LG has unveiled the world’s first high-resolution display that can be stretched, twisted and folded.
The prototype is a 12-inch display that uses silicon, which is used for contact lenses, to create a flexible film-like substrate and uses micro-LEDs as the light source, similar to most monitors and televisions, and displays in full RGB colour.
Sub-40-micron micro-LEDs envelop a spring-like circuit, allowing the screen to twist and stretch without permanently distorting. The use of micro-LEDs will likely consume less power and produce brighter colours than competing display technologies such as OLEDs.
The material appears to be a heavy plastic envelope, like a hard book cover or tablecloth. This unique innovation, which can be easily attached to curved surfaces such as skin, clothing, furniture, automobiles and aircraft, will expand the possibilities of displays in various industries such as fashion, wearables, mobility and gaming. However, LG didn’t specify how it plans to stick the screen on your shirt or how the display will stick to your skin.
The problem is the low resolution of 100ppi. The iPad Pro and other devices have more than doubled to 264ppi, and if you compare those displays, you will be overwhelmed — still achieving 100ppi on display with cloth-like flexibility is a great deal.
LG’s stretchable screens are currently unsuitable for smartphones, tablets, and TVs, but they’re likely to work well inside digital signage and other objects where people stop and look at things slowly. LG also sees possible uses in the furniture sector, as well as in gaming and wearables.
The free-form nature of the display offers a state-of-the-art solution that surpasses existing foldable and rollable technologies. When LG’s stretch display actually comes onto the market is not yet certain. LG did not reveal any details regarding a market launch.
