Army invests $50 million in flexible displays

A scientist demonstrates a piece of flexible display made with stainless-steel foil.

(Credit: U.S. Army)

The U.S. Army has committed to renewing its partnership and providing another $50 million to Arizona State University's flexible-display research facility, the university announced on Thursday.

That brings the Army's total investment since the Flexible Display Center (FDC) started in 2004 to $100 million.

The announcement comes in conjunction with a two-day event in Tempe, Ariz., near ASU, in which the U.S. Army and Flexible Display Center plan to showcase their progress to the public.

So why is the military so keen on flexible displays?

It's all about information and communications...and possibly profit.

A mock-up of a roll-out electronic map provides just one creative example of how flexible displays might be useful to the U.S. Army.

(Credit: U.S. Army)

Flexible displays are paper-thin electronic screens that can be bent, mounted onto objects, and sewn into clothing. Soldiers could easily wear them on their sleeves or wrists, and use them to receive critical data in real time in the form of instructions, photos, or maps.

In addition, flexible displays can be made more durable than regular LCD screens, allowing them to get banged around in combat and still work. They also consume only a fraction of the power of LCDs.

That doesn't just make them good for the military; it also makes for cool tech products.

That commercial value is something the military, ASU, and its partners clearly have in mind.

The Soldier Flex PDA, which has an integrated flexible display from the Flexible Display Center, was tested by U.S. Army riflemen in 2007.

(Credit: Andricka Thomas, RDECOM (Research Development and Engineering Command, U.S. Army) )

In addition to the design and development of things like integrated circuits and thin-film transistor (TFT) arrays, the Flexible Display Center has facilities for early-stage prototyping and low-volume production.

One product has already come out of the center. The Soldier Flex PDA, developed by Inhand Electronics, was introduced for military testing in 2007. It's a rugged glass-free PDA containing a screen developed by the Flexible Display Center.

The center even started a Flexible Display Center YouTube channel for showing the public its latest prototypes.

The Flexible Display Center's partnership with ASU and the U.S. Army also extends to the private sector, as well as other universities.

Those partners include the Center of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology at Lehigh University, Boeing, E Ink, Hewlett-Packard, LG Display, Raytheon, and Plextronics.

[aka_tripleB]

Those communicator on Earth: Final Conflict could only be years away! It would be awesome to have something like those.

[SpiritWater]

The future is now. This is awesome!

I'd like a flexible display device to fit on my arm and act as a credit card payment method and PDA phone with video chat therefore replacing my wallet, watch, mobile phone, MP3 player, and GPS device.

I'd like one of those in blue too. ;-)

[Lerianis]

Hey, the way things are going.... that might not be too far in the future coming! It would have to be upgradeable however, to cope with the numerous updates to security that are going to be coming in the future.

[Seaspray0]

Naaa, it's going to be an advertising gimick, right? Soldiers will be parading around the streets with little displays on their uniforms showing ads for salad shooters and ginsu knives...

[got_em]

it is for enhanced cloaking capability.

[dennisl59]

Let's me clear, they didn't INVEST, they SPENT. Cut the word games. And they should have spent the money on better personal weapons and ammo for Solders, Sailors and Marines to defend themselves instead of developing useless f-ing gadgets with my tax money.

Thank You.

[BCF1968]

Please. Enough with the YOUR ax money crap. I find most people that whine about THEIR tax money hardly pay any taxes. Even if you actually pay taxes I doubt you paid $100 mil in taxes.

Oh and useless?This will save soldiers lives. You obviously care more about your money than the lives of those that defend your right to gripe. Oh and this will also save your precious tax $$ in the long run.

[Bohica55]

It looks as if you have no idea of what is important to the military in the field. Sure bullets and other offensive material helps, but your stupidity shines through like a spotlight. INFORMATION, up to date as in just minutes old and available in any circumstance is absolutely essential. This prevents accidental shootings, and may even save them from straying into dangerous areas that have escalated in a very short time frame. Being able to stay in contact gives them the chance to find out if they are shooting at friendlies or the opposition. This can easily save lives and give them the upper hand, as these can be tied into the info net which includes drones and the ability to see what is over the next hill or in the next neighborhood. Bullets may help them when they get into the s**t, but these communication systems may keep them out of it entirely. GOOD INVESTMENT, BIG TIME!!

[Lerianis]

Bohica.... exactly right. Bullets are only the LAST RESORT for most soldiers in a combat zone.... if anything, they want to stay as far out of the line of fire as possible and let tanks, heavy assault vehicles, and planes do most, if not almost all, of the job for them.... unless they are in a quagmire like Iraq.

[Rita McKee]

A series of movies a few years back, based on Shatner's TekWars, had flexible screen communicators; I've been waiting for them in real-life since then : )

[titolajko]

THE GUY THAT SAID HE NEEDS A FLEXIBLE DEVICE with video chat therefore replacing his valet, watch, mobile phone, MP3 player, and GPS device. There is one out now called IPhone, It does not bend but it will blend.

[jaycustom]

Listen..anyone who thinks this is a bad investment and the government should invest in bigger guns and armor is wrong.BULLETS DON'T WIN WARS....TECHNOLOGY DOES. This is just another tool and step in the psychological scare that the United States brings to the enemy,weakening them before the war even starts. Most of this fear is knowing what kind of ridiculous technology the army utilizes.

[Lerianis]

Actually, jaycustom...... you are PARTIALLY right.... bullets don't win wars, but they help. Things like this might help wars from even starting by giving our 'enemy' (who is usually being manipulated by their own corrupt leaders) the idea that the United States doesn't want to go to war with them, and that the better idea would be to overthrow their leaders in order to prevent their friends, family, etc. from being killed in a full-scale war.