Giving a new shape to display panels

Dubai: LCD panels are usually square or rectangle in shape but Sharp has made a breakthrough.

The Japanese giant has developed a Free-Form Display (FFD) using IGZO technology where the device can be shaped in any way to meet a wide range of user needs.

“LCD panels are usually square because they need gate drivers on the edge to accommodate the circuit. With FFD, the gate drivers can be placed anywhere on the LCD panel and in turn the panels can be converted to any shapes,” Fumio Yamaguchi, managing director at Sharp Middle East and Africa, told Gulf News.

He said that Sharp is working with automobile companies to use it on the dashboard of the cars to have a single instrument panel that combines a speedometer and other monitors. It is expected to be marketed in 2017.

“Display panels have always had a routine look and feel with minimal technological updates restricting how display functions can be viewed. We are excited to see how the innovative Free-Form displays will be used by manufacturers,” he said.

He said that FFD gives designers more freedom to experiment with non-standard display shapes as well as cuts down on the need for thick bezels on the edge of the screen.