Canon is to take full ownership of SED, the company developing new palladium-based screen technology.

The company is to buy all of Toshiba's remaining shares in SED and will take sole control of the Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display (SED) developer from the end of January.

SED television screens are considered a viable alternative to crystal display (LCD) screens and plasma display panels (PDP) and are scheduled to be launched in Japan later this year.

Despite the change in ownership, Canon has insisted that the screens will be introduced in Japan during the third quarter of 2007, but the firm will reassess plans for future mass production of the screens.

Under the terms of this new deal, it is understood that Toshiba engineers will remain on loan at SED to help in the development of the new palladium-based technology.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd