LG Display has unveiled a new screen that can be stretched by up to 50 percent, which makes it the first display with such capability. The prototype display that the company showcased measures 12 inches but can be stretched up to 18 inches. What is special about the display technology is that the resolution remains consistent at 100 ppi while displaying full red, green, and blue colors.
Stretchability is achieved thanks to the use of a 40-micron micro-LED light source that makes it stretchable as well as durable up to 10,000 times. What is best is that the display quality does not get downgraded even in the stretched state. This remains true even when subjected to temperature extremes such as very high or low temperatures or during severe vibrations. The display also uses an improved version of the special silicon material substrate used in contact lenses, besides developing a new wiring design structure.
The stretchable display however isn’t exactly new as LG had showcased such a display earlier as well. That has been in 2022 though back then, the display could be stretched by only 20 percent. All of it forms part of a national project promoted by South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) and the Korea Planning & Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology. The aim is to develop a stretchable display which LG Display has been spearheading in collaboration with 19 other domestic industry and research institutes.
Stretchability is just one aspect of the display as the same can also be folded and twisted while still retaining its ability to show stuff in full color and resolution. This makes it fit for application on even curved or uneven surfaces. The display is thin and light, which makes it all the more suitable for such purposes.
Among its likely application areas include fashion or wearable devices, to name a few though its potential for application in real life remains immense. As the company speculated, such stretchable displays can be integrated into the uniform worn by firefighters or industrial workers. The displays can then be used to show relevant information for others to see and react accordingly if needed.
“We will continue to build a sustainable future display ecosystem through close cooperation between South Korean industry, academia, and research stakeholders,” said Soo-young Yoon, CTO and Executive Vice President of LG Display.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.