Foldable tablets,\nelectronic charts and bridge displays should become a reality after innovation\nin nanotechnology screen films. The first foldable smartphones are set to be\nintroduced in Q1 2019, when consumers can test the technology. Manufacturers\nhave made great strides in developing folding displays for phones. But, an\ninvention was required in conductive materials that would enable touchscreens\nto function reliably. This is vital if this technology is to be adopted in a\nmaritime environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heraeus Electronic\nChemicals has made this technological step with its Clevios HY E material for\ntouchscreens. It unveiled this material in November for folding, or rollable,\ntouchscreen devices that need to be robust, flexible and elastic. Heraeus head\nof technical service display Armin Sautter said its Clevios HY E material has\nthe requisite electronic and mechanical properties, combined with a flexible\nbinding agent that allows for a smaller bending radius. It is a hybrid material\nthat consists of silver nanowires and conductive PEDOT\n(poly-ethylenedioxythiophene) polymers as a flexible binding agent. Heraeus has\nfolded Clevios HY E in tests more than 300,000 times, achieving a bending\nradius of 1 mm with no impairment in conductivity. This material has demonstrated\nthe high conductivity needed for large displays, while its bending tests mean\nit could be used for tablets with multiple folds. Touch-sensitive sensors can\nthen be inserted into the display film so they are undetectable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heraeus worked with\na touch panel manufacturer in Taiwan to develop an 8-inch folded touchscreen\nprototype. \u201cNow we are looking for technological partnerships to implement\nadditional applications,\u201d said Mr Sautter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Samsung has been\ndeveloping folding screen technology for nearly a decade, which culminated in\nit revealing the Infinity Flex Display earlier this month. Samsung is expected\nto introduce its Galaxy X smartphone in Q1 or Q2 2019, which would include a\nscreen that can be folded inwards in half. Chinese technology company Royole\nhas demonstrated the FlexPai smartphone with a display that can be folded\noutwards. It could be available to purchase in December 2018 and could be\nscaled up to tablets. LG has demonstrated its foldable screen technology for\nlarger displays with an 18-in display that could be rolled up like a newspaper\nor magazine. This could be adapted into a commercial product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are questions\nover the quality of flexible material, the clarity of these displays and their\ndurability. However, these are first-generation products and further\ndevelopment work could improve quality and reduce these concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foldable display\ntechnology is an important development of bridge digitalisation as it has\nseveral potential applications. For example, rollable and foldable displays\ncould revolutionise electronic chart and voyage planning processes. Bridge\nteams could open electronic charts with optimised routes and navigation\nwarnings superimposed on any surface, like a roadmap or a rolled paper chart.\nDisplays could be curved around bridge workstations or around ship interiors. Foldable\ntablets could be used by vessel officers to review operations, or by pilots\nalready familiar with portable navigation units. Captains could have a portable\nfoldable screen to display navigation and automation aids, such as radar,\nECDIS, conning and alarm monitoring, around the ship. Larger displays could be\neasily stored and transported. This would enable training simulators to be\ntransferred between ships for teaching seamanship and engineering skills, or\nassessing competencies, such as navigation and ship handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n