On 11 November 2024, LG Display officially announced the successful development of the world’s first stretchable display at the Final Achievement Sharing Meeting of the National Project for Stretchable Display Development held in Seoul. The launch of this breakthrough technology marks a major leap forward in display technology, and is expected to create a wave of innovation in a variety of fields in the future, greatly enriching the user experience.
Leading technology: breakthrough 50% stretch rate
The prototype size of the new stretchable display is 12 inches, which can be stretched to 18 inches without sacrificing image quality, with a stretch rate of up to 50%. Compared to the stretchable display prototype introduced by LG Display in 2022, which had a 20 per cent stretch rate, this advancement is undoubtedly a quantum leap. The display has a resolution of 100 pixels per inch and supports full RGB colour display, ensuring image clarity and colour fullness.
LG Display said the technology was realised through a combination of several innovations from the company. Firstly, the scalability and flexibility of the display has been enhanced through the use of a special silicon substrate material commonly used in contact lenses. Second, the new wiring design enhances the durability of the display, enabling it to withstand more than 10,000 stretching motions and maintain stable image performance despite extreme temperatures or external shocks. In addition, the 40-micron micro-LED light source technology further enhances the durability of the display, making it even more visually appealing.
Multiple applications: from wearables to smart devices
LG Display’s stretchable display is not just a technological breakthrough, but opens the door to a wide range of future applications. The flexible and stretchable nature of the display allows it to adapt to various curved surfaces and shapes, making it highly adaptable. For example, LG Display demonstrated a raised display design that can be used in automotive panels, which can be operated by users through touch gestures. This design not only enhances the level of intelligence in automotive interiors, but also allows display technology and automotive applications to be more closely integrated.
In the wearable field, LG Display also demonstrated an innovative application that integrates a display into a firefighter’s uniform. This wearable display can display important information in real time to help firefighters access data during emergencies and maintain efficient operational performance, whether in high temperatures, extreme environments, or under heavy workloads.
In addition, LG Display’s stretchable display is also well suited for the fashion sector due to the display’s thin and bendable nature. It can be embedded into clothing, skin or even other irregular surfaces to form entirely new smart wearable devices. This seamless integration of design ideas could revolutionise the fashion, health monitoring, smart home and other industries.
Key technology breakthrough: durability and stability
The durability of the stretchable display is one of its biggest highlights, with LG Display highlighting that the display not only has excellent stretchability, but also maintains image quality after repeated stretching. According to the company, the display is capable of withstanding up to 10,000 stretches, ensuring that it is not easily damaged during daily use. In addition, the 40-micron micro-LED light source technology further strengthens the stability of the display, enabling it to maintain a consistent image effect in a variety of extreme environments, whether it is high temperature, low temperature, or external vibration, will not affect the display effect.
Continuous innovation and future prospects
The launch of the stretchable display is not only a technological breakthrough for LG Display, but also a great advancement for the entire display technology industry, and LG Display said it will continue to deepen its cooperation with global research institutes and technology partners in the future to promote the popularisation and application of stretchable display technology. With the continuous development of technology and changes in market demand, LG Display hopes that this innovation can be realised for large-scale application in multiple industries in the near future, especially in the fields of smart devices, wearable devices and automobiles.
In addition, with the rapid development of AI technology, LG Display’s stretchable display is also expected to combine with AI technology to bring users a more intelligent and personalised experience. For example, by generating content in real time through AI, optimising the image display, or enabling a more natural and user-friendly operating experience on the interactive interface, LG Display’s stretchable display may become part of future smart devices, creating a new way of interacting with users.
Potential challenges: privacy and security issues
However, with the popularity of wearable devices and changes in display technology, data privacy and security issues will become increasingly prominent topics. While the technology is developing rapidly, how to protect users’ personal data security and how to use smart technology reasonably will be important issues that cannot be ignored in the development of the industry. How to balance technological innovation and social responsibility, and ensure the security, privacy protection and ethical issues of smart technology will be a common challenge for the industry and consumers.
Conclusion
To sum up, the world’s first stretchable display introduced by LG Display not only makes a major breakthrough in technology, but also provides brand new possibilities for the future development of display technology. The introduction of this technology will drive the application and development of display technology in various fields, change our traditional perception of screens, and potentially lead to more exciting innovations. With the diversification of market demands, this innovation from LG Display undoubtedly opens the door to the future, and we look forward to more surprises and possibilities in the near future.
