Opsys Develops New Materials
4th April 2004
New world-beating materials developed by Oxford-based technology innovator Opsys Limited could make flat, transparent, flexible full-colour displays a commercial reality.
Displays and light-emitting panels have the potential to become inexpensive enough to incorporate into wall coverings, furniture
and even safety clothing. They may develop to be as efficient as light bulbs and not only provide information, but also décor, ambient lighting and signage applications.
The potential is almost limitless. In the coming years consumers could have truly mobile information access – football scores downloaded to displays on cans of lager, animated recipes displayed on food packaging and windows that can be transformed into TV screens at the flick of a switch!
The Opsys technology
Opsys technology is based around newly developed chemical materials that are used in the production of flat displays, called dendrimers. These emit coloured light when subjected to an electrical current and because the dendrimers are in solution (similar to an ink), they can be printed directly onto most flat surfaces to make a display screen. This enables shaped, flexible and transparent displays to be produced.
Opsys’ new dendrimer materials enable displays to be produced that have much brighter, purer colours than conventional displays. Crucially, the new dendrimer displays have been proven to be more power efficient; a vital consideration for the commercial viability of such screens, particularly in portable battery-powered products such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Commenting upon the new technology, Michael Holmes, Opsys’ CEO says, “Dendrimer-based technology is an exciting breakthrough that will revolutionise the display industry. The possibilities presented are tremendously exciting. In the not too distant future, you could see transparent displays on shop windows, personal curved ‘wristband’ displays, light emitting panels on safety clothing and even TV’s that you could roll up and carry around!”
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