Sure, General Motors (GM) might be an old-school automobile and truck manufacturer, but as such, it also has its finger on the pulse of today’s technologies. And GM has received a patent for a new invention that not only will be useful to drivers but will also improve the experience of using a smartphone, a tablet, or any device with a touchscreen. The patent protects GM’s idea to create a screen that eliminates fingerprints, grease, and oil via a self-cleaning process.
GM’s patent will self-clean fingerprint smudges, grease, and oil off of a touchscreen
The violet pixels would be used during a cleaning cycle initiated by the driver during the day, or automatically when the vehicle is parked overnight. Ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight along with the violet pixels would activate the photocatalyst in the screen coating resulting in a chemical reaction that breaks down the organic material that creates fingerprint smudges on the display. Besides fingerprints, the process will also clean oil grease off of the glass along with fast food residue.
Of course, as with any patent, GM might decide never to implement this system. On the other hand, if this becomes practical, the patent could be licensed by a smartphone manufacturer and used on a future smartphone touchscreen. Currently, most smartphone displays sport an oleophobic coating that reduces fingerprints left on a smartphone’s glass panels.
