06-17-2005, 07:00 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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How Long Will We Have To Wait for Flexible-Display Technology?
"FLEXIBLE video displays, like jet-packs and talking robots, are a science-fiction staple: think of the self-updating newspapers in 'Minority Report', or the video wallpaper in 'Total Recall'. For years, research laboratories, big companies and start-ups have been working hard to turn the idea into reality. <...> But while the technology has come a long way in the past few years, it still faces a number of challenges. What makes a flexible display so difficult to build?"
We've been hearing on-and-off about the promise of flexible-display technology and recently, it seems to have been more "off" than "on". So what's the hold-up? Well, as one might imagine, there are several technical challenges to creating flexible displays. Many which are covered in good detail in this article. The good news is that there are multiple companies aiming to bring this technology to market. The bad news (for us geeks anyway) seems to be that this technology will be aimed more initially at store shelf displays and advertisements instead of consumer electronics. Is this sales and marketing strategy the right one? Can you see a huge demand for this with mobile devices? And if so, what value proposition does this bring to the average consumer? Finally, there is mention of a Flexible Display Centre at Arizona State University. Any Arizona State students out there who would like partake in some show-and-tell? 
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06-17-2005, 07:11 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 734
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Haha! Sci-Fi indeed - that device on the right looks like it came out of the props department of the series Earth: Final Conflict!
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06-17-2005, 09:23 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 359
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I'm just wondering how many flexible display deaths we will start to see... I cann see the headlines now. 52 year old strangled by fleible display over some cheese nuggets in her pocket... News at 11.
Okay now seriously..... I am not witing for flexible persay but I am waiting for wafer thin display technology. Just imagine being able to buy displays in different size "sheets" and then being able to then plaster them up on a wall anywhere in the house you wanted.
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06-17-2005, 10:40 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by PDANEWBIE
I'm just wondering how many flexible display deaths we will start to see... I cann see the headlines now. 52 year old strangled by fleible display over some cheese nuggets in her pocket... News at 11.
Okay now seriously..... I am not witing for flexible persay but I am waiting for wafer thin display technology. Just imagine being able to buy displays in different size "sheets" and then being able to then plaster them up on a wall anywhere in the house you wanted.
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Actually it will probably be a combination of both. Paper thin and flexible where you can put a voltage against the material and it becomes rigid or is some form of memory display where it can sense some type of action and responds to it. Say you bring your new TV home rolled up and shake it out like shaking a carpet. The action triggers a reaction at the atomic level that reforms the material in a way making it as stiff as metal allowing you to hang it up on the wall. Same thing with PDAs. The above device would suck unless it can become ridged. Which begs the question: who do I have to bl�pay to get a tablet PC in a tube the size of a paper towel tube? 8O :lol:
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06-18-2005, 12:48 AM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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Personally I think flexible screens are the key to the real mobile revolution.
Screen size is everything. It is the screen that determines the final dimensions of devices. It is the small screen that holds many, many people back from using mobile devices more than they do. With a flexible screen we can have a device as small as we care to carry around in our pocket, but have a screen that deploys to a very usable size.
This is the feature I have been waiting for on mobile devices more than any other. I can't wait!!
Dave
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06-18-2005, 03:06 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 593
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^^^
It is the one thing that would make PDA's have that "paper and pen" feel.
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06-18-2005, 03:34 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 87
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It will REALLY be terrible if this becomes the new advertisement wave of the future and if that technology NEVER comes to a consumer device (because advertisers could easily spend $1000+ (example) for a screen, however mobile device manufacturers only look the other way because the price won't drop for an extremely long time...).
You think stores have issues now with consumers damaging mobile devices... I can just imagine somebody jamming a pen through one of those expensive displays. If they are going to be deployed, I bet they will be like advertising boards along the highway, out of reach against a store wall, and alike. After all, I bet these screens aren't exactly durable.
Durability might hinder consumer acceptability too. It wouldn't be a good day if you broke your screen because you weren't extremely careful with it one day.
Yes, it is a neat technology, one I am looking forward to... however it will take a heck of a long time before it reaches our hands.
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06-18-2005, 06:24 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 171
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One observation is that all of the "concepts" of this I have seen to date require two hands.
Something similar to what we now use but has the additional ability to "expand" the screen when you have two hands or a table would seem to be preferable.
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06-18-2005, 11:56 AM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,386
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by gt24
Durability might hinder consumer acceptability too. It wouldn't be a good day if you broke your screen because you weren't extremely careful with it one day.
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This is a great point. I wonder where the cost/benefit "sweet spot" is then. Until the production costs can be kept to a minimum, who would want to pay a premium for something that can be so fragile? Additionally, what company would want to warranty this beyond about 30-60 days (if at all)?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by qt24
Yes, it is a neat technology, one I am looking forward to... however it will take a heck of a long time before it reaches our hands.
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I'm thinking the same thing. Until the production costs do come down significantly, it'll be a long while before we see this in consumer hands.
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06-19-2005, 02:26 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,079
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by BevHoward
One observation is that all of the "concepts" of this I have seen to date require two hands.
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Not only this but how do you write on these? With your third hand??
I don't know about you but I write as much as I read on my PPC.
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