An ultra-thin screen that can display electronic text while being bent, twisted or even rolled up has been developed by American scientists.

The material stops short of being a true electronic newspaper since it cannot be folded in half but has been described as the most significant step yet towards practical e-papers and wearable computer screens.

The screen is only as thick as three human hairs and displays black text on a whitish-grey background, with a resolution similar to a typical laptop.