Real e-paper coming soon
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How about a roll-up TFT that could one day become the real electronic paper we’ve heard so much about over the years?
The super-thin and flexible plastic screen from National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST — what is it with the governmental acronyms today?) could be fattened and ready for market by 2015, which really isn’t all that far away.
When the 200-nanometer screen does appear, we’ll most likely be spooling it out of pen-sized cell phones or e-books that are otherwise just a spine containing the electronic bits. (J Mark Lytle/Metropolis)
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PleasureGelf
Gosh, I hope they don't fatten it too much, I hate greasy papers.
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Mark_McCracken
Thanks for that. It will be helpful to readers who can't subtract 2008 from 2015.
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PepinGalarga
2015 is too late. This is still in Proof-of-concept stage. They need to realize that performance should not be affected. This screen looks so dim and hard to read.
i guarantee you the US already has a working production model for secret defense/military applications.
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Alphaape
I guess we will be in a "Catch 22" with this one. Save the trees by going to a plastic e-paper. But what happens when you discard the plastic? Does it go to a land fill or just another plastic waste? Remember, just last week the city of LA has started to ban the use of plastic bags in stores.
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PepinGalarga
alpha: the point of the e-paper is that you never throw it away. You take it with you everywhere. theoretically, you could use it to read the newspaper, books, view your PC, and do anything that you would use a display for. Of course, the first ones out will be monochrome, but there's no reason that the screens will not be able to replicate the performance of current screens.
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Alphaape
PG I see your point. But my point is this, just like a cell phone is supposed to be able to allow you the freedom to make calls on the run, how many cell phones do you think get disposed of in a day in a place like Japan, where if you just want a basic one without the "wiz-bang gadgetry" they are pretty cheap.
Once these e-papers become popular, I forsee a market that will take off just like the cell phones. After all, if you make a product that once a person buys it they will never need another, you are pretty much setting your business up to fail once you have reached market saturation. I just want to know how will these items be diposed? I am not a rabid "tree hugger" but just curious.
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PepinGalarga
i accept that eventually this technology will be used in disposable cereal boxes, and anywhere where cardboard or paper are used to advertise. This could be a problem.
A big problem with the new Compact Flourescent Bulbs which have become incredibly popular is their high content of mercury, without any recycling programs in place.
Initially these screens will be priceless, but a few years out things may change, let's just hope manufacturers use eco-friendly materials.
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