Systems and methods for implementing a display device with side lighting

A method for constructing a display device for displaying at least one of graphical information and alphanumeric data, comprising:

• housing a display in a housing;
• housing a backlight within the housing and for generating visible light to illuminate the display;
• coupling a light guide plate between the display and the backlight within the housing and configured to guide the visible light generated by the backlight;
• covering an edge portion of the light guide plate with a laminate and exposing the laminate to atmosphere through the housing to transmit a portion of the visible light at the edge portion of the light guide plate to provide side lighting and, wherein the laminate has a variable optical transmittance based on a voltage applied to the laminate;
• and
• a laminate, exposed through the housing and covering an edge portion of the light guide plate, to transmit a portion of the visible light at the edge portion of the light guide plate to provide side lighting, wherein the laminate has a variable optical transmittance based on a voltage applied to the laminate;
• and
• communicatively coupling a controller housed in the housing to the laminate wherein the controller is configured to control the voltage applied to the laminate in order to control the variable optical transmittance and modulate emission of light generated by the backlight transmitted through the laminate.