ASU Scientists Develop World’s First Flexible Touchscreen Display

Scientists from the Arizona State University have announced that they have developed world’s first flexible touchscreen display. After they designed flexible displays, and glass touchscreen, the scientists from ASU’s Flexible Display Center in collaboration with military and industry partners, have designed a touch-based flexible display which, at first, will be used in the battlefield by the U.S. Army. World’s first flexible touchscreen display uses E-Ink Corp’s active-matrix electrophoretic display technology and materials from DuPont Teijin Films.

“Our displays have always been flexible, but so far the touchscreens have been glass, which are not rugged enough for many applications. Now we have a partner that can build a flexible touchscreen to match our flexible display,” said Sri Peruvemba, vice president of marketing at E-Ink Corp.

Flexible touchscreen displays will have serious implications in technology, gadgets, and applications. E-newspapers and e-textbooks will probably be a dream come true and potential users will have the ability to easily navigate and read papers, and after they had finished, they would just roll-up the paper and move on to their duties.

“Now that our whole device can be made flexible, it should also enable larger-sized touchscreens for electronic newspapers, textbooks and other larger format applications,” said Mr. Peruvemba.

World’s first flexible touchscreen was developed thanks to DuPont’s Teonex subtrate made of  polyethylene napthalate and which powers E-Ink’s active-matrix touchscreen displays. Also, the flexible touch-display will not consume too much power as it will only need power when the user changes the content, and when in writing-mode, the information will be stored and when not needed, it will be erased.

“There are three distinct elements: the E Ink Visplex display, the plastic backplane and the touchscreen–the integration of which is the result of a collaboration between the FDC, DuPont Teijin Films and E Ink,” said Shawn O’Rourke, ASU FDC’s director of Engineering.

The flexible touchscreen display will be first used by the US Army, therefore it was designed with ruggedness in mind. Also, the display had to be very thin in order to reduce soldiers’ load on the battlefield.

“Besides ruggedness, weight was a major concern for the military,” said Mr. Peruvemba.

According to the scientists from ASU, the technology behind the flexible touchscreen display will be commercialized in 18 months when the manufacturing costs will be lowered. Check out the video above too see world’s first flexible touchscreen display in action!

via EETimes