VDU is the abbreviation or short form of the Visual Display Unit. It is a hardware unit used to display the visual output of any input given to a computing device. An output device that has a screen attached to it so that the displayable messages can be shown on it is categorized as a VDU.
Formerly, VDU was interchangeably used for “Monitor” but nowadays, there are other Visual Display Units in the market as well. VDUs basically, convert the non-visual input data into fathomable visual output.
VDU can be a peripheral device or it could be one that is integrated into the computer setup. There are VDUs used in everyday life and they are- computer monitors, digital projectors, display screens on smartphones, tablet pcs, smartwatches, iPods etc.
Through the years, quite a few different types of VDUs had been in the market based on the technology used in them and they are -
- Cathode Ray Tube (CRT),
- LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) with fluorescent backlight,
- LCD with LED (Light-Emitting Diode) backlight,
- organic LED,
- plasma etc.
In the United States, VDU is often called VDT (Video Display Terminal) though the rest of the world sticks to VDU itself.
Use the Term in Sentences:
- Continuous glare at the VDU reportedly causes severe migraines in many.
- Most desk jobs nowadays require staring at the screen on the VDU for an extended period of time which is seen to increase eye and head troubles in young individuals.