The Ohio Third Frontier Program awarded Kent State’s Liquid Crystal Institute in December with three grants for three different projects that the institute is working on.

The Liquid Crystal Institute received one third of the awards that the Ohio Third Frontier gave out for Phase I, a total of $137,571. This is more than any other program in Ohio, according to Dr. John West, Trustees Research Professor at the Liquid Crystal Institute.

West himself is working on developing technology that could be used to create flexible displays and touch screens.

“It’s a new technology that was kind of developed by accident here, to tell you the truth,” West said.

In order to receive the new awards, West and the other scientists from the Liquid Crystal Institute had to collaborate with companies who would be able to use the newly developed technologies in their products. They also had to submit patent applications.

West said that with the help of the Phase I awards, the projects should be able to move along quickly.

“Optimistically, it will be a couple years before you see it in the marketplace,” he said.

Contact Erin England at [email protected].