LG Display announced on Tuesday that it has developed a stretchable screen that can be extended by 20%. The color screen supports a resolution of 100 pixels per inch (ppi) and can be scaled from 12 inches to 14 inches, the South Korean manufacturer said.
Stretch screens, or free-form screens, are screens that can be stretched, bent, or even twisted. They are considered the next step in the evolution of displays after rollable and foldable displays, which have already been released by Samsung Display and LG Display.
LG Display said it used special silicon materials, used in contact lenses for example, to develop the film-like substrate for its stretch display. This allowed the company to significantly increase the flexibility of the display, LG Display said. The South Korean display panel maker has also used LEDs of 40 micrometers or less as the light source, which allows the stretchable screen to maintain its resolution in the event of external shocks.
Springs instead of straight lines
The circuitry under the hood is also shaped like springs instead of straight lines so they can be bent and folded over, LG Display added.
The company said it expects the display to be able to be used in products with irregular surfaces, such as furniture and clothing, as well as conventional consumer products such as wearables. For example, stretch screens could be used in special first responder uniforms to share real-time information. The screens could also feature bumps in certain places, which could act as buttons for the visually impaired so they can use touchscreens more extensively, LG Display said.
The company has been developing the stretchable screen since 2020 in collaboration with 20 South Korean research institutes. The project is expected to be completed in 2024.
Source: “ZDNet.com”