Samsung has created an OLED display “that can be stretched in all directions like rubber bands". The company already uses 'bendable' displays in its folding smartphones but this new 'stretchable' OLED "could be used in building flexible health tech", reports TheVerge.
Researchers in Samsung's R&D department claim the new 'stretchable organic LED' (SOLED, anyone?) can be stretched by up to 30 per cent. To prove the technology works, they created a wearable heart rate monitor that can be stuck to the skin like a plaster.
“The strength of this technology is that it allows you to measure your biometric data for a longer period without having to remove the solution when you sleep or exercise since the patch feels like part of your skin," said Youngjun Yun, one of the researchers responsible for the breakthrough. "You can also check your biometric data right away on the screen without having to transfer it to an external device.”
The display is made from a top-secret elastomer – a polymer-type material that has the elastic properties of rubber. It has a grid-like structure that allows for movement without breaking the OLED pixels.
The prototype was stretched 1000 times and continued to work perfectly, according to Samsung. And because it allowed the heart rate monitor to sit flush to the skin, the device was able to pick up a signal 2.4 times stronger than an ordinary sensor.
Samsung's stretchy screen is still in the early stages of development but Samsung believes its research is the first credible proof that stretchable OLED displays could become commercially viable in the future.
The Korean tech giant is no stranger to souped-up screens. Earlier this year the Korean tech giant announced its 2021 'Neo QLED' TVs with Mini LED backlight.
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