LG Display announced that it will be leading Korean national project for developing stretchable displays, aiming to expand display applications in the era of IoT, 5G and self-driving car.

Selected by South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), LG Display will oversee the large-scale R&D project and lead a collective of 21 entities covering related companies, research institutes and universities. Jointly these parties will develop core technologies, materials, component and build up a robust ecosystem for Korea’s display technology. In addition, the project also targets to obtain new patents and create high value-added markets through the development of stretchable displays.

(Image: LG Display)

Stretchable displays are considered to be the ideal next-generation technology because they can shift in ‘free form’, similar to the way a rubber band stretches, while not affecting the quality of displays such as through screen distortion. By comparison, existing commercial flexible display technologies such as bendable, foldable, and rollable panels excel only in particular areas or directions. Thus, stretchable displays are considered the final phase of the evolution of flexible displays.

LG Display said that it current goal is to develop stretchable display product with a 20% elongation rate by 2024.