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FOR PLASMA TELEVISIONS.

Super Bowl Sunday would be a lot different without University of Illinois professors Donald Bitzer and Gene Slottow. In 1964, they invented the first plasma display, using it as a monitor for computers. Decades later, millions of plasma TVs have found their way into living rooms around the world, delivering richer colors and superior performance than alternative technologies. You’re welcome.

Make It Champaign-Urbana > Innovation > Plasma Televisions
Plasma Television

Plasma Television

Plasma Television
Plasma Television

PLASMA TELEVISIONS

Whether you’re a fan of Emmy Award-winning shows like Breaking Bad and Mad Men or bad reality television shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians, chances are that you’ve benefited from the work done by a couple of humble University of Illinois researchers in the early 1960s.

Necessity is the mother of invention. In 1964, professors Donald Bitzer and Gene Slottow wanted a better way to display computer graphics than the standard cathode-ray display. Their work led to the development of the first prototype display.

Today, that technology has led to the creation of millions of plasma TVs that have found their way to living rooms around the world, delivering richer colors and superior performance than alternative technologies.