Samsung develops OLED skin display that doubles up as a fitness tracker

How cool would it be to wear a thin OLED patch on your wrist instead of bulky smartwatches for fitness tracking? Straight out of a science fiction film, Samsung has announced its next big breakthrough in flexible display technology – “stretchy electronic skin”.

Researchers at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) have developed a stretchable OLED display that can be attached to the wrist to provide fitness tracking information to users. A PPG heart rate sensor is integrated, which creates what Samsung calls the “stretchable electronic skin form factor”.

SAIT researchers tested the device by attaching it to the inner wrist near the radial artery. This enabled them to confirm that wrist movement was not affecting the display.

During the test, the stretchable OLED remained reliable with a skin stretch of up to 30%. The test also confirmed that the sensor and the OLED device can continue to work stably even after 1,000 stretches.

How did Samsung develop the OLED skin display?

The SAIT team modified the composition and structure of elastomer, a polymer compound with high elasticity and resilience, and used existing semiconductor manufacturing processes to apply it to the substrates of stretchable OLED displays and optical blood flow sensors. Samsung claims this is a first for the industry.

Will Samsung Commercialize This OLED Skin Display?

According to Samsung, the patch feels like part of the skin. It can be used to measure biometric data while sleeping or exercising. You can also check your fitness data right on the OLED screen without connecting to an external device.

“The technology can also be extended to use in wearable health products for adults, children and infants, as well as patients with certain diseases,” said research director Youngjun Yun.

The expandable sensor also enables continuous heart rate measurement with a high level of sensitivity compared to existing permanently installed portable sensors.

However, Samsung’s research is still in its infancy. The researchers say they want to commercialize the technology by increasing system resolution, extensibility, and measurement accuracy to levels that allow for mass production.