Electronics companies E Ink and Epson have jointly developed a new chip intended to improve the functionality of electronic paper significantly. According to an announcement, the chip simplifies the use of e-readers equipped with E Ink’s Vizplex electronic-paper display. The new technology also brings handling electronic paper another step closer to using real paper and a pen. For example, a stylus can be used to add notes and sketches to an electronic document on the e-paper.
The companies demonstrated the first product based on the controller chip, called AM300, at a display trade fair in Tokyo. The device combines E Ink e-paper with a touchscreen and Epson’s new chip. Compared with previously available writable e-paper, screen resolution is quadrupled, according to the PCWorld news portal. The Epson chip also improves display refresh time by eliminating the delay between an action with the stylus on the touchscreen and its appearance on the screen. “Lines drawn with the pen are displayed immediately, without delay,” explains Epson’s Akuhiro Furuya in Tokyo.
With the AM300 chip, e-paper products can process 16 tasks simultaneously. “The new ability to address multiple regions of the screen at the same time will give future e-readers faster control over displayed content. Simple animations can also be shown, along with a greater number of grayscale levels,” says E Ink CEO Russ Wilcox. “The combined Epson and E Ink technology will be used in mobile web browsers, electronic newspapers and industrial applications.” Sample chips will ship to manufacturers in May at a price of $18. Mass production is scheduled to begin in August.
