QUOTE
The electronic display could replace paper in a number of applications, according to Fujitsu, ranging from information boards, billboards, posters to menus at restaurants to point-of-purchase tags. Fujitsu, Ltd. intends to introduce paper display products in its fiscal 2006 year, which runs from April 2006 to March 2007, the company said. The company has begun test marketing and field tests to find the first commercial applications of the display. Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd., Fujitsu Frontech Ltd. and parent Fujitsu teamed to develop the display. Fujitsu Labs developed materials and display technology while Fujitsu Frontech contributed on production.
Differing from widely used flat displays that have color filters consisting of red, green and blue pixels, the paper display has a three layered structure in total about 0.8 mm thick. One layer consists of two 0.125 mm-thick films sandwiching liquid crystal. Cholesteric crystals in each layer are twisted in a certain pitch to reflect only red, green or blue light respectively.
Images on the screen can be changed with 10-milliwatts to 100-milliwatts depending on scanning speed.
Fujitsu's display is able to retain its image even when it is bent, said a spokesman of Fujitsu Labs. Conventional prototypes looses image on the screen when being bent, but Fujitsu team invented an adequate material and structure, said the spokesman, declining to go in detail.
As the display is a simple passive matrix driver chips are available off-the-shelf, so there are no big factors to push up the cost of the display, he said. For future, wider applications, the team will continue working on enlarging the display and increasing the color gamut.
Differing from widely used flat displays that have color filters consisting of red, green and blue pixels, the paper display has a three layered structure in total about 0.8 mm thick. One layer consists of two 0.125 mm-thick films sandwiching liquid crystal. Cholesteric crystals in each layer are twisted in a certain pitch to reflect only red, green or blue light respectively.
Images on the screen can be changed with 10-milliwatts to 100-milliwatts depending on scanning speed.
Fujitsu's display is able to retain its image even when it is bent, said a spokesman of Fujitsu Labs. Conventional prototypes looses image on the screen when being bent, but Fujitsu team invented an adequate material and structure, said the spokesman, declining to go in detail.
As the display is a simple passive matrix driver chips are available off-the-shelf, so there are no big factors to push up the cost of the display, he said. For future, wider applications, the team will continue working on enlarging the display and increasing the color gamut.
We could have computers that we just roll up in our pocket soon
Figure 1. World's first film substrate-based bendable color electronic paper with image memory function (shown being bent)
Figure 2. World's first film substrate-based bendable color electronic paper with image memory function (color example)
It will obviously get much better over the next few years...
Development Background
Electronic paper offers all of the same characteristics of paper such as being thin, flexible, and lightweight. It also boasts low power consumption in that it does not require electricity except during screen image changes, making electronic paper especially suited for advertisements or information bulletins in public places for which paper is currently used. Electronic paper is especially convenient for use on curved surfaces, such as columns. In addition, electronic paper can be conveniently used in conjunction with mobile devices as an easy-to-read and portable display device.
Numerous R&D efforts are in progress in the field of electronic paper. However, thus far there had been no color electronic paper available that uses flexible film substrate capable of being bent without affecting the screen image and which features a memory function.
1. No electricity required for continuous display, minimal power consumption when changing screen image
Features an image memory function that enables continuous display of the same image even when electricity is turned off therefore no electricity is required for continuous display.
Screen image can be changed using minimal electricity consumption equivalent to the weak radiowaves used in contactless IC cards.
Fujitsu's new technology significantly conserves energy by consuming only one one-hundredth to one ten-thousandth the energy of conventional display technologies.
2. High-level display performance
The new electronic paper is constructed of three displaying layers - red, blue, and green. Since no color filters or polarizing layers are required, it features color that is significantly more vivid than conventional reflective-type LCDs.
Proprietary Fujitsu technology ensures that screen color is unaffected even when the screen is bent or pressed with fingers.
Because the screen image does not require repetitive updates to be maintained, the screen does not flicker.
Anticipated Applications
By leveraging the features of this technology, a wide variety of applications can be envisioned for Fujitsu's new electronic paper as a digital medium that can be handled like paper. Following are some examples:
Transit advertising on trains, information displays on curved surfaces, and other public display applications that could take advantage of its light weight and flexibility. Information displayed can be updated based on the time of day, enabling more effective advertising and informational signage.
Electronic shelf display tags, point-of-purchase displays, restaurant menus, and other in-store uses. Can also be used for pricing displays or product information displays that stand out in full color and can be readily updated.
Operating manuals, work orders, and other short-term information displays, facilitating the trend toward paperless offices or factories.
Text or images from mobile phones or other mobile devices can be transferred wirelessly to larger displays for easy viewing.
Use in the home can offer more convenient digital-media devices that can be carried from room to room.