Skip the navigation

Taking Stock Of E-paper

OUTLOOK: The technology is just beginning to gain ground for applications such as e-books and in-store signage, but broader uses have yet to appear.

By Linda Rosencrance
September 20, 2004 12:00 PM ET

Computerworld - For years, analysts have been predicting that electronic paper, or e-paper, would set the stage for the paperless office. Until recently, however, developing a paper substitute was not an easy proposition. And even today, business applications of the technology remain limited.


E-paper is a thin, flexible polymer sheet with the look of paper. But e-paper is a bit thicker than regular paper and weighs more because it contains microscopic electronic ink particles sandwiched between two polymer sheets that display as either white or black in response to an electrical charge.


E-paper is reflective, like real paper, so it can be read in any light. It uses no backlighting, as LCDs do, nor does it use an emissive light source, as with a CRT monitor, says Tom Ashley, director of Pivotal Resources USA, a Lexington, Ky.-based research firm that follows the digital printing market.


E-paper is also bi-stable, which means that the display uses power only to change the content. Once the image is created, it stays there, even when the power is turned off, Ashley says.


"Those two main characteristics are what give a paperlike display its good qualities—it's comfortable to read because it's reflective, and the bi-stable aspect allows you to have low power and lightweight batteries so the whole device could be extremely thin and lightweight," Ashley says.


Several companies are developing commercial applications of e-paper technology. SmartPaper, an e-paper technology from Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Gyricon LLC, first appeared in an e-paper pricing-sign system for retail stores in May. The sign is controlled by software that links it wirelessly to in-store pricing databases, says Robert Sprague, chief technology officer at Gyricon, a wholly owned subsidiary of Xerox Corp.












Gyricon's e-paper price signs receive updated pricing information wirelessly for display on retail store shelves.
Gyricon's e-paper price signs receive updated pricing information wirelessly for display on retail store shelves.

"We'll replace the paper pricing signs on each retail rack in retail stores with an electronic paper sign, which is wirelessly networked to the store's central computer so the price on the sign can be updated instantly. And it's always the same as the price in the point-of-sale database," Sprague says.


"This gives IT departments a way to control a lot of signage and information around an entire building or campus from one centralized computing point," Sprague adds.


Gyricon also offers SmartPaper in a line of dynamic message boards, which it sells to hotels, conference centers and large campuses, he says. The message boards sell for $1,295 each.


The E-book


In April, Cambridge, Mass.-based E Ink Corp., Amsterdam-based Royal Philips Electronics and Tokyo-based Sony Corp. together launched their first-generation e-ink display in Sony's e-book reader, the Librie, in Japan. The e-book incorporates the e-ink technology used in e-paper into a traditional display.



What is Tech Briefcase?
TechBriefcase is a new, free service where IT Professionals can Search, Store and Share IT white papers and content like this. Learn more
Bookmark content
Speed up your research efforts with content across the web.
Search and Store
Find the white papers you need. Create folders for any topic.
View Anywhere
Open your briefcase on your iPhone, tablet or desktop. Share with colleagues.
Don't have an account yet?
Additional Resources
Security KnowledgeVault
WHITE PAPER
Security is not an option. This KnowledgeVault Series offers professional advice how to be proactive in the fight against cybercrimes and multi-layered security threats; how to adopt a holistic approach to protecting and managing data; and how to hire a qualified security assessor. Make security your Number 1 priority.

Read now.

Cut Communications Costs Once and for All
WHITE PAPER
New IP-based communications systems are being deployed by small and midsized businesses at a rapid rate. Learn how these organizations are enabling faster responsiveness, creating better customer experiences, speeding office or mobile interactions, and dramatically reducing existing communications costs.

Read now.

Hardware White Papers
Gary Watson, CTO, Nexsan: 6 Tips for Selecting Hard Drives
What type of drives should be used for what types of data? Selecting a drive and interface can seem complex with considerations of...
10 Reasons to Modernize the Desktop
Learn how to enhance your business through VMware View
The Laptop Dilemma: How to Maximize Productivity and Lower the Burden on IT
Download Now
Mobile Middleware Strategies
Learn why a mobile development platform is critical to be able to support today's complex enterprise mobility strategies. Learn what to look for...
The Evolution of Enterprise Mobile App Development
Driven by explosive growth in smartphone and tablet sales, enterprise mobility has become an essential part of business. Organizations across industries are developing...
All Hardware White Papers
Hardware Webcasts
Delivery Management -- Extending Lifecycle Management
Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 1:00 PM EDT

Siloed organizations continue doing the wrong things and doing things wrong, leading to increased costs,...
Leverage automation today to reduce IT complexity
Date: Tuesday, June 5, 2012, 2:00 PM EDT

Whether your B2B complexity is caused by multiple technologies due to M&A, business or application specific...
Redefine Expectations in the Data Center
Need to do more with less? Watch this video to learn how HP ProLiant Gen8 servers can help your business deploy servers three...
BMC Control-M - Single Point of Control Demo
With BMC Control-M, you schedule and manage everything - down to the very last platform and application - from one simple interface. It's...
Operational Analytics - Changing the Competitive Dynamics of the Business
Date/Time: June 5, 2012, 11:00 a.m., EDT, 4:00 p.m. BST / 3:00 p.m. UTC

Please join us for this webcast, as Dr. Barry...
All Hardware Webcasts
Newsletter Sign-Up

Receive the latest news test, reviews and trends on your favorite technology topics

Choose a newsletter
  1. View all newsletters | Privacy Policy
IT Jobs