computer science

Pixel Qi

Pixel Qi is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Pixel Qi rather than just read about it. In short: Pixel Qi Corporation (pronounced Pixel "Chi") was an American company involved in the research of low-power computer display technology, based in San Bruno, California. It was founded by Mary Lou Jepsen, who was previously the chief technical officer of the One Laptop per Child project.

Key takeaways

Pixel Qi belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Pixel Qi to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Pixel Qi from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Pixel Qi Corporation (pronounced Pixel "Chi") was an American company involved in the research of low-power computer display technology, based in San Bruno, California. It was founded by Mary Lou Jepsen, who was previously the chief technical officer of the One Laptop per Child project.

The company designed liquid crystal displays (LCDs) that can be largely manufactured using the existing manufacturing infrastructure for conventional LCDs. The advantage of Pixel Qi displays over conventional LCDs is mainly that they can be set to operate under transflective mode and reflective mode, improving eye-comfort, power usage, and visibility under bright ambient light. By 2015, PixelQi's team and offices were unreachable, and the company is presumed defunct. The intellectual property is now owned by the original investor of Pixel Qi, while the right to manufacture Pixel Qi technology contractually rests with Tripuso Display Solutions.

Devices The first commercial device to use a Pixel Qi display, ARM-based Adam tablet by Notion Ink, was released mid-January 2011. Another tablet with a Pixel Qi display has been announced by Innoversal, named Lattice.; Clover Systems has launched SunBook, a netbook with a Pixel Qi display. The first ruggedized, MIL-SPEC tablet utilizing Pixel Qi, the Hydra-T3, was created by InHand Electronics, Inc. and launched Q1 of 2012.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Pixel Qi

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Pixel Qi claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Pixel Qi before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Pixel Qi ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Pixel Qi

In research: Pixel Qi appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Pixel Qi in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Pixel Qi is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2008 establishments in California, 2015 disestablishments in California, Defunct computer companies based in California, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Pixel Qi outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Pixel Qi in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Pixel Qi means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Pixel Qi out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pixel Qi in simple terms?

Why does Pixel Qi matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Pixel Qi?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Pixel Qi.