Self-cleaning screens: GM’s new tech could end touchscreen smudges

Fingerprints on touchscreens are a frustrating issue affecting everyone using smartphones. Engineers from General Motors may have come up with a solution to this problem that can be applied to cars, phones, and laptops.

Touchscreens are becoming an increasingly common element of everyday life. The problem is that their surfaces are very prone to greasy marks. Although cleaning cloths and foams are available, they aren’t an ideal solution. General Motors, however, might change this with a patent granted by the US Patent Office in February 2023. See the patent here.

Typical LED screens consist of groups of diodes that emit red, green, and blue light to create a full spectrum of colours. The novelty in General Motors’ proposal is the addition of a fourth diode to these groups, which will emit ultraviolet light. This light is invisible to the human eye but effectively activates the screen's self-cleaning function.

In this technology, the screen is coated with a transparent photocatalyst layer. It uses metal oxides, most likely titanium dioxide, which has already been utilised in self-cleaning photovoltaic panels.

When titanium dioxide is exposed to ultraviolet rays, its properties change. It turns from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, attracting moisture from the air. This reaction leads to free radicals forming, effectively breaking down organic matter on the screen's surface and removing fingerprints, grease, and other contaminants.

Access to sunlight (and UV radiation) is abundant in photovoltaic panels or windows, but the situation is different in car interiors. Therefore, GM engineers proposed additional UV diodes that create a controlled environment. The self-cleaning process can be activated anytime—for example, after turning on the car or on demand.

Although the patent belongs to General Motors and is initially intended for car use, it may find application in other devices with touchscreens, such as laptops, phones, tablets, or TVs. The diodes can also be placed in the frame around the display, making this technology universal.

It’s just a patent for now, but if it proves effective in practice, we could say goodbye to frustrating, dirty screens for good. Touchscreens are convenient but quickly get messy, affecting aesthetics and hygiene. Let’s hope this technology hits the market soon.