来自台湾地区的工研院(ITRI)影像显示科技中心主任程章林(Janglin Chen)预估，彩色卷轴式显示器(rollable color display)最快在2015年就能问世，并可望催生一系列全新的便携式产品。台湾工研院的软性显示器在日前打败了超过590位竞争对手，赢得了Dow Jones所颁发的创新金奖(gold innovation award)。

 包括程章林在内的众显示器技术研究专家，目前仍在寻找一种机制，能让消费者把智能型手机或是平板装置尺寸之显示器，卷进一个只有胖胖的蜡笔那么大的系统中；但到目前为止，软性显示器大多只能弯折，无法被紧密地卷起来、又不让显示器材料受损。

 “我们在实验室里已经能让软性显示器弯折1万5,000次、而且其性能不会衰减，但如果要制作能够让消费者卷起来、且频繁使用的显示器装置，还需要更强韧的设计。”程章林表示。台湾工研院的软性显示器技术已经授权给面板大厂友达(AUO)，后者准备为预定2011年推出的明基(BenQ)电子书阅读器供应显示器；而该种显示器将在友达现有的3.5代液晶面板厂生产。

 程章林指出，其他竞争厂商包括Polymer Vision与Plastic Logic所采用的有机材料软性显示器，需要以低温制程生产，台湾工研院的软性显示器则在彩度与对比性能上，号称能达到与传统相同尺寸的TFT LCD显示器相同水平：“这能为设计者开启设计一系列新型玩具、医疗感测装置或是其他产品的新思维。”

 他指出，利用新技术，工程师能开发出模仿纸张特性的电子显示器，例如能缠绕在手臂或是腿部的便携式X光显示器。而虽然理想中的卷轴式显示器还需要至少五年的时间才能问世，台湾工研院目前已着手研发采用其可弯折显示器技术的OLED显示器与触控屏幕。

 目前台湾工研院正与友达合作，试图找到一种能让OLED隔绝氧气与湿气的塑料材料；此外台湾工研院也与一家不透露名称的触控屏幕技术供货商合作，正在开发触控版本的软性TFT LCD显示器，预计产品将在一至两年后问世。

工研院的可弯折软性显示器。

Researcher: Rollable displays unfold in 2015

 Rick Merritt

 Rollable color displays could become available as early as 2015, according to a leading researcher in the field. The displays are expected to enable a new class of mobile products.

 That's the rough estimate of Janglin Chen, general director of the display technology center at Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute. ITRI's flexible display beat more than 590 submissions to win a gold innovation award sponsored by Dow Jones this week.

 Researchers like Chen are still looking for a mechanism that would let consumers roll a smartphone- or tablet-sized display in and out of a system the size of a fat crayon. Today's flexible displays are bendable but cannot be rolled so tightly or often without damaging the materials.

 "For bending, we can do this 15,000 times in the lab without deterioration of the screen's performance, but to make a device that's rollable by consumers who are more abusive requires a more sturdy design," said Chen who demonstrated a prototype in a video interview.

 ITRI has licensed its technology to Taiwan's AU Optronics which is preparing to make displays that will appear in e-readers from BenQ in 2011. The displays will be built in an existing Generation 3.5 LCD fab.

 The technology uses a plastic material that can withstand the high temperatures of TFT LCD processes. The approach requires two new manufacturing steps—a coating at the beginning and a de-bonding at the end. ITRI has licensed its technology to a Taiwan equipment maker who is creating the manufacturing equipment.

 Competing approaches from companies such as Polymer Vision and Plastic Logic use an organic material that requires low temperature manufacturing techniques, said Chen. ITRI's displays have the same color and contrast capabilities as similar sized conventional TFT LCDs.

 "This opens up the mindset for the designer for new kinds of toys, medical sensors or other products," said Chen.

 Engineers could use the technology to develop electronic displays that mimic the features of paper. For example, designers could build a portable x-ray display that could be wrapped around an arm or leg, he said.

 Although rollable displays are still at least five years off, ITRI is working on versions of its current bendable technology for Organic LED displays and touch screens.

 ITRI researchers are working with AU Optronics trying to find a plastic material that could protect OLEDs from oxygen and moisture. Separately, ITRI is working with an unnamed touch-screen technology provider on a touch-screen version of the TFT LCD flexible display with products expected in one to two years.