There has been a lot of attention being paid to the general lack of quality sleep that todays people are experiencing, and a large part of the blame is being put on computer and phone screens for the melatonin-affecting blue light they generate. That, however, isnt the only negative impact that these vibrant and bright displays have on our health, especially when it comes to the strain they put on our eyes. Unfortunately for many who work using computers and phones, its an inescapable fact of life.There are paper-like screens that try to deliver a more eye-friendly experience, but until recently, those have been limited to very expensive monochrome E Ink screens. Electronic paper or e-paper displays now do support colors, but theyre still far too few to be usable by most people, especially those that do rely on a bit of color accuracy or at least realism. This peculiar monitor, however, promises the best of both worlds, though what it offers might come at a price, literally.Designer: HannspreeAlmost all of the LCD and OLED screens we use today are what are called transmissive displays because they require some form of backlighting to be even visible, regardless of the light around them. E Ink displays, in contrast, are reflective screens because they rely on reflecting ambient light, just like how paper works. Though there are a few E Ink readers that do now have backlighting, thats often just an add-on on top, or below rather.And then there are transflective LCDs like this Hannspree Hybri monitor that try to combine the best of both worlds. Under bright light, the LCD screen simply reflects ambient lighting, but at the push of a button, you can turn on the relatively dim 50-nit LED backlight when using it in darker environments. Because the LCD panel itself doesnt directly shine a light into your eyes (at least with the backlight off), you experience less eye strain as well.Unsurprisingly, there are a few caveats to this almost-perfect viewing experience. While it has millions more colors than even the most advanced Color E Ink technology, these often look a bit more muted because of the reflective part of the transflective LCD. At the same time, the backlight isnt bright enough to let you use the display in complete darkness, which is probably the whole point anyway.The Hannspree Hybri Monitor is basically designed for use in bright spaces, such as offices or rooms with big windows and access to natural lighting, while also discouraging use late at night or in dark rooms. Its eye-friendly benefits become moot if you still abuse your eyesight anyway. That said, the $899 price tag attached to this paper-like monitor is still a tad too expensive for most consumers, though its actually on the lower end of the recent generation of Color E Ink monitors making their way to the market.The post Eye-friendly LCD monitor tries to combine E Ink and regular screens into one first appeared on Yanko Design.