world’s first stretchable screen by LG display can be twisted and expanded without breaking

LG Display introduces world’s first stretchable screen

LG Display introduces the dubbed world’s first stretchable screen capable of expanding up to 50 percent of its original size. Users can twist, pull, and fold the screen without cracking or breaking it. The brand unveils the technology at the LG Science Park in Seoul on November 8th, 2024, where they also showcased how it works. Because the screen is stretchable, LG Display’s team says it can take on any shape or form. If an appliance has a ‘curving’ form, the display just follows the design and becomes an elongated screen panel.

all images courtesy of LG Display

From 12 to 18 inches, maintaining the high-resolution display rate

LG Display’s stretchable prototype features a 12-inch screen that can be expanded up to 18 inches, all the while maintaining its high-resolution rate of 100 ppi and full red, green, and blue (RGB) color. It’s not the first expandable technology of the brand because they unveiled the first prototype back in 2022. Compared to that, the recent one has the maximum elongation rate, which means its strechy properties have increased from 20 to 50 percent.

LG Display has managed to pull off the stretchable display by applying a silicone material substrate, which is used in contact lenses, and pairing it up with flexible wiring design structure. This setup allows the screen to expand without breaking and cracking, and the team also adopts a micro-LED light source of up to 40 micrometers. So far, they say they’ve tested the stretching and twisting for over 10,000 times, and the display has been able to maintain clear image quality, even in extreme environments such as exposure to low and high temperatures and external shock.

LG Display introduces the dubbed world’s first stretchable screen

LG Display stretchable screen on firefighters’ uniforms

LG Display shares that the stretchable screen is also thin and lightweight compared to traditional displays. This allows the technology to be irregularly curved, and the team sees potential in using it for clothing and wearable devices, too. So far, they’ve applied it as an automotive panel that stretches out into a convex shape and can still be operated by hand. They’ve also tested it out as a wearable display attached to firefighters’ uniforms, providing them real-time information about the situation and their location. As of publishing the story, LG Display is yet to announce the commercial release of their stretchable screens.

the screen capable of expanding up to 50 percent of its original size