Samsung Electronics has registered two new patents aimed to feature in its future generation bendable phones. One patent termed as “artificial muscle” is some robotic muscle, and another is a foldable display.
The first patent mentions a flexible image processing board and a bendable phone display panel connected with minimum one artificial muscle in between attached to at least one of the plates. The artificial muscle can be configured to any desired shape by applying required voltages by an internal controller, which of course will change the shape of the connected plate attached with it.
Samsung’s artificial muscle is a matrix of very little connected plates which can bend autonomously when the exact amount of voltage is induced. If the robotic muscle is bent using external force, it will draw the required voltage from the controller to maintain the acquired shape.
The Korean giant’s research initiative for developing flexible and bendable smart devices in the future “Project Valley”, has patented a considerable number of exciting inventions. About two years ago, it showed us a concept which allowed a tablet-sized display to be folded and fitted inside a smartphone. At about the same time, Samsung launched the Galaxy Round, the company’s first smartphone featuring a curved display.
As Samsung is filing one patent after another on bendable technology, industry experts predict that we may see a foldable smartphone from the company as soon as next year. Companies like Apple and LG are also in the race to develop flexible smartphones, and both have numerous patents regarding bendable technology.
