There have been several foldable screens shown off at CES and other shows, though no prototypes have made it into our hands as of yet.  For the most part they seem to rely on rigid structures linked by stretchable or foldable materials, which is what makes the research PhysicsWorld is reporting so interesting.  Researchers from the University of Houston have developed a semiconductor which is able to retain its performance even when stretched up to 50% from it's original size.  The prototype, with integrated electronics and logic circuits, relies on a rubbery semiconductor composite doped with carbon nanotubes which carry the charge from component to component even when the material is deformed or stretched.  They also suggest that this manufacturing is relatively inexpensive, which is perhaps the largest hurdle when developing this type of product.

Jump over to their report and take a look.

 

"Their low-cost semiconductor material retained its high charge carrier mobility, even when subjected to 50% stretching. The team’s work could lead to the development of practical new technologies including robotic skins and wearable electronics."

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