HP and ASU Release First Prototype of Flexible Electronic Display

HP and Arizona State University’s Flexible Display Center have partnered together to develop an affordable, flexible electronic display made entirely out of plastic.  The lightweight plastic design makes the displays extremely portable, virtually unbreakable and more energy efficient than typical available on the market today.  This technology’s potential applications are extraordinary, from the development of electronic paper to any number of consumer electronics from laptops to digital cameras.

HP and the FDC created the flexible displays by using self-aligned imprint lithography (SAIL) technology that was invented by HP Labs. HP says SAIL technology is considered self aligned because the pattering information is imprinted on the substrate in a way that perfect alignment is maintained regardless of distortion.

Displays built using SAIL technology can be fabricated on thin film transistors on flexible plastic material in a roll-to-roll manufacturing process. This allows for continuous manufacturing rather than batch manufacturing used to create current displays.

As these displays use up to 90% less material by volume than LCD’s, we assume that the environmental benefits will be significant as well.  Given the numerous advantages of this technology, we’ll be curious to see a side-by-side comparison of this revolutionary display alongside traditional models because we anticipate image quality to still be the feature that ultimately decides how widely adopted this technology becomes.

[via DailyTech]