MorePhone bends to indicate incoming call

We already published a story this morning on the new ‘bendy' LG OLED television set and researchers at Queen's University Human Media Lab in Belfast have just developed a new prototype smartphone which can change shape to alert the user, such as when receiving calls.

The phone is built around a flexible electrophoretic display which is created by Plastic Logic. The MorePhone can change shape, curling the body outwards to indicate a call is being received. It can also bend three individual corners to show a specific message has been received.

This shapeshifting capability is due to ‘shape memory alloy wires' that are sandwiched underneath the display. They contract when the call, text or email is received leading to the curling effect.

The MorePhone was developed under control of Dr. Roel Vertegaal, also responsible for the PaperTab tablet and the PaperPhone smartphone.

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Dr. Vertegaal said “Users are familiar with hearing their phone ring or feeling it vibrates in silent mode. One of the problems with current silent forms of notification is that users often miss notifications when not holding their phone. With MorePhone, they can leave their smartphone on the table and observe visual shape changes when someone is trying to contact them.”

Kitguru says: These phones are some time away from mainstream adoption. Dr Vertegaal guesses between 5 and 10 years.

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