhibition in Busan emphasizes the evolving nature of display technology, which is merging advanced materials, optics, sensing, and computing due to the rise of artificial intelligence. The event, held Aug 18-21, showcased winners of the 23rd Merck Award and preparations for the eighth Merck Science Connect, highlighting how displays are becoming intelligent interfaces connecting users to AI-powered devices.

WooKyu Kim, managing director of Merck Korea, explained that the company's display business has expanded to include semiconductor metrology and inspection through ongoing investments. The Merck Award, awarded to Hak-Rin Kim from Kyungpook National University, showcases the expanding definition of display technology. His research focuses on active polarization-switching optics, geometric-phase optical devices, holographic imaging, XR display optics, and low-power LCDs, 3D and light-field displays, among other innovations.

Soo-Yeon Lee, the recipient of the Merck Young Scientist Award, presented research on oxide thin-film transistor devices, their reliability, instability mechanisms, and driving algorithms for improved image quality. Her work extends beyond displays, influencing neuromorphic computing and image sensors. The Merck Science Connect, scheduled for Aug.

20 at BEXCO, will explore the integration of multifunctionality in displays for the AI era. Sessions on multifunctional displays, switchable privacy technology, liquid-crystal material properties, photoresist patterning, and emerging display technologies will be featured, reflecting the convergence of display technologies and AI computing architectures.