Stretchable Displays: Technology, Applications, and Future Trends

Craig: you know me. i love my galaxy z flip five like the old, motorola razors. but, for those of you that don't know, there are phones out there now, that have a bendable display. so this lg, taking it one step further, and they've unveiled a stretchable display, which i don't know if you're showing the picture. there we go. yep. so this is a significant advancement in flexible screen innovation, and it's a it's a major leap forward from their previous efforts. and they're showcasing a display that can expand by fifty percent from its original size. so the twelve inch display can stretch to eighteen inches, which is absolutely nuts, which is super cool. now the resolution, it's hundred pit ppi, which i think compared to an apple iphone, which is three three fifty, three sixty ppi or dpi or whatever you wanna call it. we'll have to see. but, yeah, it's got full rgb color capabilities. it can withstand over ten thousand stretches. but i think this is cool because with the bendable phones, right, craig, there's there's, there's a a a where it bends, there's a little bit of a you can see it. right? i think this might eliminate that. what do you think?

Jon: i think we're gonna see a lot of new cool interfaces, and things are gonna change. like, if you're watching the video here, yeah, you're gonna eliminate those scenes that you're talking about. yeah. this is an example of something potentially in a vehicle where the interface literally changes shape. you can see that, it turned from flat to a dial thing that somebody can, spin around for control. he just touches it. it rises up. it has different control mechanism. i think this is, the future for a lot of things where we're really gonna start to see your interfaces can now do some really cool things. imagine, you know, right now, for example, your ipad or your phone as a playable device, but, you know, it's not great because you're using your thumbs. now you have slight indents or slight raises for those thumb pads with bumps where you wanna be, and all of a sudden, it's a whole new experience. and it's all because of this flexible glass. now it's great that you can close the screen, that you can stretch it and make it bigger. i'm looking forward to a laptop where i can, you know, expand the screen or whatnot. yeah.

Craig: that's cool.

Jon: i think these kinds of things that we haven't thought of are really gonna be game changers where it just literally changes shape and form based on the function you need.

Craig: yeah. the other big advancement for this would be, people who blind people. yes. visually impaired. so then this could display braille. could, like, this could flex to pop up braille. this could flex, like, a whole bunch of things. this would make things much more accessible for people with, who are visually impaired.

Jon: yeah. these flexible substrates that create these oleds for short, they're gonna become chameleons of the tech world. i don't know. like, i'm just imagining that the device in your hand can literally change shape.

Craig: yeah. yeah. you can wear it as a bracelet and then take it off and extend it into a tablet.

Jon: yeah. or, you know, you can shrink your phone watch screen down to a small thing when you're going for an elegant thing and then stretch it out when you're doing business. like, it's also just completely different. like, if your phone, changes shape so it all becomes a controller where you're you have finger grips and you have yeah. like, unbelievable amount of things that i can't even begin to imagine yet where now we have every type of interaction button, stuff that you could do in the real world now becomes part of these electronic devices where you get that touch, the feel, that feedback. yeah. it's i think this is a game changer more than people think.

Craig: i agree. this is a game changer more than the bendable displays. absolutely. for sure. there's so many use cases for this. like, we're automotive, i think you said. yep. there's, like, there's, emergency services, like, in the firefighter uniforms or real time information display, wearable technology, medical devices, like, everything. everything that has a screen, this has a use case for. right? even if it doesn't have a screen, this has a use case for it.

Jon: well, as soon as you start talking about this type of technology, you say, okay. well, why are we not incorporating this into things without screens? like you said, imagine and this is just a small use case. putting your hands on the steering wheel, and then the finger bumps naturally appear about where around your fingers wherever you put them, not having a set that you have to because it fits you. the controls for the stereo wherever go where your hands are, not at a predefined location.

Craig: oh, i like that. that's a great idea. yeah. that's cool. then you don't have to look down at it. it moves with wherever your hand placement is. oh, that is such a great idea. that'd be great. so that dial there too, like, with me, the dial in my car is in a fixed location. right? yeah. having that move to where yeah. that would be a great idea for sure.

Jon: so i like, that's what i mean by the things you can't even think of right now yeah. that become amazing when the interface, how you hold something can actually change. you know? a mug can actually, contour to your fingers so it's more grippable. like, there's a great. and this is all based on flexible glass that's gonna drive kind of this forward. so i'm really interested in this because it i think it's a game changer for everything.

Craig: yeah. i agree. yeah. this is really cool. and, again, what i love about this i know we talk about a lot of theoretical stuff. this is something that's actually been built. they've innovate they've iterated on it, and they're at this point now, and it's only gonna get better. so they actually have a working device. they have working devices, which is really cool. it's not just something that is theoretical, like, a lot of stuff that we cover. right, greg?

Jon: yeah. as of november twenty twenty twenty four, stretchable smartphones and tablets remain in prototype and concept phase, but they do exist.

Craig: but they have the displays, though. right?

Jon: yeah. companies like oppo and motorola have showcased innovative designs like oppo's rollable concept phone that expands from six point seven to seven point four inches and motorola's bendable phone with a flexible display that can wrap around your wrist.

Craig: a lot

Jon: of these models are not yet commercially available, so there's probably some tweaking to do because maybe the flexibility is not great for all the rest of the electronics in the device. yeah. so, samsung has also been exploring advanced display technologies, including foldable and rollable screens. the company has filed for patents for these device combine the combined folding and rolling mechanism indicating potential for future developments in that area. imagine just being able to roll up your laptop. exactly. yeah. it is

Craig: a mac. it

Jon: is happening now. we're gonna start to see these things in production in the next few years, like but not five to ten, but probably two to four. they just have to figure out what the, first few models are gonna be. but, yeah, this will help all the bendable displays.

Craig: yeah. for sure.

Jon: so we'll definitely be keeping an eye on this. we'd love to know, what you think about these bendable displays. what are you looking forward to be stretchable in a display or tech device? let us know. we'd love to hear this. and the other thing is, you know, is this an end of broken screens?