The Paper Of Future

The fact of being high-resolution display of hundreds of pages of information embodied together and an ability to turn them physically makes books unique and comfortable to use. Although there has been no fundamental or drastic change in books since printing of first Bible, but, introduction of electronic paper may change the way we read, write, and study. Technical advances in this regard during recent past will change the basic concept of a book and is expected to be a  second only revolutionary invention in printing and paper technology from 15th century.   An idea which was conceived about thirty seven years back will finally become a commercial reality with world’s first electronic paper production plant. This, no doubt, arises a very important and a concerning issue of its impact on printers and paper manufacturers and that do they really need to fear from e-paper?
E-paper technology was discovered in the early 1970s at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Centre (PARC) which had been the place of other big inventions like mouse, laser printer, Ethernet, GUI, computer-generated color graphics as well as a number of important computer languages. The need of the technology was felt for achieving a paperless office and the possible solution required to have as many paper properties as possible. Subsequently, Nicholas K. Sheridon  came up with that eureka moment which placed the stepping stone of this revolutionary invention. With the constant finding on the technique in last thirty seven  years, science had been successful in achieving an e-paper as thin as the normal paper, with ultra-low power consumption and a light form. Due to these regular improvements in the basic idea, many firms came up with their products like LIBRIé from Sony (no more existing in market now), iLiad e-book reader from iRex Technologies’ and eFlybook, a product a product aimed at the aviation market that comes pre-loaded with maps, charts and manuals. Now companies like Gyricon (a firm spun out of PARC), Philips Electronics, Kent Displays, Prime View International, SiPix Imaging, NTERA and Nempotic are all working on e-paper that has the power to display updated information.
Two new manufacturers are now toiling for further improvements in technology to unleash its real potential for the commercial market. Cambridge-based Plastic Logic is  using a science which is a fusion of chemistry, physics and electronics to create E Ink technology for the future growth of e-paper.  Each display is made up of millions of tiny microcapsules, each containing positively charge white capsules and negatively charged black capsules suspended in a clear fluid. When a negative electric field is applied, the white capsules move to the top of the microcapsule where they become visible to the viewer. By reversing polarity of the charge, surface appear dark at that spot. Whereas Nemoptic uses Bistable Nematic (BiNem) technology where content appearing on the screen stays there without using power due to an internal memory effect. It uses nematic liquid crystal materials that are standard, inexpensive and robust.
Technology sounds to have a bright future and the good news is that  inventors now know what is exactly needed. Hope to see printed electronics soon at an affordable low cost production.

~ by brootsvignette on July 1, 2008.