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E Ink Announces New Line of Vizplex Electronic Paper
New displays come brighter, faster and with more size options
Sean Snyder, Associate Editor -- Design News, May 24, 2007
Electronic paper developer and provider E Ink released its new line of Vizplex electronic paper, a super-thin screen display intended to replace paper made from the pulp of trees. The recently released line of these displays is faster and brighter than previous generations and is now available in a wider range of sizes, including 5-, 6-, 8- and 9.7-inch screens.
The paper is made of micro capsules containing positively and negatively charged black and white pigments mixed in a clear chemical liquid. The pigments’ vertical positions are manipulated by the application of electric stimulation. This method provides full contrast of black and white, as well as various shades of gray. The new brightness is the result of truer pigments offering greater contrast than before. Prototypes for color screens have been developed as well, using RGBW pigments (Red, Green, Blue and White).
The screens are not backlit – they rely on the reflected ambient light from the environment in which they are being used. “Our screens are like the moon and reflect the light around it,” says Dave Jackson, director of marketing and planning for E Ink. This is advantageous for users for a couple of reasons: the screens can be viewed in direct sunlight, which is not the case with LCD screens, and they use less power, he adds. Also, since the screens only require power to change the image and not to maintain it, Vizplex is not constantly draining a battery.
Vizplex uses the Metronome display controller, which helps lower the cost of production and boost functionality. “The Metronome display controller allows you to drive larger screens, it supports a higher bit depth and it takes advantage of the host system,” says Jackson. These latest screens using the Metronome display controller will also still support the Apollo display controller, which was used with previous generations.
One driving force behind E Ink and its development of electronic paper is the impact traditional paper production has on the environment. Michael McCreary, vice president of research and advanced development, optimistically envisions a broad adoption of electronic paper. “It would change the country’s ability to conform to the Kyoto Treaty overnight,” he says.
The screens are typically sold to major partners of E Ink, including Sony, LG Philips, Polymer Vision and iRex, but are also available as developer kits. “If there’s a home hobbyist who wants to buy a kit, all they need is a credit card,” says McCreary. The price tag ranges from $3,000 to $4,000 per kit.
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 Vizplex screens are now brighter, faster and available in a variety of sizes. |
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