LGD Selected as Lead Company for National Project on Stretchable Display Development

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] LG Display announced on the 11th that it has been selected as the lead company for the national project ‘Stretchable Display Development’ promoted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Stretchable displays refer to displays with elasticity like rubber bands, unlike other flexible displays currently commercialized such as foldable and rollable displays. Because they can change shape in various ways without screen distortion, they are considered the final stage of flexible displays.

The industry views stretchable displays as the most suitable displays for the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and the era of autonomous vehicles.

For this reason, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy also designated stretchable display development as a major project within the ‘Display Innovation Process Platform Construction’ initiative promoted since last year.

This national project for ‘Stretchable Display Development’ will proceed in two stages: core source technology development and productization technology development. LG Display plans to develop a stretchable display product with a tensile rate?the ratio of material elongation?raised to 20% by 2024.

Once realized, this product is expected to expand applications such as multipliable smart devices that can be folded and unfolded like paper, wearable devices with excellent comfort, and displays for automobiles and aviation.

In particular, this development not only aims at core technology development, patent acquisition, and creation and preemption of high value-added new markets but also signifies the establishment of a national ecosystem for future display technology through collaboration among 21 institutions including large corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, and research institutes.

Yoon Soo-young, Executive Vice President and Head of LG Display Research Institute, who is responsible for the overall management of this national project, said, "By developing the stretchable display, a new form factor for creating high value-added new markets, we will demonstrate LG Display’s future technological capabilities and lay the foundation for the Korean display industry to continuously lead the global market."