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First Touch-Screen, Bendable E-Paper Developed
Al writes "The first touch-screen flexible e-paper has been developed by a team from Arizona State University and E-Ink (the company that makes the technology for Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader). Jann Kaminski and colleagues at ASU's Flexible Display Center say the main challenge is that most touch-screen technologies do not respond well to being flexed. So they used an inductive screen, which relies on a magnetized styluses to induce a field in a sensing layer at the back of the display. The first adopters for the technology are likely to be the US Army. Watch a video of the device being tested."
Will it blend?
Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
Bendable e-paper! I look forward to the day when the stack of textbooks and file folders I keep can be easily replaced by one or two screens and a million tiny hard drives I can lose.
Although, it would be nice if a subscription to a newspaper meant that they would give me their proprietary e-paper and update it once a day with the new issue, keeping all previous issues on file and searchable on the same piece of hardware.
How about the awesomeness of replacing that stupid projector screen and projector with one of these? No more expensive projector, no more being blinded while you're standing in front of it, no more casting a shadow on the screen, and best of all - you can interact directly with the screen. I'd say it's got tons of advantages in that area alone.
You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.
I'm not impressed. I can do this with my current LCD Screen. Watch thi*#&$&#*((*#
640YB ought to be enough for anybody.
C'mon, does it really need to be flexible AND touch-sensitive? We have non-projector wall-monitors (some rear-projected, some plasma screens) that we control with a mouse. Works pretty well. Not one person using it has said, "You know, this is just unacceptable. This has to be flexible and touch-sensitive in order for me to do my job."
Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
A couple that come to mind:
The foreman in charge of a team constructing a building (say 3-4 stories) wants to check the blueprints to make sure of a detail. He unrolls his E-paper blueprint from his back pocket and navigates to the correct section, then zooms in. A PDA would limit the display area for the blueprint, while it would be kind of difficult to roll up the whole roll of paper blueprints and stick it in his pocket.
Similarly, an E-paper newspaper could be (potentially) folded to fit in a pocket and is reusable without requiring people to put it in a recycling bin.
Your local grocery or department store could have catalogs available at the entrance that show you where in the store the item you're looking at is located, and how many are left. You could pick one up when you enter and leave it when you're finished shopping. That I suppose a PDA could do, but if you're shopping with small children, having something that's easy to read (because of its size) and durable could be useful.
I love Slashdot.
Aricle: "Berkley finds cure for cancer."
Slashdot: "What the hell can they use that for?"
Are you telling me that you have such narrow, blinded, imagination-less vision that you can't see the use for something as thin and flexible as paper, but with the functionality of a touch-screen laptop? How about, I dunno, an e-Book that's as easy to transport and hold as a newspaper? Hell, with modern wireless technology, you could have your screen/input device sitting on the table with you at breakfast while the laptop "base" is over by the outlet. Carry the newspaper screen/input device around with you on the train and bus wirelessly connected to a PDA around your belt.
Think of the possibilities!
There is a growing perception that touch means touch - using your finger. Using an inert stylus (like Windows Mobile devices) is a very poor second. But having to use a special purpose magnetic stylus is a FAIL.
Engineering is the art of compromise.
> ...an E-paper newspaper could be (potentially) folded to fit in a pocket...
But this thing can't be folded: only bent on what looks to be about a 10cm radius.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
The applications people dream about are things like:
-Robustness. For field work a display that is inherently bendable is potentially less likely to break.
-Displays that are more compact/portable, since they can be folded up or rolled-up. E.g. a PDA with a small screen for quick work but a larger roll-out display for reading a book.
-Being able to read computer-text in a format roughly like a newspaper (thin, light, bendable, etc.). In principle not more useful that a rigid and flat e-book reader, but it is a format some people may prefer.
-Large format displays. E.g. instead of having a projector and unrolling a white screen, you just unroll a bendable display screen (with all the usual advantages of monitor technology: e.g. you can't block the beam, brighter display with better contrast, etc.). Or being able to unfold a screen (like a map) and put it on a table for impromptu collaboration (or display data in the field).
-Deformable displays for shifting surfaces. E.g. imagine a touchscreen that had a keyboard 'hidden' behind it. When required the keys press up (bending the display) so you can use it as a normal keyboard. With a switch the keys depress and lock, giving you a flat touchscreen.
-The ability to put touchscreens onto non-planar surfaces. Like having a screen that follows the contour of the dash in your car. Or having screens plastered onto columns in malls (for a mall directory, and advertising, probably...).
-The ability to put touchscreens anywhere: wallpapering a room, the inside surface of a tent, clothes (maybe just for novelty or maybe actually useful: e.g. a computer interface built into army uniforms), the surface of your desk, etc.
Those are just a few. If you can't think of any applications for a bendable touchscreen, you're not trying very hard!
It sure would help to be flexible. Much easier to transport a 100" display that rolls up than a 100" LCD screen.
Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
I'm as anti-enthusiasm as anybody, but does it pose some problem for you if it is flexible and touch sensitive?
I suppose you might want access to one or the other at a lower price, but I doubt the availability of both in a single screen will have much impact on that.
Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
e-ink displays have no back lights. That thing in the back was likely the magnetic sensor.
If they can extend it to the size of A4 and A1 sheets of paper, that could replace the need for printing glossy posters for poster presentations sessions at conferences and in office corridors. These are relatively costly to print, and become out of date (E-mail addresses tend to change).
Taking an A1 sized poster to a conference usually requires taking a rocket launcher sized tube through airports and train stations, along with the laptop containing a powerpoint presentation.
Imagine if all that was required was to take a USB memory stick and download an image to a generic E-ink display at the conference.
Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
an E-paper newspaper could be (potentially) folded to fit in a pocket...
But this thing can't be folded: only bent on what looks to be about a 10cm radius.
Small moves, Ellie... small moves. Give it a few years or a decade and see how progress is then.
Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
How about the awesomeness of replacing that stupid projector screen and projector with one of these?
If you're worried about casting a shadow on the scree while interacting with the projection, might I suggest that you drive the projector with a data tablet and just sit comfortably off to the side. That will work a lot better than cramming 50+ people around a palm pilot sized display.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
I'm having the idea of a scroll which you can unroll, it would act like an e-book reader/newspaper/phone whatever and with the touch screen part this sounds alot like the stuff they had in The Red planet(2000) movie!
That makes me imagine playing wylie coyote tricks on my girl friend ... Where did the door go? its over here ... THWACK!
Go go Gadget Nailgun!
I wanted to kill, just slowly torture, the author of the last Powerpoint presentation I was forced to sit through. I truly contemplated taking the projector, picking it up and bashing his skull with it. I don't think I'm alone in this.
It just might be safer to have soft, roll up screens. Or just software that prohibits Powerpoint from displaying anything but black.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
Roll it up, stick it under my arm, and carry it to where I need it. Yeah, that sounds pretty handy.
Control with a mouse. Not draw with a mouse. I've given whiteboard talks, sketching out what I'm talking about. And I'm here to tell you you CANNOT give a whiteboard talk by trying to sketch with a mouse.
Not one person using standard accounting ledgers said, "You know, this is just unacceptable. This has to be able to do arithmetic on its own for me to do my job." Then they got to see computer spreadsheets.
Exactly. For trade shows we send out a 50" flat panel display. We had to order a custom case for the thing and I'm still always worried it's going to come back destroyed (like most trade show stuff). It'd be so much simpler to send a tube.
You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.
Does that mean I should get hyped up over every advancement in everything because it might one day meet a niche demand for someone?
No, but you don't have to troll every article asking "Whats the point!!" just because you can't see how this will be useful in a few years. A simple "Ah, cool! Glad they're making progress!" is appropriate, I think.
And as easy to damage/lose/get stolen?
Your $300 EEEpc isn't easy to steal or damage or lose? Hell, this thing's probably MORE robust. I doubt dropping it would hurt it at all. Try dropping your EEEPC off your desk and see what happens.
And my $300 EEE netbook couldn't possibly meet this demand? Keep your flexible e-book. Real books meet my requirements.
Three years ago I'm sure your laptop met your requiremenst and you wondered what the deal with these new "Netbooks" was. Ten years ago I bet your Desktop met all your requirements and you had no idea why people would need or want mobile e-mail. Fifteen years ago I'm sure your landline phone was perfectly fine at keeping you connected to everyone.
The world changes, and this technology, while not finished, will certainly become mainstream and offer convenience, robustness, and (heh) flexibility.
You8r missinf the bigges and most important use:
Gaming!
Now I can have my table sized roll out, and just have the map display on it, with monsters as they come into sight!
SA well as be able to play every parker brothers game with just one board.
Think man, THINK!
Won't anybody think of the gamers?
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
In the ancient world, books were scrolls, which avoided the complexity and expense of bookbinding. With flexible e-paper, I suspect the scroll will return to its rightful place as the preferred format for printed matter, since you'll only need one large scroll to display anything every printed.
Only mine had one other cool feature...You could lift the plastic cover to erase. Here's a link to a pic... http://www.schylling.com/Creative-Play/MGSL-2.jpg
-Robustness. For field work a display that is inherently bendable is potentially less likely to break.
This is useful not only for field work, but also for day to day work as well. My Iliad screen cracked just by putting it the pouch on the back of the seat in front of me on an airplane. I thought that the E-reader from Plastic Logic (http://www.plasticlogic.com/) was supposed to be flexible, though.
Wall-mounted, but in a roll-up arrangement like current projector screens. The advantage there being that you can roll it up and move it from room to room (or offsite to a trade show, etc) as needed. When rolled up, the casing would also provide protection while in transit. For day-to-day use in the same room, you might want to roll it up from time to time to expose something on the wall behind it, such as a whiteboard, or other type of bulletin board.
So if they made a little finger-glove that just goes over the tip of your finger that's magnetic, or even if they eventually develop something that's basically a magnetic version of a false fingernail, would you not consider THAT touch screen? For your definition, does it HAVE to require actual skin-to-screen contact?
For my money, I'd rather NOT directly touch and smear up a screen. You'll have a sharper, more accurate touching point using anything other than the rounded, soft surface of a fingertip as well.
And finally, if something can sense a finger touching it, odds are it'll be set off by just about anything touching it. If they can make it so that it's ONLY activated by the previously mentioned fingertip cover, I'd consider that WAY better.
Planet Zebeth - Metroid with a twist
I agree with you. There are these electronic touch-sensitive whiteboards called SmartBoards that can be drawn on with pens. Teachers can even draw basic shapes by tapping the button for the shape and drawing it on the screen. Educationally this is a huge leap forward from drawing on a tablet or controlling a presentation with a mouse, considering that the teacher can remain at the same place in the room as they were before they started using computers for presentations. Being able to stand in front of the whiteboard means being able to move around the room, and also means that one can again use body language to communicate during direct instruction.
Also, imagine how cool it would be for a teacher to be able to pass a sheet of plastic out to groups to reuse instead of butcher paper. Large E-ink displays would be a boon to education.
SRSLY.
I agree. We already have that $100 Wall Wart (not "Wal-Mart") computer. Imagine having a souped up version of that as the brains behind the "paper screen." It can be off in an out of the way location, using Ethernet Over Power to connect to the Internet. You'd pull out the "paper screen," browse your morning news sites, maybe a Twitter feed or two, some blog postings, Slashdot, etc. When you're done, it can fit into a tiny storage location (bookshelf, counter, etc) with no issues.
For a business use of this, I liked another poster's suggestion of replacing projector/screens with a wall-sized flex-screen. Another option would be to have a portable "paper screen" constantly reporting on different server statuses (perhaps with some interactive ways of managing servers). You could stick it with the other papers you carry to the meeting and glance at it now and them to make sure everything's running fine. All without the added bulk of a laptop.
My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
All battles happen at the junction of four map segments, at night, in the rain. This solves the first problem. Hopefully it's illuminated and waterproof.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
Actually not, that row and column are light from the get-go, rewind and rewatch. I'm also not sure, but that could be a reflection.
The preceding comment is my own, and in no way construes an opinon of the Emperor of Mankind.
And don't forget, France could make their flags out of it for the next time someone invades! Kidding, calm down. Goodbye karma, hello 'troll' mods.
Correct. Not having a back light is actually a good thing for military uses. I work a few offices down from some of the guys on this project and talk to them occasionally. At one point, one of them suggested adding a back light to it for night operations to an army guy, and he was firmly against it to avoid any light that might give the position away to an enemy. When asked how the user would use it at night, the response was something along the lines of "That's why I carry night vision goggles around."
"bended"? C'mon, I know /. is the home of the "offline illiterate", but "bended"?
While "bended" is archaic, it's still grammatically correct.
Kinda funny - at a former job, I developed interactive software - presentations, calculators, etc for sales reps at a financial services company. One anecdotal way we assessed how compelling our stuff was, was the fingerprint test. The best endorsement we could get would be when the reps would complain that they'd always have to clean their screen off.
Vote Quimby.