Scientists from the University of British Columbia (UBC) have presented a new flexible display that has potential uses in wearable devices and product packaging. This display is capable of quick and reversible color changes and can stretch up to 30% without losing functionality. The main advantage of this device is its low energy consumption, which is achieved through the use of electric chromium displays.
The researchers utilized the Pedot: PSS electricchrome material, which consists of a polymer combined with ionic liquid. This allowed them to create a flexible electric electrode that serves as both an element of electric chromium and ion storage. This simplified the design of the device by eliminating the need for a separate flexible conductor.
The transparent and flexible display is made of a hard rubber tape-like material. To ensure its tensile strength, a solid polymeric electrolyte and a flexible encapsulation material called Styrene-Thylene-Butylene-Styrene (SEBS) were added. The display has a wide range of potential applications, such as integration into wearable devices for real-time biometric monitoring and in robots for more intuitive interactions with people.
The low energy consumption and affordability of this technology make it attractive for use in disposable products, including medical plasters and smart labels on product packaging. Moreover, it could be used to actively change the color of jackets and hats.
While further development and integration into everyday devices are necessary, this breakthrough brings us closer to a future where flexible and stretchable displays are a common part of our daily lives.
In other news, Italian startup “Cap_Able” has released a line of clothing that confuses artificial intelligence systems and prevents them from recognizing the wearer. This is achieved through the use of unique patterns generated by artificial intelligence for each piece of clothing, which can confuse common recognition systems.