Configurable gauge apparatus including a flat panel display and a mechanical pointer

A configurable gauge for indicating a current value of a parameter of interest, comprising:

• a re-configurable light-emitting flat panel display electrically activated to display a user-defined gauge face, including arcuately arranged indicia corresponding to said parameter;
• a transparent panel spaced from the flat panel display through which the gauge face is viewed;
• a mechanical pointer disposed between the flat panel display and the transparent panel, the mechanical pointer including a hub mounted on a surface of the flat panel display or a surface of the transparent panel, and a stem rotatably supported by the hub, the stem having a variable rotary position with respect to the gauge face to indicate the current value of the parameter of interest;
• and
• a display controller for activating the flat panel display to produce an image of said stem that is positioned in visual alignment with said stem regardless of the rotary position of said stem so that light emitted from said image illuminates said stem.