LG Begins Mass Production of First Flexible E-ink Displays

MrSeb writes "LG has just announced it has begun mass production of the world's first flexible, plastic e-ink display, with finished devices expected to hit Europe next month. LG says these plastic displays are half the weight (14g) and 30% thinner (0.7mm) than the hard, heavy, prone-to-cracking glass-laminate e-ink displays found in e-book readers like the Kindle and Nook. The press release says the plastic display survives repeated 1.5-meter drop tests and break/scratch tests with a small hammer, and that it's flexible up to 40 degrees from the mid point. Technology-wise, it's not very clear how LG's e-paper actually works. The press release suggests LG is using a conventional TFT process, which hints that they've cracked Electronics on Plastic by Laser Release (EPLaR). EPLaR is basically a technique of embedding electrophoretic ink capsules in a plastic substrate, but using existing TFT manufacturing processes, rather than building a whole new factory (unlike E Ink, which makes displays for the Kindle and other e-book readers). If this is the case, then other LCD manufacturers like Samsung and Sharp could start producing e-ink displays as well, hopefully driving prices down and further improving the display technology."

Comments

Does the display require power?

[adisakp]

It mentions a TFT substrate and calls it an eInk display. Correctly me if I'm wrong but TFT requires active power for a display while the idea of eInk is that once a display is "set", you do not use any power until you need to update / change the display.

Re:Does the display require power?

[Dyinobal]

well that and wireless connectivity be it 3g/wifi or what ever.

Re:Does the display require power?

[Anonymous Coward]

TFT is just "thin film transistor" - the switches that make it work. Backlit flatpanel displays are really LCD (liquid crystal display). Liquid crystals need a sustained voltage bias for their polarization to hold. The suspension of charged ink capsules in eInk does not require a sustained bias for the capsules to stay put in their viscous oil carrier. That is the property that governs the power consumption of these displays, not the electrode substrate.

Re:Does the display require power?

[johanwanderer]

You still need electronics to flip / reset the eInk pixels. Maybe that's what the Thin-Film-Transistors are for. But that's pure speculation on my part. If that's the case, once the pixels are set, you no longer need power to keep the displayed image.

Re:Does the display require power?

[viperidaenz]

The property that governs the majority of the power consumption is the backlight. How do you think and LCD watch maintains its display for 5 years on a single 50mah battery? Transflective displays were semi-popular in the PDA market 10 years ago. You could turn the backlight off and still read it when there is sufficent ambient light. They're also easy to read in direct sunlight. The down side is without ambient light they require a much stronger backlight to get through the semi-reflective back layer of the screen.

Re:Does the display require power?

[Anonymous Coward]

It makes it clearer in TFA. The 'TFT process' they refer to is the manufacturing process. So a TFT manufacturing plant is believed to be able to produce the LG eInk plastic as well without significant retooling. The LG eInk display is low power usage, just like normal eInk displays.

Newspapers say yes, please!

[busyqth]

This will be great for the newspaper industry.
They can roll up an e-ink display, stuff it into a plastic bag, and toss it in your driveway everyday.

The newspaper industry moves into the 21st century!!!

Re:Newspapers say yes, please!

[cpu6502]

I wouldn't want to read a newspaper on an iPad. I can of course if I have to, but an e-ink display is better (looks like a real newspaper).

Re:Newspapers say yes, please!

[Anonymous Coward]

Excuse me troll, but as an Apple user, I find your disturbing use of the word 'better' to be highly offensive and inflammatory.

How can you state with a straight face that another company can make a product that does something better than the gold standard Apple equivalent?

People like you should be locked up and throw away the key. Or maybe rendition to an Apple Store you so you can be re-educated to prove the error of your evil ways.

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY makes better products than Apple! If you think otherwise, you are just as bad as the racists and holocaust-deniers of the world, and are therefore scum. iScum!

Re:Newspapers say yes, please!

[93 Escort Wagon]

Can you roll up your Ipad and jam it in your bag?

Depends... is having it continue to work afterward a requirement?

TFT = Thin Film Transistor

[bigtrike]

TFT means Thin Film Transistor, and from what I understand is a method of manufacturing transparent electronics behind the display. If it's still an e-ink display, those transistors will presumably only be powered on when it's time to flip the capsules.

Re:LIVESTOCK: That's what YOU and I are to "THEM!"

[Fned]

I'm INTERESTED in your IDEAS and want to SUBSCRIBE to your NEWSLETTER

Re:Color?

[93 Escort Wagon]

Tiny quibble - the Pearl displays have been around since the third-generation Kindles.

Re:Color?

[Yvan256]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R92qSBU_WzA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24srQXX81Oc

There's also another one, I can't find it, someone switched a nook into 1-bit mode and played Angry Birds on it and it was as fast as the first YouTube link above.

Re:A color picture frame

[Yvan256]

I'm already thinking about the next step: electronic wallpaper.

Re:A color picture frame

[SuricouRaven]

Make it in 16x16cm tiles, forming an electrical connection at each edge. That way if a section is damaged (Which it will be) you don't have to repaper the entire wall.

Re:Please put this on the Kindle!

[NoKaOi]

I'm not saying a more durable screen wouldn't be great, but perhaps it would be cheaper for you to buy a decent case once instead of buying a whole new kindle 4 times?