E-reader screen technology breakthroughs

Companies across the globe are fighting for the honor and the market power of being the e-reader screen of the future. Multi-media capabilities, streaming online content, e-commerce, and leisure activities are supported by this product segment. Periodical literature and periodical literature delivery are changing as we know it. Having access to full-color format in a timely manner across multiple platforms is not only expected by today’s consumer target markets, it is demanded. One element that has not been properly addressed is a lighting system that is easy on a viewer’s eyes in all kinds of lighting conditions. Other qualities that are important for next generation e-readers to have are that it be capable of showing full-motion and full color images, is energy efficient, and is durable. Current market leaders Amazon (with its Kindle) and Sony (with its Reader) utilize monochrome technology. It is commonly referred to as electronic paper or e-paper. LCDs are the dominant players in the sector and are known for their bright, full color images in a portable format. The problem with this technology is that it is hyper-inefficient and this performance goes in farther down the efficiency charts when it is used in an outdoor capacity.

There are no fewer than 6 different technologies that are emerging from assorted labs within the private and academic sectors across the globe looking to take control of a market that is forecast to be valued at $10 billion by 2018, according to research firm DisplaySearch. This phenomenal growth will be fueled by a compounded annual growth rate of 41 percent.  We will look into 3 unique technologies which are vying for market share. The first, the electrophoretic pixel is one that most consumers are somewhat familiar with as it is the technology the Kindle uses. It is made from numerous tiny capsules filled with a mixture of carbon and titanium dioxide (for black and white coloration) that are oppositely charged. Voltage acts as the catalyst here in this simply made, low power option. One of the cons of this setup is that it has limited potential in displaying full color palettes. These barriers will make it hard for this product to gain serious video traction, as these needs are beyond its current and/or future capacity. With these barriers in place, it appears that e-learning opportunities will be missed and that the e-books market is the extent of the product’s growth potential.

The 2nd variety that we will look at is called Mirasol. The device utilizes membrane technology to move around a stack of optical films changing in order to change the wavelength that is reflected by the apparatus and producing stark colors. Birthed out of an MIT think tank, a company called Iridigm developed the display technology which is the basis for the current product. It was later purchased by Qualcomm MEMS technology in 2004. The display works on a visual principal called interferometric modulation. It works in much the capacity of a butterfly’s wing does. It is superior to other similar technologies such as cholestric LCDs in that it does not have a strong dependence on polarization. The speed is also superior to many other display technologies, with color refreshing being available in microseconds. This setup can produce pixels with intense colors, but making a pixel switch between two colors proves to be a challenge. Another issue is the achievement of the color white. The production cost for Mirasol is also an issue in that it is expensive to produce on scale currently. Nanotechnology has taken hold in this sector as well. The latest tech is called photonic ink. It is composed of electrically active polymers with nanobeads that either swell or shrink to change the size of the color. What this means is that a single pixel will actually be able to generate any color. This exciting new product is in the laboratory stages now but will likely shape the face of the e-reader landscape. Look for continued changes in an industry that continues to revise itself as consumer sentiment and expectations continue to shift.

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