GE builds an OLED printer, hopes to challenge light bulbs in 2010

Maybe the incandescent light bulb has been sitting in its socket-shaped throne for too many years -- GE thinks so, anyway. GE R&D guys have produced a machine that prints OLED materials newspaper-style onto 8-inch sheets of metal foil in hopes that the sheets -- which can be pinned to just about any surface -- will start the process of home lighting biz regime change in 2010. Picture, if you will, wallpaper or window blinds that provide soft, diffused lighting for the living room after dark -- no need for special fixtures, just a wall plug. OLED lighting isn't yet cost-efficient for the average consumer, but GE hopes that will change soon. In the meantime, expect to see these sheets in a trip-out Flaming Lips concert in the somewhat-near future.

[d i s @ Oct 11th 2008 3:04AM]

i told u ma the walls glowed i wasn't "seeing" lights ... i mean i did , err

[dvsbstrd @ Oct 11th 2008 3:10AM]

Wha...What the hell?

[Colin Potter @ Oct 11th 2008 5:13AM]

more intelligence please. thanks.

[allislost @ Oct 11th 2008 6:32AM]

hmm... it was almost funny... but that's like saying George W Bush is almost a genius.

anyway It might of helped if you started with a line like "So then i says" or something like that...

Or you can do what i do!

...

[allislost @ Oct 11th 2008 6:33AM]

No, no... i'm not liking this. If the lights were of to be, it would be BETTER!

[Jon Doe. @ Oct 11th 2008 3:29AM]

My next wallpaper for my bathroom. :-D

[bureX @ Oct 11th 2008 3:56AM]

Glowing clothes! The future has finally arrived!

[CJ ADAP @ Oct 11th 2008 3:59AM]

more like glowing thongs!

[junkdubious @ Oct 11th 2008 11:41AM]

I predicted this years ago!

-Tron guy

[Jon Doe. @ Oct 11th 2008 2:55PM]

Mmmm video thongs.

[Plothole @ Oct 11th 2008 9:42PM]

*must resist temptation to say "the future looks bright"*
Do'h!

Well technically there are already clothes that can glow. If you google it you'll find a bunch of places that incorporate regular LEDs into their designs. I'm not sure how comfortable these actually are to wear though...

[Goatee Man @ Oct 11th 2008 4:23AM]

Now I want to line my clothes with this so that I can walk around with a Heavenly glow...

[Alex Dorman @ Oct 11th 2008 4:28AM]

Flaming Lips FTW!

[toxicpiano @ Oct 11th 2008 5:53AM]

How many OLEDs does it take to change a lightbulb?

[Zibbli @ Oct 13th 2008 5:59PM]

What's a light-bulb?

[iEye @ Oct 11th 2008 6:11AM]

Andything is better than the light from a CFL....

Hurts my eyes and makes good fool look rotten...

[Chris @ Oct 11th 2008 2:29PM]

Is it also responsible for your poor typing skills?

[rony @ Oct 11th 2008 6:31AM]

make them water-proof and multi-hued and I'll cover the floor of my pool with them...... pool party yay !!!!!!!

[Magnulus @ Oct 11th 2008 6:46AM]

I love the thought of OLED lighting in my flat.

Mount strips across the corner between wall and ceiling on both sides of the living room, hey presto! Even, soft lighting for the whole living room without wasting space on lamps.

Attach a solar charger to the window blinds idea and you're not even paying for the tiny bit of electricity they're using.

[Murc @ Oct 11th 2008 8:13PM]

yeeeaaaaaah.....

you do know they have lights that attach to the ceiling...
so it doesn't waste you precious space...

[StupidNickname @ Oct 11th 2008 3:32PM]

Where are you getting your free "solar charger"?

[rento @ Oct 11th 2008 7:14AM]

OLED ceiling now!

[Wwhat @ Oct 11th 2008 7:14AM]

I don't know, too much diffuse area light makes for a somewhat lifeless atmosphere I bet.

[HDGMansur MrFareed @ Oct 11th 2008 7:55AM]

Interesting. A step in the right direction. Many possibilities.

[Daniel @ Oct 11th 2008 9:22AM]

OMG!! my dream finally comes true
i want to have a full glowing star ceiling
it would look so magical!

[Todd Alhart @ Oct 11th 2008 12:21PM]

For more on GE's OLED research, check out this link - http://www.grcblog.com/?cat=19

[kadajawi @ Oct 11th 2008 12:29PM]

Hm... what about TFTs backlit with OLEDs? A bit weird maybe, but should improve image quality as the light source is flat and even. Also it's thinner. Great for laptops. And OLED backlights shouldn't be too expensive, I guess. I hope that by then OLED screens are affordable (and available) though.

[HunterXI @ Oct 11th 2008 2:39PM]

Um... you do realize that OLEDs are screens and not backlights, right? And that their whole purpose for existing is that they produce much nicer colors than LCDs?

[Bryan @ Oct 11th 2008 3:13PM]

"Um... you do realize that OLEDs are screens and not backlights, right? And that their whole purpose for existing is that they produce much nicer colors than LCDs?"

No.

An OLED is an organic light emitting diode. Another type of light emitting diode is used to indicate that your computer's power is on.

There are displays made from OLEDs - primarily because you can get blue OLEDs looking bluer and for lower cost than you can with conventional OLEDs, and because OLEDs have a much more scalable manufacturing process.

OLEDs are used in place of LCD matrices in displays not only because they get truer color (they do), but also a full 180 degree viewing angle in both directions, and they are more energy efficient (you're producing light as you need it, rather than overproducing light then filtering it).

That said, they DO make OLED backlit LCD displays (in fact, about half of your modern displays are OLED backlit) - primarily because a flat sheet of OLED is cheaper to produce than a flat sheet of flourescent light, the light produced is softer and doesn't require attenuation to get a proper 6500K base light, and OLEDs are more energy efficient then flourescent, even at that thickness (resulting in a cheaper power supply and no requirement for a bias).

[name @ Oct 11th 2008 12:59PM]

nice!

[MyHeadisFed @ Oct 11th 2008 1:16PM]

I want some OLED clothes to dance in all night long. Imagine the trails!

[Bryan @ Oct 11th 2008 3:17PM]

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/illuminated/

[Mike @ Oct 11th 2008 1:17PM]

Bring on Smoke Pants!

[Creston Financial @ Oct 11th 2008 2:13PM]

This is absolutely a very cool idea.

[Reason @ Oct 11th 2008 2:52PM]

This is kinda old news... http://www.gizmag.com/ge-roll-to-roll-oled-manufacture/8975/

[Justin @ Oct 11th 2008 5:59PM]

This is amazing!

[sum1 u dont no. @ Oct 11th 2008 10:48PM]

strange... but interesting.
but i dont think they'll ever replace the good old incadescent light bulb... :-)
\/
>O=
/\
(light bulb)

[Kevin @ Oct 11th 2008 11:52PM]

I love my daylight CFLs from GE, but this diffuse light could be great. Also, for rooms with low ceilings, there would be nothing to jut down and I suspect there would be a nice illusion of greater height.

[evan johnson @ Oct 12th 2008 6:38PM]

interesting... the implecations of this are big. if the OLED priting is eficieant, this could work wonders for the entertainment industry as well as the lighting one. if OLED's could be printed with enough accuracy, then cheap and hi-res (not to mention flexable) screens for TV's and other appliances. I think this is cool and should be looked into more.

[Racetrack_Owner @ Oct 13th 2008 7:56AM]

Except that this article isn't remotely related to OLED displays... just flat squares that emit light. No control circuitry, no fine resolution. Just a flat, bright square. So the implications aren't big with relation to anything you're speculating about.

[Macha88 @ Oct 12th 2008 8:31PM]

What will replace the incandescent as the iconic pop up over people's head when they get a brilliant idea?

[absinthe party @ Oct 13th 2008 12:41PM]

Engadget and pal, remember that one time you already reported on this?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/12/ge-researchers-create-printable-flexible-oleds/