Stretchable screen offers new commercial applications

PARIS: The South Korean tech giant LG Display has unveiled a stretchable screen capable of increasing its surface area by up to 50% simply by being stretched.

This world first, still at the prototype stage, paves the way for many practical applications in fashion and entertainment.

LG Display has unveiled a further innovation in screen technology, in the form of a new flexible, stretchable colour display. Revealed at a special event in Seoul, it stretches from 30.48 to 45.72 cm while retaining a high resolution (100 ppi) and vibrant colours thanks to micro-LED technology.

As it stands, this flexible screen can be stretched, bent or twisted, all while withstanding over 10,000 stretching cycles. It can also conform to curved surfaces, such as clothing or even skin, paving the way for applications in the fashion and wearables sectors.

The ultimate aim of the project is to one day be able to bring screens to any surface.

This technology could, for example, enable screens to be integrated directly into clothing, for practical uses (displaying information on firefighters’ suits, for example) or for recreational uses (personalising your appearance to suit the mood of the day).

The same goes for accessories, with the possibility of making bracelets or bags featuring interactive interfaces. In cars, these screens could adapt to fit the different shapes of the dashboard or headrest.

In the world of entertainment, they could serve as backdrops. Finally, in the street, they could be used for advertising, tailored to fit shop windows or dedicated billboards.

Thanks to their robustness, these screens could also one day be used in extreme conditions, including in space.

LG has been working on this type of technology for several years now. Back in 2022, the manufacturer presented a first prototype of a flexible, stretchable screen with unique elasticity properties. At the time, this 30.48 cm-screen could be stretched to 35.56 cm.