This Display Has Some Serious Flex Appeal

Techies are nothing if not particular when it comes to their displays. A daily driver computer may have two or three monitors, perhaps with one of them being curved or in a portrait orientation. For the power user that insists on having a display the size of a small television on their phone — but without the bulk — there are plenty of foldable options on the market. But really, no single option is right for every situation. When it comes to browsing the web or answering emails, the perfect setup is different than it is for coding or watching a movie.

To please the hardcore enthusiast, flexibility is required. Researchers at the Pohang University of Science and Technology in Korea have taken that requirement quite literally in developing a wild new type of display that can bend, fold, and gyrate about — all on its own. The unique design enables the screen to move itself to conform to different surfaces, or adjust to specific use cases. Furthermore, that movement can be leveraged to make the display double as a speaker. Not only does this minimize the size of the display, but it also causes the sound to come precisely from the direction of the on-screen action — a novelty for those of us accustomed to external speakers.

Traditional flexible displays, like those seen in foldable smartphones and rollable TVs, rely on mechanical components such as hinges or motors to change their shape. These solutions, while effective, have some drawbacks. They increase weight, take up space, and limit the range of possible deformations. The new OLED display solves these issues with a novel, ultra-thin piezoelectric polymer actuator.

The display contains a material known as poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) that has the ability to convert electrical energy into mechanical motion. By embedding PVDF actuators directly into the OLED panel, the researchers have created a display that bends and morphs in response to electrical signals alone — without the need for external structures or manual intervention. The result is a screen that can shift between concave, convex, S-shaped, and even wave-like formations dynamically, all while remaining thin and lightweight.

The same technology that enables the panel to flex also allows it to produce sound. Rapid vibrations of the PVDF actuators can generate audio frequencies, which turns the OLED display itself into a speaker.

There are many potential applications for this technology. Smartphones, for instance, could feature displays that physically reconfigure themselves for different tasks — gently curving to improve video playback or wrapping slightly to enhance grip for gaming. Automotive dashboards could morph on demand, changing their layout based on driving conditions. And wearable devices might dynamically adjust to fit a user’s wrist more comfortably while also serving as both a screen and an audio output.

The team is continuing to refine their technology, and that could lead to future versions that introduce even greater shape versatility, more precise sound control, or even haptic feedback to simulate physical textures. One thing is certain — displays are no longer just static screens but are evolving into dynamic, shape-shifting interfaces that promise a richer, more immersive user experience.