Smart fitness bracelets are getting smaller and smaller, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is another device for which you have to find a place on your wrist. Korean giant Samsung decided to do something about it, using its know-how in the field of flexible displays. The result is a revolutionary display that resembles “expandable electronic skin.”
Researchers at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) have created an expandable OLED display that can be attached to the skin and can provide fitness data comparable to smart bracelets such as the number of steps or heart rate. The researchers tested a display located on the inside of the wrist near the artery, and the experiment confirmed that even when the wrist moved, the appearance of the display and the displayed values were not deformed.
During the test, the expandable OLED remained reliable with skin elongation of up to 30%. The test also confirmed that the sensor and OLED devices can work even after 1,000 stretches. The SAIT team modified the composition and structure of the elastomer, a polymer compound with high elasticity and durability, and used existing semiconductor manufacturing processes to apply it to substrates for expandable OLED displays and optical blood flow sensors.
According to Samsung, the “patch” acts as part of the skin and can be used to measure biometric data during sleep or exercise. You can also check your fitness data directly on the OLED screen without having to connect to an external device. “This technology can also be extended to use in wearable medical devices for adults, children and infants, as well as for patients with certain types of diseases.” explained the chief researcher Youngjun Yun.
However, Samsung’s research is still in its early stages. The researchers say they intend to commercialize the technology by increasing the display resolution, extensibility, and measurement accuracy to a level that allows mass production.
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