[Image above] ReFlex, a prototype for a flexible smartphone from researchers at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. Credit: Human Media Lab; YouTube
From smaller to bigger to thinner to stronger, our most prized technological possession—the smartphone—continues its evolution.
The industry has seen design concepts that range from foldable smartphones to screens with silicon polarizers that boost display brightness without draining battery life.
Tech companies have promised more flexible-yet-durable electronic displays in the past, but a true bendable, handheld electronic gadget has yet to hit the market.
But these are changing times. Enter: The ReFlex, a prototype for a flexible smartphone from researchers at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.
“Bending a book cover to flip pages provides visual, tactile, and kinesthetic feedback about navigation speed. Rigid phones don’t support these cues, causing users to lose track,” explains a video about the research, produced by Queen’s University’s Human Media Lab.
ReFlex consists of a high-res flexible OLED display that bends sensors and haptic feedback motors mounted to its back. An Android 4.4 board secured to the non-flexible part of the device provides power.
Plus, the device is incredibly lightweight and durable. Check out the video below to see this prototype flex its stuff.
Credit: Queen’s University Human Media Lab; YouTube
Interested in delving deeper into the research? Download the research team’s open-access paper, “ReFlex: A flexible smartphone with active haptic feedback for bend input.”