| E-paper (sometimes called radio paper or just electronic
paper) is a portable, reusable storage and display medium that looks like
paper but can be repeatedly written on (refreshed) - by electronic means
- thousands or millions of times. E-paper will be used for applications
such as e-books, electronic newspapers, portable signs, and foldable, rollable
displays. Information to be displayed is downloaded through a connection
to a computer or a cell phone, or created with mechanical tools such as
an electronic "pencil". There are a number of different technologies
being developed: Xerox, in partnership with 3M, has created an e-paper called
Gyricon that is expected to be marketed in the not-distant future and Lucent,
in partnership with a company called E Ink, is working on a device (also
called E Ink) that is expected to be available within the next few years.
Both of these technologies enable a black (or other color) and white display;
Philips is working on a type of e-paper that will be full-color, but say
that the product is at least 10-15 years away. |
