The monitor is composed of an array of vertical wires, and an array of horizontal wires. The horizontal wires are offset so there is a perpendicular air gap between the horizontal array and the vertical array, but this air gap has to be significantly less than the spacing of adjacent wires in each array. e.g. 5mm spacing of each array, 1mm spacing between the horizontal and vertical arrays.

The display lights up by arcing in one position when a high voltage is applied to one horizontal and one vertical wire.

The intersections are addressed in turn by a pair of rotating contacts. One rotates slowly, to address a single horizontal wire in turn. The other rotates rapidly, to address a single vertical wire in turn.

The "arcxels" are controlled by solenoids actuating the contacts on the fast rotor, moving the relevant contact into or out of the path of the rotor. So the solenoids only need move as fast as the slow rotor.

I imagine an uncased frame to support the arrays of wires, the spinning contacts and the Van de Graaf generator suppling the voltage.
-- pocmloc, Nov 08 2015

inefficient, noisy, and far outclassed by existing designs. [+]
-- Voice, Nov 08 2015


// Van de Graaf //

A Wimshurst machine would be far more Steampunk ...
-- 8th of 7, Nov 08 2015


Who said anything about steampunk?
-- pocmloc, Nov 08 2015


Wasn't the gas display your idea?
-- pashute, Nov 09 2015


Yes,
-- pocmloc, Nov 09 2015


Is this a touchscreen? (Just curious...)
-- lurch, Nov 09 2015



random, halfbakery