From foldable displays to smart wearables

Whether it is smartphones, wearables or televisions: In consumer electronics, printed electronics are changing the appearance and functionalities of solutions and products—for example in the form of flexible displays and Human Machine Interfaces like control panels with touch function.

OLED displays, for instance, are already the standard here. They are used in smartphones and tablets as well as for TV screens. Thanks to higher contrast and better color brilliance, they enable a whole new level of picture quality and consume less energy. And curved-display televisions offering a completely different viewing experience are already available.

Foldable displays have been on the market for some times. As a result, the size of the display is no longer be limited by the dimensions of the device, significantly reducing the current contrast between compactness and usability.

Another application of printed electronics are electrophoretic displays. They are characterized by the combination of particularly low power consumption and high daylight suitability. Frequent fields of application are e-readers as well as smart labels, e.g., smart price tags. Smart labels can act as displays for the indication of important notifications and messages at any time, for example as digital timetables in public transport.

More and more spectacular solutions are coming up around wearables— clothes and accessories with integrated electronic functionality. These include, for example, special T-shirts that measure the heart rate during sports. Smart watches and fitness trackers go beyond that and record numerous further body data—and, thanks to the flexible OLED display, they can even be used as mini televisions at any time.

Washing machines and refrigerators are also undergo a major transformation. Ultra-thin touch-sensitive sensors and displays ensure that the increasingly smart functions and capabilities of these and other household appliances can be used comfortably and clearly.