[ExI] foldup PCs, TVs

[Damien Broderick]

<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2008/10/03/dlscreen103.xml>Flexible 
Screen Could Lead to Foldable Computers
CHRIS IRVINE - Telegraph (U.K.)

Researchers have demonstrated a flexible television screen which 
could result in people folding up their computer and putting it in 
their pocket.

The design could be used for television and posters, as well as 
computers, while it could also pave the way for the development of 
newspaper display technology which would allow readers to upload 
daily news to an easy-to-carry display contraption.

The concept demo was unveiled by researchers from Sony and the Max 
Planck Institute in Germany who believe "Rigid television screens, 
bulky laptops and still image posters are to be a thing of the past".

It is all organic, flexible and transparent with an extremely low 
energy requirement, while it has an almost unlimited viewing angle 
and high efficiency.

There is no need for a backlight and response times are up to 10 
times fast than LCDs (liquid crystal displays), meaning ultra-smooth 
motion without blurring.

Due to the transparency, it is thought multiple layers can be stacked 
possibly for some types of 3D effects.

Previous attempts at flexible screens are hampered by size and 
resolution problems, while the image was also affected when the 
screen was folded.

Moving images on posters, seen in films such as Minority Report could 
also be a possibility, as well as cereal boxes with talking images.

Researchers told the Journal of Physics: "The displays have excellent 
brightness and are transparent, bendable and flexible.

"There are practically no display size limitations and they could be 
produced relatively easily and cheaply compared to today's screens."

In 2006, Sony demonstrated an earlier version of this work, but 
technical, mechanical and design issues prevented them from mass 
producing the previous model.