Flexible Screens on the Way for E-readers

From PC World: Flexible screens as thin as a piece of paper may be available for e-readers by early next year thanks to a project from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and licensee AU Optronics, one of the world's largest LCD screen makers.

ITRI developed a manufacturing process for the thin displays and AU is in the process of converting an old factory to mass produce them, according to John Chen, general director of the Display Technology Center at ITRI.

AU Oprtonics confirmed the joint research project with ITRI but declined further comment.

"The beauty of this technology is you use today's production technology," he said, adding that there's no need to invest billions of dollars in a new factory, which would increase the price of the technology and any end-products it finally went into.

The current project is to make e-reader screens aimed at schools. The idea is that the flexible screens are more resistant to breaking, since they bend, and would make better e-readers for young children. The downside of the idea is that a new touchscreen function for the paper-thin screens is not quite ready, though it is also already being licensed by ITRI to another company that specializes in touchscreen technology.

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