Plastic Logic has developed a 2.1 inch flexible screen that is using E INKS Advanced Color E-Paper. This is the first time that this tech has been used in such a small form factor, since it was originally developed for digital signage. Plastic Logic developed the backplane, which is using an organic TFT. It is flexible and tremendously robust. This tech is going to make its way to such products as wearables and small devices.
Plastic Logic is calling the new flexible color e-paper Legio. It consists of an active matrix electrophoretic display which has an integrated EPD controller + source and gate driver IC bonded on the plastic substrate. The display is based on organic TFT active matrix and has a resolution of 240 x 146 and 132 PPI. It is able to display four colors with red, blue, green, yellow plus black and white. One of the downsides of Legio is the refresh rate, it will take around 15 seconds for a full page refresh.
E Ink ACeP is a high quality, color reflective electronic paper that can produce full color at every pixel without the use of a color filter array (CFA). Currently, E Ink’s ACeP display has been used in signage applications that do not require flexible form factors. The addition of Plastic Logic’s technology allows for expansion into applications that can require thinner and lighter weight displays.
E Ink is excited to partner with Plastic Logic to offer the world’s first flexible color display technology to customers,” said Johnson Lee, CEO, E Ink. “Plastic Logic’s advanced oTFT displays are more robust than traditional amorphous silicon transistors on plastic substrate, which are more suitable for wearable applications.”
Lee also added: “Our new range of Legio™ flexible color displays will enable customers to bring new color applications to market faster and, we believe, more cost-effectively. Evaluation Kits will be available later this year so that designers can try out the displays in ‘real world’ applications.”
Tim Burne, CEO, Plastic Logi said, “Our flexible, glass-free displays are a perfect addition to any wearable technology designer’s toolkit – they are extremely lightweight, making them well suited for integration into a host of wearables, including smart jewelry and smart clothing.”
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
