LG has unveiled a stretchable display capable of expanding up to 50%, the highest rate of elongation in the industry it claims.
At LG Science Park in Seoul on 8 Nov, the company demonstrated the panel at a meeting of more than 100 South Korean industry, academia, and research stakeholders involved in a Stretchable display national project.
The new prototype features a 12-in screen that stretches up to 18-in, while simultaneously delivering a high resolution of 100ppi (pixels per inch) and full red, green, and blue (RGB) colour.
Compared to the first Stretchable display prototype unveiled in 2022, the new panel’s maximum elongation rate has more than doubled from 20% to 50%. This enhanced stretchability enables various display design possibilities, raising the technology’s potential competitiveness when commercialised.
By applying a number of new technologies, such as improving the properties of a special silicon material substrate used in contact lenses and developing a new wiring design structure, LG Display improved the panel’s stretchability and flexibility, exceeding the original national project’s target of 20% elongation.
In addition, by using a micro-LED light source of up to 40μm (micrometers), the new prototype’s strengthened durability means it can be repeatedly stretched over 10,000 times, maintaining clear image quality even in extreme environments such as exposure to low or high temperatures and external shocks.
The company showcased numerous concepts for the application of Stretchable displays, including an automotive panel that stretches out into a convex shape and can be operated by hand as well as a wearable display attached to firefighters’ uniforms that provides real-time information.