Researchers tout spreadable, self-powered OLEDs

It looks like we could one day be buying our OLED displays by the jar or the bucket-full, at least if some researchers from Sumitomo Chemical and Mitsubishi Chemical have their way. They're now working on what they describe as "spreadable" OLEDs, which could either be spread or "painted" on virtually any surface, leaving an OLED screen that would be just 100nm thick. As if that wasn't enough, the spreadable concoction would also double as a solar panel that'd keep the OLEDs powered, something that's apparently possible due to the "similar, but opposite, principles" that OLEDs and solar cells work on. What's more, while the two companies are apparently still in the early stages of research, they say they're aiming to have usable prototypes ready within the next two years.

[Via OLED Info]

[roflercopterer @ May 15th 2008 5:47PM]

Is it that hard to do a slight blur and a touch of noise?

[Zak @ May 15th 2008 5:53PM]

Does the whining ever stop? Don't you have anything better to do? I bet the Engadget editors do, which is why it's a quick photochop, not a work of art.

Good god.

[roflercopterer @ May 15th 2008 5:59PM]

No and no, and probably, and I don't care.

[Zak @ May 15th 2008 6:11PM]

"I don't care", that's a good one. You obviously care enough to whine about it, right?

[roflercopterer @ May 15th 2008 6:13PM]

Yeah....you caught me :

[MeatyPi @ May 15th 2008 5:53PM]

it would make one expensive piece of toast.

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 15th 2008 6:02PM]

this would give new meaning to the term 'party in your mouth'

[allenvanhellen @ May 15th 2008 6:05PM]

Awesome! This solves 2 of the 5 problems humanity still faces! Yippie!

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ May 15th 2008 7:27PM]

"...Now let's drop this giant ball of oil out the window."

[Scentedflame @ May 15th 2008 6:06PM]

This sounds promising, but they can't market it as cream cheese.

[Stem $ell @ May 15th 2008 6:07PM]

Add to your toothpaste for a "smile that lights up the room"...

[Low Ranked @ May 15th 2008 6:09PM]

Kraft?!

C'mon, everyone knows Philadelphia owns the cream cheese market.

[Kevlar @ May 15th 2008 6:27PM]

Philadelphia cream cheese is made and distributed by Kraft. That's a Philadelphia container right there, in fact.

[Richard Lai @ May 15th 2008 6:34PM]

Kevlar's right - Philadelphia is a brand name under Kraft. Look carefully next time.

http://www.highlandfarms.ca/images/food/grocery/Kraft_PhiladelphiaCreamCheese_133307.gif

[ddub @ May 15th 2008 7:35PM]

I think kraft/philly pretty much has the cream cheese market covered, can't think of any other brands besides generic, which is probably made at the same place as kraft.

[Low Ranked @ May 15th 2008 8:20PM]

Sorry, I meant "OLED" not Kraft.

But I became the butt of my own joke, lol.

[For2itous @ May 15th 2008 6:12PM]

Or, add to your KY for that "shaft of light' effect...

[Yevon @ May 15th 2008 6:28PM]

Wow, if Teflon causes cancer eating this stuff must give some sort of super cancer... or superpowers!

[Zak @ May 15th 2008 6:30PM]

I'm hoping for superpowers myself.

[andres @ May 15th 2008 7:04PM]

introducing ambient light man, with just enough light to ruin your new astronomy hobby

[Richard Lai @ May 15th 2008 6:31PM]

It'd be weird to have your belly glowing in the dark...

[MichaelD @ May 15th 2008 11:26PM]

Ever seen Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves?

[CraigJ @ May 15th 2008 6:36PM]

I'm much more interested in spray on solar panels at this point that OLEDs. Imagine your plug-in hybrid with a solar cell paint job sitting in the parking lot while you're working...

[DESTOS @ May 15th 2008 7:04PM]

I don't see why you couldn't use this to paint your car too.

[Loker @ May 15th 2008 8:08PM]

imagine your solar powered hybrid that changes colors depending on your mood....and on that point imagine the safety implications! I mean if at night your car gave off a nice glow you would be way more visible than with just two tail lights....

[Phoenix @ May 15th 2008 6:38PM]

Hmm. Think of the graffiti!!!

[harley @ May 15th 2008 6:40PM]

LOL how bout the final, floating product in the toilet bowl! thats hilarious right there...

[Zak @ May 15th 2008 7:21PM]

"So I see you had corn recently."

[BigD145 @ May 15th 2008 7:22PM]

I can imagine just how toxic this will be.

[ddub @ May 15th 2008 7:31PM]

MMMMM......... Spread OLED... DROOOOOLLLL

[Andus Cheung @ May 15th 2008 7:37PM]

Spread kind of messy for me. Can I spray it like PAM instead?

Better yet, it would be nice I could spit it out from my mouth. “Hehe, I just put an OLED on your face!”

[wong fu @ May 15th 2008 9:34PM]

how do you hook zee wires?

[ddub @ May 15th 2008 10:11PM]

Yeah thats the only catch. Once you hook up the cables, tuner, power supply, etc., starts to limit what you can put it on.

[ddub @ May 15th 2008 10:12PM]

Well, I guess IF (probably a big if) its solar powerd it needs a battery and not necessarily a power converter.

[McFly @ May 15th 2008 9:49PM]

how cool would it be if they did this with descrete components, you could just draw a circuit on a piece of cardboard, along with a drawn on solar cell...

[Ayman @ May 16th 2008 1:20AM]

and the next invention is OLED Tattoos

[Windzilla @ May 16th 2008 2:53AM]

they should make this into a pave-able substance. you could have interactive light up streets for one. Even better the photovoltaic ability could allow our gigantic highway and road systems to function as solar generators!

horray for chemistry!

[John @ May 16th 2008 3:32AM]

Neat!

[Alex @ May 16th 2008 6:32AM]

Kleenex with OLEDs so your nose wont be red!

[Generic @ May 16th 2008 9:14AM]

...and the latest in green technology, to reuse your monitor just spread some OLED on it, um to taste...

If you think of it, it makes sense to wash away the old burnt OLED off the monitor and spread new OLED stuff, IF it works like that.

[ScorpFromHell @ May 16th 2008 10:55AM]

Whoa! This is big ... if it happens for real!!!!! I can easily imagine huuuuuuuuge electronic graffiti all over the world!