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Photos: Roll up this laptop

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  • Roll-up laptop

    Roll-up laptop

    A team of engineers at the U.K.'s University of Cambridge have developed "morphing materials" that have the ability to retain up to three structures--meaning that within five years it could be possible to roll up your laptop screen as easily as a newspaper.

    This prototype, made by Keith Seffen, a lecturer in structural engineering at the University of Cambridge, holds the main electronic components by wooden strips on the vertical sides of the screen.

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • Rolled-up screen

    Rolled-up screen

    The screen rolls into an easy-to-carry size, and there's no need to panic if it's dropped on the floor, Seffen said.

    The material shown here is a copper alloy, with its structure distorted to produce either two shapes: a flat screen or tube structure. Seffen has developed materials that will hold three shapes and said "we think four shapes are a possibility."

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • Less than 1mm thick

    Less than 1mm thick

    The metal itself is less than a millimeter thick.

    The Cambridge team is currently developing mathematical models to predict how reliably the material will keep its shape and discover more about the material's limitations.

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • End view

    End view

    This end view shows the thinness and compactness of the roll-up laptop.

    Caption by: Andy Smith

  • Dr. Seffen

    Dr. Seffen

    Seffen demonstrates the roll-up screen. "It will complement the arrival of flexible displays in the future," he said.

    Caption by: Andy Smith

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Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a laptop that you can roll up as easily as a paper.

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Roll-up laptop

A team of engineers at the U.K.'s University of Cambridge have developed "morphing materials" that have the ability to retain up to three structures--meaning that within five years it could be possible to roll up your laptop screen as easily as a newspaper.

This prototype, made by Keith Seffen, a lecturer in structural engineering at the University of Cambridge, holds the main electronic components by wooden strips on the vertical sides of the screen.

Caption by: Andy Smith

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