I-Corps: Full Color, Low Power, Fast-Response, Reflective Display Technology

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

Modern displays have become the most prevalent portals for information processing and distribution and most of the information we consume is channeled visually through displays of various forms and sizes. Colorful, high-contrast, sunlight readable, and power efficient electrophoretic displays will further close the digital divide between paper and electronic displays. Unfortunately, amalgams of these requirements are the key technical challenges faced by modern display technologies. The proposed new display technology is capable of overcoming these inherent problems to display content in a manner similar to print on paper. Consumers will benefit from the colorful, dynamic display alternative as it causes much lower eyestrain when compared to bright LCDs. The ramifications of such technological advancement are dramatic. The age of digitally dynamic signage may soon be upon us and power consumption efficiency is a key factor in making 'print on paper' a thing of the past. Colored electrophoretic displays consume 54% less energy when compared to conventional LCD?s. In conjunction with energy savings, this technology also reduces the amount of paper consumed, and therefore the environmental benefit of saving trees. This team has proposed a novel particle-based, low power, colored, reflective and fast response display technology that can be used in ambient lighting conditions. The proposed display platform is enabled by electric-field driven particle suspensions, which offers fast response times capable of displaying colorful images and video. This approach evades many technical issues faced by current electrophoretic methodologies, and scalable to large area displays. Due to its facile fabrication needs, the proposed display geometry could be fabricated by roll-to-roll processing techniques resulting in substantial cost savings. This team's technological advancement uses existing manufacturing techniques and uses 80% less material by volume than conventional displays making it economical and sustainable. Because of this technology's remarkably low power consumption, its applications extend to products as small as key fobs and as large as camouflaged tanks. Considering these merits this team envisions that its low power, color based, particle-driven display technology finds application and increases the value of existing products, while making them sustainable and more enjoyable for consumers.