The DG12B is a VFD tube manufactured in Japan by the Itron Corporation, the company that originally invented VFD technology in 1966. What makes this tube stand out in particular is the distinctive appearance of its digits. Rather than using the seven-segment design still commonly found in digital readouts today, it employs a more intricate nine-segment arrangement that gives the digits an almost hand-written look. Among collectors, VFD tubes featuring this design are commonly referred to as “Alien VFDs.”