After five years of intensive research and development, LG Display has unveiled a groundbreaking stretchable screen. This innovative prototype, capable of expanding its size by up to 50%, can also be twisted, bent, and folded into various shapes without losing its display quality.
A Revolutionary Prototype
The prototype was revealed during the Final Outcome Showcase for the Stretchable Display National Project at LG Science Park in Seoul. It features a flat, 12-inch mat with a resolution of 100 pixels per inch, offering full RGB color. Despite its flexibility, the screen delivers visuals comparable to standard computer monitors, which typically range between 72 and 300 pixels per inch.
“The stretchable display is more than just an expandable screen,” the development team remarked. “Its ability to fold, twist, and reshape makes it the ‘ultimate free-form display’.”
Advancements in Technology
Compared to an earlier prototype released in 2022, this latest model boasts significant improvements. The elongation rate has been enhanced from 20% to 50%, allowing the screen to expand from 12 inches to 18 inches. The breakthrough was achieved using materials commonly found in contact lenses and micro-LED technology, which ensures high-quality visuals even under challenging conditions like high temperatures.
Additionally, a redesigned structural framework reduces stress on the display’s wiring, improving its durability and resilience against everyday impacts.
Versatile Applications
The stretchable screen’s adaptability opens the door to numerous applications. During the showcase, it was demonstrated as part of a car dashboard with interactive buttons that emerge and retract from the surface.
Its potential extends beyond electronics into industries like fashion. Fashion designers Youn-Hee Park and Chung-Chung Lee highlighted the revolutionary possibilities of using displays as fabric. “Imagine clothing designs and colors changing in real-time—it could redefine the fashion industry,” they noted.
Transforming Future Technologies
This innovation represents a step forward in reimagining how screens integrate with surfaces and objects. Alongside other experimental technologies, like Huawei’s expandable phone and Lenovo’s transparent-screen laptop, LG Display’s stretchable screen marks a new era in display design.
Photos: LG
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