Expect to see magazine-quality e-devices within the next 20 years. © University of Cincinnati
The future of e-paper over the next 20 years looks colorful, according to Chris Jablonski of ZDNet.com. And by all accounts it is very flexible.
I believe bringing color to the Kindle is not only a great idea – it is necessary. But what if I could roll up my Kindle e-reader and stick it in my pocket? Welcome to the world of the flexible, paper-thin screen.
Color e-Readers
In the Year 2011…
The Color e-reader is a leader for a 2011 launch. Expected to be out in the market mid-year, these devices are already being produced. But like all new releases, Jason Heikenfeld, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Cincinnati cautions the color will be muted and lack vibrancy compared to the iPad’s.
In the Year 2013…
Heikenfeld predicts by the year 2013 the market release of an e-device that consumes little power while offering increased high-speed functionality, brighter color and possible point-and-click web browsing and video features for the Kindle.
“The color on this first-generation low-power, high-function e-device won’t be as bright as what you get today from LCD (liquid crystal display) devices (like the iPad) that consume a lot of power. The color on the new low-power, high-function e-device will be about one third as bright as the color you commonly see on printed materials. Researchers, like those of us at UC, will continue to work to produce the Holy Grail of an e-device: bright color, high function (video and web browsing) with low power usage.” — Jason Heikenfeld
Flexible e-devices
In the Years 2014 to 2016…
What if your phone or e-reader screen were made of a paper-thin plastic that rolled like a window shade? You could have an e-device like a smartphone, Kindle or iPad that you could fold or roll up and put easily in your pocket.
Sound futuristic? Once only the imagination of television space odysseys, flexible e-devices will soon be commonplace. In fact, many companies are currently working on such flexible e-devices.
Sony’s YouTube video (below) shows a device that you can literally crush in your hand and it remarkably flips back into shape without damage. The new devices’ 5-inch screen have a low resolution (160 x 120 pixels), compared to today’s digital devices making them larger than a typical cell phone but lower resolution. This new device uses anOrganic Light-Emitting Diode Display, (wiki) which means an additional source of power is not necessary. Since the pixels emit their own light the screen consumes less power and can be made thinner.
The issue researchers are facing now is keeping the layers of plastic aligned while the screen is flexed. As stated in the Sony YouTube video – “It’s a work in progress.”
More Information:
Polymer Vision’s foldable e-paper development
YouTube: University Of Cincinnati: Future of Electronic Devices
