Re-writable “e-paper” developed by Taiwanese lab
Last Updated on Friday, 12 August 2011 04:48 Written by Ismail Selman Kimyacioglu Friday, 12 August 2011 04:47
Environmental hopes for paper that can be erased and rewritten up to 260 times.
Researchers in Taiwan have unveiled a new type of electronic paper which can be quickly erased at the flip of a switch, reports Reuters.
The i2R e-paper is currently in development by the Industrial Technology Research Institute, who say the ability to erase and rewrite the paper 260 times could have significant environmental benefits.
The technology uses a thin plastic film covered in a specialised liquid crystal. Reuters notes that the technology can produce colour and does not require a backlight to print.
“I think the greatest breakthrough was that traditional display devices usually require electricity to write, but our technology made it closer to how we would use normal paper,” said John Chen, Vice President of the Institute and general director of the Display Technology Center.
Applying an electric current to the paper will erase its contents, with each sheet currently able to go through the process around 260 times.
“In many cases, such as transportation tickets or ID badges, it will save your from printing the same thing 259 times. In terms of environmental production, this is very meaningful,” Chen told Reuters.
The product is still in development, but researchers believe it will reach consumers in the next two years. A4 sized sheets of e-paper are currently in production, at a cost of around $60 Taiwan dollars (approx. $2 or €1.45).
