LG’s stretchable display grows by up to 50 percent

LG Display has been working on stretchable screens for years. A prototype that has now been presented can be expanded by up to 50 percent of its original size, says the South Korean tech company. This is the best value that the display industry has achieved so far.

Specifically, the prototype is 12 inches tall and can be expanded to an 18-inch format. The micro LED display can display RGB colors. LG specifies the resolution in PPI (pixels per inch), where PPI depends on the size of the display. It is likely that the 100 PPI stated refers to the original 12 inch format.

This is a bit low for practical use: e-readers like Amazon’s Kindle usually have resolutions of 300 PPI, cell phones can easily achieve 400 PPI and beyond. In order to be ready for the market, LG would have to improve the resolution of its stretchable display, among other things.

Heat-resistant and durable

LG’s new prototype is said to be more durable than previous attempts, writes LG in a statement. The display should be able to stretch over 10,000 times. The display should also be able to withstand extreme temperatures and forces without suffering any loss in image quality.

LG presented a first prototype in 2022. However, this was only able to grow by 20 percent of its original size. The stretchable LG displays can also be bent and folded. LG and other display manufacturers repeatedly try to demonstrate application scenarios for flexible displays. LG sees stretchable displays being used in clothing and on the skin, among other things. Such displays could be used in fashion, wearables or mobility, writes LG. Firefighters could use such displays to see live information.

The development of stretchable displays is supported by the South Korean government. LG is working on the development with 19 other companies and research institutes from South Korea.

(Dahe)