The days of scratched and cracked smartphone screens may be numbered: researchers have created a screen that can repair itself.
Researchers at the University of California Riverside have designed a new polymer that could eventually fuse cracks and paper over scratches.
The material can stretch up to 50 times its original size, which means that scratches don't have to be permanent. When completely cracked, it can also stitch itself back together again within 24 hours.
"A self-healing material, when carved in two parts, can go back together like nothing has happened, just like human skin," said Chao Wang, the researcher behind the creation.
Some phones are already fitted with similar technology on the back covers, such as the LG G Flex.
But Wang's attempt marks the first instance of a regenerating material that can conduct electricity, meaning it could be used for phone screens. Most phones have electrodes on the screen, which transmit taps and swipes to the phone.
It also fares better in varied environments such as humid places compared with previous versions, according to Wang.
He hopes the polymer will be available on cellphone screens by 2020.
