Intel patent app reveals flexible display fabrication plans

No sooner than a furry display patent application surfaces from Philips, it looks like Intel has jumped on the patent-a-random-display bandwagon along with Apple and a few others. Of course, flexible displays have long since been a figment of reality, but the "method of fabricating flexible displays" patent tends to focus more on the snazzy new development methods than the screen itself. Essentially, Intel is looking to use a duo of flexible sheets to sandwich a "number of magnetic display elements" that have "magnetically controllable reflectivity" between the two; furthermore the location of the magnetic particles "with respect to the flexible non-conductive sheets determines the reflectivity of the pixel." The presumably conductive boards would eventually be aiming at cellphones, "portable web browsers," and GPS navigation systems, but considering the head start that quite a few competitors already have, we hope Intel engineers are a bit past the drawing board on this one.

[Via UnwiredView]

[benjamin @ Apr 28th 2007 9:43AM]

doesnt e-ink already have this ship sailing?

[az @ Apr 28th 2007 6:26PM]

I could see flexible displays being used in mobile devices that could have a large display but be able to be folded to fit in your pocket