Use of E-ink in Flexible Displays - Case Study Example

Use of E-ink in Flexible Displays Name: Course Professor’s name University name City, State Date of submission Introduction E-Ink (electrophoretic ink) combines various aspects of physics, chemistry and electronics, thereby creating a proprietary product used in electronic displays such as mobile phones, e-readers, watches, television sets as well as the printing industry. The technology is based on a patent filed in 1996 and E INK corporation manufacturers the electronic paper used with this technology. E ink employs bistable technology that allows for the viewing of the image even when the power source gets withdrawn. In practice, when one uses their mobile phone to read, the display consumes no power, but turning a page or loading a new page consumes power. In addition to this clear-cut technology, E ink continues to invest in reflective display technologies to improve the visibility of content (Electronics Weekly, 2010 p. 4). In traditional screens, the backlight is projected to the eyes of the viewer. This research seeks to examine the opportunities, advantages and disadavantages as well as offer recommendations to the product created by E-ink corporation. The E-ink flexible displays presents enormous opportunities likely to disrupt the market currently reigned over by the LCD displays. The use of the E-ink displays presents key advantages in that using E ink displays ensures no backlight reflects on the viewer’s eyes and thus better and brighter displays. E Ink transferred the same technology in the development of flexible displays. The E-ink faces certain challenges such as the technology employed in creating the components of the flexible displays being unstable or lack of consumer awareness with regards to the flexible displays. The research offers recommendations on how to improve the situation as well as overcome the challenges and among these include key partnerships with the manufactures of electronic devices. E-ink flexible displays offer a technology likely to set the standard and generally improve how consumers view things. Methods The research concluded in this report was undertaken on the various users of the flexible displays as well as on existing consumers who used alternative displays such as liquid crystal displays. The research was conducted using questionaires and sought to investigate the various attitudes of the consumers with relevance to flexible screens as well as their need for the change of the current technology used on the screens. The questionaires were distributed to the various users to which they offered their thoughts and opinions with regards to the screens. From the research most responded positively to the use of the flexible displays as the alternative to current technology. The respondents also responded that they would purchase the displays for their electronic devices on learning the advantages over the current technology. Key Questions The flexible displays will serve as a disruption in the market. Traditionally, most manufacturers of the devices used the LCD displays. Phones, watches, Television screens and e-readers all employed the LCD technology being the cheapest and readily available in the market then. Initially, the electronics manufacturers used the ink being the only available flexible material applicable in this area of manufacturing. E ink means endless possibilities for electronic manufactures in the creation of products and limitless innovation for the consumers (Journal of Technology & Science, 2008 p. 2051). The manufacturers will launch smart watches with displays around the wrists, while the consumers could enjoy phones compressible into the pocket. For TV manufacturers, it means offering consumers a theatre-like display at the comfort of their homes while consumers can enjoy a longer battery life on their phones and tablets with the E-ink technology. The products created for the mass market will be thinner and lighter and with minimal chances of breakage due to use of plastic TFTs (Ginn, 2010 p. 56). Challenges and Limitations for development While these E-ink flexible displays promise to revolutionize the way in which consumers view things on electronic devices as well as change the levels of output on these devices, several challenges and limitations could hamper the chances of success. Despite the gains made and achieved, there exists issues with the ink produced. The ink has short durability thereby denying these firms the chance to enjoy commercial success despite launching prototypes of the products. Firstly, the material employed in sealing the displays was highly unstable, meaning it lacked it reacted in the presence of oxygen or vapor. This means for the products to reach the mass market, special encapsulation technology needed to seal the organic light emitting diodes (Cataldo, 2009 p. 30). Otherwise, the display on the device disappears on exposure to vapor or oxygen. The other limitation to the chances of success comes from the cost. The cost of the devices created using the E-ink technology often come off as pricier. LCD displays became part of the mass market, thereby reducing the cost of production (Cataldo, 2009 p. 30). The E-Ink technology may take some time to become part of the mainstream and thus means the cost of production of these products remain high. The other challenge revolves around the education of the mass market. While the technology represents a new phase in innovation, most consumers may fail to understand the flexible display technology and view it as a fad. In fact, one may not fully understand why they need a flexible display while the flat display operates well (Albrechtsen, 2007 P.67). This then represents a challenge in trying to get the technology to the mainstream market and may thus fail to spur the interest of the targeted consumers. The final challenge of E-ink technology comes from collaboration. For the technology to become part of the mainstream, E-ink needs collaboration from research firms in order to keep improving the technology, strategic electronic manufactures, willing to take a gamble on their market with the product as well as semi-conductor manufacturers to allow for the creation of an ecosystem that allows for the thriving of the flexible displays. While E-ink thrives on such collaboration currently, more needs faster implementation (Albrechtsen, 2007 P.67). Advantages of the Implementation The World we live in now thrives on innovation. The electronic consumer market thrives on products that disrupt the market and test the limits of technology. The implementation of E-ink accords the manufacturers the opportunity to create better and improved products for the consumer market to enjoy. A major problem among the consumers of electronic devices comes from damaged displays. From phones to television screens, these electronic goods often suffer irrevocable damage often causing losses to the owners. The Implementation of the E-link technology uses the plastic TFTs making the device stiff and unbreakable. The other advantage of using this technology means consumers will enjoy better displays and viewing, unlike in current instances of LCD (Zhao, 2011 p. 64). Disadvantages Like any other new technology in the market, the cost of the E-link technology surpasses what a normal consumer of the product may afford. While most of the electronic device manufacturers’ work on the modalities of bringing the cost of the final products lower for the main market, E-link technology remains out of reach for most consumers. The other disadvantage comes from the conservative nature most manufacturers are using to approach the flexible screens. Most of the consumers implemented the curved screen as they await more research and improved findings into the flexible display (Mokhoff, 2008 p. 54). This therefore means more needs undertaking to make the technology consumer friendly. The final disadvantage comes from the risk of other products surpassing the technological and deeming it irrelevant as is the case in the electronic device world. Impact on Industry The introduction of the E-Ink technology will create an immense impact on the electronic device industry. It will create competition within the manufacture of the displays. This competition means better, superior and quality products for the consumers to enjoy. The other impact the product will create is the introduction of groundbreaking technology and thereby continuing the trend in ICT relates sector of production of constant and progressive technologies. The other impact this has is the disruption of the display sector. The sector experienced minimal growth over the years. The E ink presents an opportunity to grow and create change the industry standards employed. The reader of the resulting report will have a clear understanding of the technology development and implementation of E-ink technology. The report will outline current advantages and disadvantages of E-Ink and make recommendations. The report also delves deeply into what E-ink technology is as well as analysis of previously implemented technologies in the display. The report also analyses flexible displays, their evolution and applicability in the world today. Finally, the report will link E-ink technology with flexible technology and propose how to best adopt the same technology for the good of the consumer market (Mokhoff, 2008 p. 54). Relevance of the topic The E-ink technology topic is particularly relevant in today’s world. The world is currently riding on innovation as the next frontier in the development. The electronics market constitutes of one of the fastest growing markets in the world today. In the last decade, the smartphone experienced a rapid growth and an explosion in consumers who are more aware of what they need from the market. In 2005-2010, Blackberry reigned as the king of the smartphone market, but experienced rapid decline pegged on its failure to innovate. In addition, Apple launched its iPhone in 2007, which now prides itself as the number one smartphone in the world. In addition to that, other electronic industry experienced massive growth in numbers. There has been an immense growth in the tablet market, PC market as well as the television screen markets (Esler, 2005 p. 52). Most of these devices embraced the touch screen technology. This means for the first time users of devices interact with their devices more intuitively than before. Most of the screens, however embraced the LCD technology (Daily, 2005 p. 38). The LCD technology being the most prominent and mainstream proved a cheap option for these devices. The technology however has several issues that include lackluster displays, especially on mobile devices and tablets, consumption of power from devices through constant refreshing of the pixels and finally minimal innovation about strengthening displays and dealing with damages (Veera, 2011 p. 16). E-link therefore presents an opportunity to challenge a market experiencing minimal innovation as well as deal with prominent issues affecting the consumers of these products. It also represents a new frontier about presenting the market with groundbreaking technologies bound to change how consumers view the content as well as how content is displayed on electronic devices. The project’s relevance mainly comes from the belief that flexible displays present the newest frontier concerning consumer electronic goods. In addition, the project analyses the strengths available for E-link to grow its flexible display business and analyses to what extent the business may grow. From the research, critical deductions concerning the opportunities are identified. The line of business may grow in the smartphone market and the wearable market that includes the smart watches. In the smartphone market, the opportunities exist in the development of the flexible screen and production of e-ink powered screens that consume lower power and offer better and improved display (Telecommunications Weekly, 2008 p. 65). The topic is hugely relevant in today’s market as it focuses on an emergent issue. Recommendations The recommendations from the topic suggest an improvement in the technology in order toi make it user friendly and available for all. E ink corporation ought to invest deeply in research to allow the company stay ahead of the competition and continually manufacturing futuristic technology regarding the flexible displays. The other recommendation seeks to ensure that all electronic devices manufacturers embrace the flexible display technology. The easiest way to win such support includes partnership with critical industries such as semi-conductor manufactures, processor manufacturers and the device manufacturers. Already the company engages processor manufacturer Qualcomm for a partnership in the creation of next generation processors compatible with the technology. The final recommendation allows for the company to take its technology mainstream. This takes place through mass production of the product that automatically reflects into increased revenue streams for the company as well as setting of flexible display standards. Conclusion The growth of flexible displays places E-ink Corporation at an optimal position to influence change in a technology. In addition, it presents consumers with a solution to a problem. E-ink needs to invest largely in research to improve the technology and to educate the masses on how to use these displays. It presents an opportunity to disrupt the display market and create a completely new technology to the benefit of the consumer market. The E ink technology also presents enormous opportunities in that more and more manufacturers will adopt the technology, thus benefitting the company and the consumers at large. Currently consumers of electronic goods seek alternatives to the current displays prone to damage and present blurry images. The topic presents these consumers with an alternative as well, as how the alternative allows them to experience a smoother and more improved experience with their displays. E ink corporation technology presents a change and an entirely new way to change the situation. References Albrechtsen, J.S. 2007, Are intuitive responses more accurate at detecting deception than deliberative responses?, The University of Texas at El Paso. BABYAK, R., 2004. Intuitive Interfaces. Appliance Design, 52(9), pp. 24-27. CATALDO, A., 2009. IBM pushes electronic ink, organic LEDs for future flexible displays. Electronic Engineering Times, (1084), pp. 30. DAILY, G., 2005. EPaPer: the Flexible Electronic Display of the Future. EContent, 28(3), pp. 36-41. E Ink Corporation; E Ink Corporation Announces Major Strides in Its Flexible Display Program. 2008. Journal of Technology & Science, , pp. 2051. E Ink Corporation; E Ink Reveals New Products at Leading U.S. Display Show. 2008. Telecommunications Weekly, , pp. 65. ESLER, D., 2005. In Pursuit of the Intuitive Display. Business & Commercial Aviation, 96(4), pp. 50-57. 'Flexible displays enter development' 2010, Electronics Weekly, 2416, p. 4 GINN, T.D., 2010. BendFlip: A Flexible Reading Apparatus, Queen's University (Canada). Meet Sony's Future Reader Displays, Made From Flexible E-Paper EReaders]. 2010. Chatham: Newstex. MOKHOFF, N., 2008. Flexible displays. Electronic Engineering Times, , pp. 54. Plastic Logic Planning Color E-Reader Display For 2012 Ebookreaders]. 2010. Chatham: Newstex. PROVIDED BY FEDERAL INFORMATION,& NEWS DISPATCH, 2009, Dec 22. A -- FLEXIBLE DISPLAY PROGRAM-FLEXIBLE ELECTROPOLYMERIC DISPLAY. Commerce Business Daily, 1. RAE-DUPREE, J., 2004. Flexible display technology opens thin window to the future. Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, 22(31), pp. 8. VEERA, S., 2011, Jan 24. Electronic papers and books on LCD screens. Malay Mail, 16. ZHAO, W., 2011. Flexible transparent electrically conductive polymer films for future electronics, The University of Akron. Read More