Smashed phone screens could eventually be a thing of the past thanks to ultra-flexible stretchy display tech. | Image: LG Display
LG Display has created a new display that can fold, twist, and stretch from 12 to 14 inches.
Announced in a press release on Thursday, the stretchable display has a resolution of 100ppi and is capable of displaying full-color RGB. The prototype was created using micro LEDs with a sub-40μm pixel pitch that were built into a silicon substrate typically used in contact lenses. According to LG Display, this gives it a consistency “similar to that of a rubber band” and allows it to be stretched in any direction by up to 20 percent.
Image: LG Display
Images of the prototype display suggest that it still needs to be connected to less malleable hardware to work.
Other styles of flexible display technology have been commercially available for some time, such as LG’s own rollable OLED TV or the LG G Flex phone. Foldable devices also often utilize a malleable screen, though this new stretchable display technology is theoretically more flexible while providing better durability — supposedly capable of comfortably withstanding heavy external impacts.
“Stretchable displays are not only thin and light, but also can be attached to curved surfaces such as skin, clothing, and furniture,” LG Display says in a press release. The company hasn’t announced any products that will feature the technology but expect it will eventually be utilized within industries such as wearables, mobility, smart devices, gaming, and fashion. This stretchable screen is the first prototype being developed by LG Display as part of a government-led development project, with the Korean-based company hoping to improve on the display technology by 2024.
LG Display isn’t the only company exploring stretchable displays. Samsung has previously showcased the viability of the tech in real-world applications after creating a stretchable OLED screen in a prototype heart rate monitor back in June 2021.