LG Display unveils world’s most stretchable display
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
A stretchable display can freely transform into any shape by stretching, folding and twisting.
PHOTO: LG WEBSITE
Follow topic:
SEOUL - South Korean display maker LG Display announced on Nov 10 that it has succeeded in developing the world’s first stretchable display capable of expanding up to 50 per cent – the highest elongation rate within the industry.
The latest breakthrough, the outcome of five years of research, was unveiled during an industrial gathering at LG Science Park in Seoul on Nov 8.
LG’s new prototype features a 30cm screen that stretches up to 46cm while delivering a high resolution of 100 pixels per 2.5cm, and full red, green and blue colour.
The maximum elongation rate has more than doubled from 20 per cent to 50 per cent, compared with LG’s first stretchable display prototype unveiled in 2022.
Stretchable display is considered the “ultimate display technology”, as it allows the screen to freely transform into any shape by stretching, folding and twisting.
With the maximum elongation rate, LG Display said, the latest display is expected to boost its competitive edge in realising various display designs.
“We will continue to build a sustainable future display ecosystem through close cooperation with the industry, academia and research stakeholders,” said LG Display chief technology officer and executive vice-president Yoon Soo-young.
The LG Display-led research work is part of a national project proposed by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2020, with 19 other research institutes participating.
The project’s original target was an elongation rate of 20 per cent, but the team could elevate the rate by adopting new technologies such as a special silicon material substrate used in contact lenses and an advanced wiring diagram technology.
LG Display said it has also strengthened the new prototype’s durability so that it can be repeatedly stretched over 10,000 times. It also uses a micro-LED light source of up to 40 micrometers to maintain clear image quality, even in extreme environments, such as low or high temperatures, and handle external shocks.
During the Nov 8 event, the company showcased diverse application cases of stretchable displays, including a convex-shaped automotive display that can be operated by hand and a wearable display attached to firefighters’ uniforms that provides real-time information.
Stretchable displays are not only thin and lightweight, but also capable of adhering to irregularly curved surfaces such as clothing and skin.
LG said these displays are expected to be widely applied in various industries, from fashion and wearables to mobility. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
