Flexible Thinking: Another PCB Design Paradigm Shift in the Works
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
Connect the Dots: Five Best Practices for Designing Flex and Rigid-flex PCBs
Why are Flexible Computer Screens Taking so Long to Develop?
January 21, 2016 | University of CambridgeEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
Stuart Higgins (Cavendish Laboratory) discusses the technology being developed to create flexible displays.
It’s common to first see exciting new technologies in science fiction, but less so in stories about wizards and dragons. Yet one of the most interesting bits of kit on display at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas was reminiscent of the magical Daily Prophet newspaper in the Harry Potter series.
Thin, flexible screens such as the one showcased by LG could allow the creation of newspapers that change daily, display video like a tablet computer, but that can still be rolled up and put in your pocket. These plastic electronic displays could also provide smartphones with shatterproof displays (good news for anyone who’s inadvertently tried drop-testing their phone onto the pavement) and lead to the next generation of flexible wearable technology.
But LG’s announcement is not the first time that flexible displays has been demonstrated at CES. We’ve seen similar technologies every year for some time now, and LG itself unveiled another prototype in a press release 18 months ago. Yet only a handful of products have come to market that feature flexible displays, and those have the displays mounted in a rigid holder, rather than free for the user to bend. So why is this technology taking so long to reach our homes?
How displays work
Take a look at your computer screen through a magnifying glass and you’ll see the individual pixels, each made up of three subpixels – red, green, and blue light sources. Each of these subpixels is connected via a grid of wires that criss-cross the back of the display to another circuit called a display driver. This translates incoming video data into signals that turn each subpixel on and off.
How each pixel generates light varies depending on the technology used. Two of the most common seen today are liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). LCDs use a white light at the back of the display that passes through red, green and blue colour filters. Each subpixel uses a combination of liquid crystals and polarising filters that act like tiny shutters, either letting light through or blocking it.
OLEDs, on the other hand, are mini light sources that directly generate light when turned on. This removes the need for the white light behind the display, reducing its overall thickness, and is one of the driving factors behind the growing uptake of OLED technology.
Page 1 of 2
Share on:
Suggested Items
Laser Photonics Propels R&D Efforts in Wafer Marking
02/04/2025 | BUSINESS WIRELaser Photonics Corporation, a leading global developer of industrial laser systems for cleaning and other material processing applications, and its recently acquired subsidiary, Control Micro Systems, Inc. (CMS Laser), announced the expansion of their Laser Wafer Marking technology research and development program.
EXTOLL Collaborates with BeammWave and GlobalFoundries as Key SerDes IP Partner for Lowest Power High-Speed ASIC
02/04/2025 | GlobalFoundriesEXTOLL, a leading provider of high-speed and ultra-low-power SerDes and Chiplet connectivity, has been selected by BeammWave, an innovation leader in mmWave 5G/6G digital beamforming, as a key SerDes IP supplier for its next gen communication ASIC development portfolio on GlobalFoundries’ (GF) 22nm FD-SOI process technology, 22FDX®.
YINCAE Launches UF 120LA
02/04/2025 | YINCAEYINCAE has introduced UF 120LA, a high-purity liquid epoxy underfill engineered for advanced electronics packaging. With exceptional flowability into 20μ gaps, UF 120LA eliminates cleaning processes, reducing costs and environmental impact while ensuring superior performance across applications like BGA, flip chip, WLCSP, and multi-chip modules.
EXTOLL Collaborates with BeammWave and GlobalFoundries as a Key SerDes IP Partner for Lowest Power High-Speed ASIC
02/03/2025 | GlobalFoundriesEXTOLL, a leading provider of high-speed and ultra-low-power SerDes and Chiplet connectivity, has been selected by BeammWave, an innovation leader in mmWave 5G/6G digital beamforming, as a key SerDes IP supplier for its next gen communication ASIC development portfolio on GlobalFoundries’ (GF) 22nm FD-SOI process technology, 22FDX®.
LITEON+, LITEON Startup Platform, Expands International Partner Ecosystem
02/03/2025 | LITEON TechnologyLITEON Technology announced that the "LITEON+ Startup Platform" has formed an alliance with "Plug and Play Japan," one of the world's largest accelerators/venture capitals. This collaboration focuses on the "Deep Tech" theme, leveraging each other's startup ecosystems to introduce teams specializing in energy, sustainability, and AI.