An international team of researchers has created a technology that projects images on an ultra-thin display made entirely of soap bubbles. The team uses ultrasonic vibrations to alter the display’s properties, such as its transparency and surface, to produce a flat or even a 3D image. The project is called the colloidal display, and is being worked on by researchers from the University of Tokyo, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Tsukuba. The bubble mixture used in the research is similar to consumer-grade soap, although it is more sophisticated and harder to pop — in fact, objects can even pass through the film without destroying it. “The combination of the ultrasonic waves and ultra thin membranes makes more realistic, distinctive, and vivid imageries on screen,” the team wrote on its website. “This system contributes to open up a new path for display engineering with sharp imageries, transparency, BRDF and flexibility.” A video demonstration follows below.
[Via BBC]