Hybrid Media Technology

Hybrid media – new uses for print media 23.8.2012 Berner Fachhochschule

[email protected]

Metropolia University of Applied Sciences

Department of Media Technology

Espoo, Finland

Hybrid Media Technology 2 Aarne Klemetti

Objectives

To understand the position of hybrid media as a technology

To be able to assess the feasibility and applications of hybrid media in:

Augmented reality

Different coding systems

Printed electronics

Sensor implementations

New business models


Lecture Structure

1. Introduction

2. Augmented Reality and Hybrid Media

3. Printed Codes

4. Printed Electronics

5. Sensor implementations (RFID)

6. Conclusions


1. Hybrid Media Technology - Introduction

Combination of digital information delivery with a carrier based on fiber (or other substrate)

Hybrid media technology draws its means from:

Augmented Reality (AR)

Special printed codes: 1D bar codes, 2D codes, watermarks

Attached / embedded devices, i.e. RFID and different sensors

Printed electronics

Applicable sensor technologies

New forms of displays:

Intelligent and functional properties of paper and special inks


Hybrid Media – Usage Scenarios

Easy to design – easy to produce

Simple constructions

Durability

Power supply

Connectivity

Displays

Mobility

Hybrid Media – Business Scenarios

Augmented reality as a part of all printouts

On-demand printing for programmable intelligence

New forms of printing – also in 3D

Attaching electronics to high volume prints

Intelligent packaging


What To Do?

Electronics industry don’t know how to print

Printing industry is not interested in printed intelligence

From scenarios we can define the required models for both production and business

Why not to do it then?



2. Augmented Reality and Hybrid Media

Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by virtual computer-generated sensory input. (Wikipedia)

AR is a subset of Mediated reality, which studies the overall modification of reality by using electronic equipment.

AR enhances an individual’s current perception of reality.


What is Augmented Reality?

A combination of a real scene viewed by a user and a virtual scene generated by a computer that augments the scene with additional information.


What is the Goal of AR?

To enhance a person’s performance and perception of the world

But, what is the ultimate goal?


The Ultimate Goal of AR

Create a system such that no user CAN tell the difference between the real world and the virtual augmentation of it.


Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

Augmented Reality:

System augments the real world scene

User maintains a sense of presence in real world

Needs a mechanism to combine virtual and real worlds

Virtual Reality:

Totally immersive environment

Visual senses are under control of system (sometimes aural and proprioceptive senses too)


Milgram’s Reality-Virtuality Continuum

Mixed Reality (MR)

Real

Environment

Virtual

Environment

Augmented

Reality (AR) Augmented Virtuality (AV)

Milgram coined the term “Augmented Virtuality” to identify systems which are mostly synthetic with some real world imagery added such as texture mapping video onto virtual objects.


Milgram’s Taxonomy for Mixed Reality Displays

Reproduction Fidelity – quality of computer generated imagery

Extent of Presence Metaphor – level of immersion of the user within the displayed scene

Extent of World Knowledge – knowledge of relationship between frames of reference for the real world, the camera viewing it, and the user

Reproduction Fidelity

Extent of Presence Metaphor

Extent of World Knowledge


Combining the Real and Virtual Worlds

We need:

Precise models

Locations and optical properties of the viewer (or camera) and the display

Calibration of all devices

To combine all local coordinate systems centered on the devices and the objects in the scene in a global coordinate system


Combining the Real and Virtual Worlds (cont)

Register models of all 3D objects of interest with their counterparts in the scene

Track the objects over time when the user moves and interacts with the scene


Realistic Merging

Requires:

Objects to behave in physically plausible manners when manipulated

Occlusion

Collision detection

Shadows

**All of this requires a very detailed description of the physical scene


Components of an Augmented Reality System


Research Activities

Develop methods to register the two distinct sets of images and keep them registered in real-time

New work in this area has started to use computer vision techniques

Develop new display technologies for merging the two images


Performance Issues

Augmented Reality systems are expected:

To run in real-time so that the user can move around freely in the environment

Show a properly rendered augmented image

Therefore, two performance criteria are placed on the system:

Update rate for generating the augmenting image

Accuracy of the registration of the real and virtual image


Limitations for Updating the Generated Images

Must be at 10 times/second

More photorealistic graphics rendering

Current technology does not support fully lit, shaded and ray-traced images of complex scenes


Failures in Registration

Failures in registration due to:

Noise

Position and pose of camera with respect to the real scene

Fluctuations of values while the system is running

Time delays

In calculating the camera position

In calculating the correct alignment of the graphics camera


AR Display Technologies

Monitor Based

Head Mounted Displays:

Video see-through

Optical see-through


Monitor Based Augmented Reality

Simplest available

Little feeling of being immersed in environment


Optical see-through HMD


Video see-through HMD


Video Composition for Video see-through HMD

Chroma-keying

Used for special effects

Background of computer graphics images is set to a specific color

Combining step replaces all colored areas with corresponding parts from video

Depth Information

Combine real and virtual images by a pixel-by-pixel depth comparison


Advantages of Video see-through HMD

Flexibility in composition strategies

Wide field of view

Real and virtual view delays can be matched


Advantages of Optical see-through HMD

Simplicity

Resolution

No eye offset


Applications

Medical

Entertainment

Military Training

Engineering Design

Robotics and Telerobotics

Manufacturing, Maintenance, and Repair

Consumer Design

Hazard Detection

Audio


3. Printed Codes

Connectivity of both digital and physical worlds:

1D bar codes

2D codes

Digital watermarking


Codes

1D bar codes (32 different), i.e.:

EAN (European article number)

Code 93

2D codes (47 different), i.e.:

QR Code

Datamatrix

ShotCode


2D Code Technology Overview

Started in 1992

Ability to store more data than linear barcodes

Ability to read poor or damaged 2D code

More cost efficiency


Barcode

EAN (European article number)

Codabar

Code 2/5

Code 39

Two dimensional barcodes


Types of 2D Codes

Data Matrix Maxi Code

RSS

Snowflake Micro

PDF 417

TAG QR


Data Matrix

For Small Parts Marking

Used By:

Automotive

NASA

Pharmaceutical

Semi-conductors

High degree of redundancy

Resistance to printing defects

Stores from 1 to about 2,000 characters

Ranges from 0.001 inch per side up to 14 inches per side


Maxi Code

Used by the United Parcel Service

Size is 1.11 x 1.054 inches and contains up to 93 data characters of information

Includes error correction

Encodes two messages

1.) Encodes the postal code, country code and the class of service number.

2.) Encodes address data but it can also encode other types of information.


Snowflake

Encodes more than 100 numeric digits in a space of only 5mm x 5mm

Used in the pharmaceutical industry

Includes selectable levels of error

correction up to 40%


RSS

Reduced Space Symbology is a high density 1D bar code

Encodes standard UCC/EAN item numbers - up to 14 digits - in a very small footprint

Several variants of RSS exist, including Stacked, Limited,

and Expanded

RSS Expanded RSS Stacked

Composite

RSS Limited

Composite

RSS-14 limited

RSS-14 Stacked

EAN 13

composite


Micro PDF 417

A 2D stack code derived from and closely based on PDF417

Stores up to about 1,800 printable ASCII

characters or 1,100 binary character per

symbol

Used by the DoD, electronics,healthcare,

logistics, and manufacturing industries

Common use on drivers' license cards and

for national ID cards globally

Includes fixed levels of error correction


UPCODE

A 2D stack code derived from and closely based on DataMatrix

A concept containing software for building

and reading UpCodes

The code (2D data matrix, QR-code, 1D

barcode or color code) or other type of tag

(picture, OCR) can be read with UpCode

software

Multiple phone brands are supported


Cost and Benefits of 2D vs. 1D

Holds more information in limited amount of space

Reads omni-directional

Prints quality and contrast are much less critical than with 1-D bar codes or stacked bar codes

Allows independent database with complete freedom of movement

Has encryption providing additional security

Eliminates time consuming and error prone manual data entry because 2D codes are machine-readable


2D Code Readers

2 Types:

Fixed--- Fixed or Stationary readers require the 2D code to be in the same field of view from part-to-part.

Hand Held--- Hand Held readers are mobile readers. Available as wireless, battery operated, wedge, RS232, or mobile phone.


2D Code Readers (Hand Held)

Manufacturers: Welch-Allyn, Symbol, HHP, RVSI Acuity and Code Corp.


2D Code Readers (Fixed)

Manufacturers: Cognex, DVT, RVSI, Omnitron, Microscan, and SICK


2D Code Readers (Phone)

Phone acts as a scanner

The code is being detected and processed


Auto ID technologies

Barcode

Optical Character Recognition

Biometric Voice identification

Iris

Finger print

Contact Smart cards

RFID systems


Steganography

Steganography is about hiding messages

Steganography means also security through obscurity

Hidden messages are embedded inside other information:

images,

videos,

audio,

articles,

any text,

software,

communication protocol,

the hidden message may be printed with invisible ink between the visible lines of text

The visible messages/files are not intended to draw attention


Digital Watermarking

Embedding information into digital images:

Not easily detectable

Hard to edit/remove

Tampering should be detected

Hidden information to be detected by specific tools

Security: sender and receiver can read the contents


Digital watermarking

Embedding information into digital images

Hidden information to be detected

Security

Requires accurate hw/sw


4. Printed electronics (PE)

The purpose of printed electronics is to create electrically functional devices by using the techniques familiar in printing industry.

Paper is a good candidate substrate, but there are problems with the rough surface and high humidity absorption of paper.

Other materials, like plastic, ceramics and silicon are more stable, thus they are more appropriate for this purpose.

What If ?

A printing press could produce electronic products “on demand”......

PRODUCTION TIME GOES FROM WEEKS TO MINUTES

Integrated circuits were so inexpensive that they could be placed everywhere print media is used today

……PRODUCT COST FALLS FROM DOLLARS TO CENTS

A new electronics industry were created where “Insert Your Company’s Name Here” is the dominant player

......YOU GO FROM FOLLOWER TO LEADER



PE

Printed electronics is expected to facilitate widespread and very low-cost, low-performance electronics like:

flexible displays,

smart labels,

decorative and animated posters,

and active clothing.

It is not expected to compensate the current high end silicon based digital electronics, instead it can be seen as complementary technology.


PE

Printed electronics in some contexts can mean organic electronics or plastic electronics, where one or more functional inks are composed of carbon-based compounds referring to the material system.

Printed electronics is the process utilizing any solution-based material:

organic semiconductors

inorganic semiconductors

metallic conductors

nanoparticles

nanotubes


PE

In printed electronics almost all considerable printing methods are employed, in more or less modified form.

In traditional printing several ink layers are printed on top of each other, while electronic thin-film devices are prepared in printed electronics by printing several functional layers on top of each other.


PE

The minimum resolution achieved in printing is the human eye perception level which is about 20 µm. That is more than 1000 times thicker than what is applied in silicon based circuit design.

Other problems arise from:

The nature of the substrate

Registration on layer to layer printing

Embossing

Detached dots

Deviating thicknesses

Silicon Transistor Channel Lengths


PE Market Potential


PE Market Potential


PE Product Opportunities


Functional Electronic Inks


Recap on Printing Technologies


Large Area Printed Electronics – Future 1/2


Large Area Printed Electronics – Future 2/2



The process of printing electronics


PE printer solutions – ink jet

The FUJIFILM Dimatix DMP-3000 is a non-contact, fluid deposition system capable of jetting a wide range of functional fluids using multiple FUJIFILM Dimatix fluid deposition printheads interchangeably.

Printable area of 300 x 300 mm and maintains a positional accuracy and repeatability of ± 5 µm and ± 1 µm, respectively.

The DMP-3000 uses a temperature controlled vacuum platen to accurately register, maintain and thermally manage substrates during printing.

Substrates include plastic, glass, ceramics, and silicon, as well as flexible substrates from membranes, gels, and thin films to paper products.


PE printer solutions – ink jet

The printer includes an integrated drop visualization system that captures droplet formation images dynamically as droplet ejection parameters are adjusted to produce a tuned printhead and fluid combination.

The printhead can be calibrated on a per nozzle basis to compensate for any channel-to-channel variability.

A second camera system allows substrate measurements and alignment, observations of fluid drying behavior, and droplet measurement and placement calculations.


Roll-to-roll printing of electronics


Photolithographic process

PE Manufacturing Platform



Ink jet printing process


Dimatix material cartridges

Fluid Module (bag, valve, pressure, system)

Jetting Module (MEMS jetting structure, heater, thermistor, electrical connection, fluid connection)


Printed electronics inks

The ink carriers are not discussed here – only the key substances

The inks used in printed electronics are based on the conductive and semi-conductive properties.

Nanotechnology is at the leading edge in this context.

There is a lot of research going on in the area:

Nanoparticles on copper, silver, and carbon

Carbon nanotubes


Intelligent and functional properties of paper and special inks

Conductivity

Semi-conductivity

Accurate printing on width and thickness – no spreading

Tolerances:

Wearing

Bending and shrinking

Low power consumption

Only the update of contents requires power


Digital Batteries

Dry

Provide 1,5 V

Flexible


Percentage of significant industrial developers (IDTechEx 2005)


Percentage of organic electronic market by value 2020 (IDTechEx 2005)


5. Sensor implementations (RFID)

Radio Frequency Identification

Electromagnetic propagating wave

Bandwidth

Far field / near field

Multipath propagation

Polarization types

Antennas / coupling elements

Radar analogy


What is RFID?

Stands for Radio Frequency Identification

Mostly used for Automatic Identification and for Automating processes

The data carrier is generally called a “Tag” and attached to an item

Tags can have a very large data content, some can be reprogrammed (R/W)

Tags can be passive (battery-less) with reading range ~ 1 meter

Different standardized radio frequencies based on requirements

Information is transmitted both ways at a distance through radio

Tags can also be active (on-board battery) with reading range up to 100 meters

The data gatherer is termed a “Reader” and is most likely linked to a network/server


Example RFID Tags

A chip that includes processor, memory and transmitter…

…is mounted on an antenna

RFID: Tag Formations

… disposable Smart Label

… active reusable

Long Range tags

… Laminated cards

… Adhesive tag


Example RFID Readers

Electronic Article Surveillance

http://www.rf-id.com/images/24ghzp3.gif


RFID System Architecture

Data is read from the tags with fixed or mobile readers

The data is transmitted from the readers to a local site server

Data from site servers is gathered to a Central Server

Data from the Central Server is made available to users through various applications and networks


RFID Architecture

Reader

antenna

RF

Front

End

Reader

firm

ware

Application

energy

data

Tag

Chip

With

memory

Inductive

coupling


Tags delivered/application 2007 in Million units

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Sm

artcar

ds/pay

men

t

Sm

art t

icke

ts

Ret

ail p

allle

t

Oth

er

Ret

ail a

ppar

el

Anim

al tr

acking

Boo

ks

Car

imm

obiliz

ers

Air

bagg

age

Pas

spor

ts

Man

ufac

turin

g pa

rts, t

ools

Air

Freigh

t

Milit

ary

Hea

lthca

re

Dru

gs

Doc

umen

t arc

hive

s

Con

sumer

goo

ds

Veh

icles

Pos

tal


RFID-frequences

Radio

waves Infrared Visible

light

Röntgen UV Gamma

LF HF VLF MF VHF UHF SHF EHF

Animal tracking,

Tags inside metal.. Payment,

Access

Control,…

Location tracking

125 kHz 13,56 MHz 433 MHz

Logistics, item

tracking

865–956 MHz 2,45 GHz

Road tolls

Radio Frequencies


Features of tags at different frequencies

125-135 kHz (LF) 13,56 MHz (HF) 433MHz • Read range <1m • Slow data transfer (LF)

UHF (868–956 MHz) Micro waves 2,45 GHz • Reflections, liquids problematic • Expensive readers

• Different power levels allowed depending on the continent • Frequency range has also other users (GSM…)

Negative properties stronger Negative properties stronger


Coupling at different frequency ranges

125 kHz

Inductive coupling Capacitive coupling

(”radar”)

Data

Electro magnetic field

Animal tracking

Access control

Magnetic field

Data

Container tracking

433MHz

Item tracking,

logictics

865–956MHz

2,45GHz

Road tolls,

Vehicle tracking

Data

125 kHz

Payment,

Access control

13,56 MHz 13,56 MHz


RFID tag

chip

antenna

UHF RFID tag (capacitive coupling)

HF RFID tag (inductive coupling)

Tag

antenna

Tag

chip


RFID is not new

British bomber identification, World War II

1947-

1952

The Great Seal Bug 1947-1952


Some milestones in RFID history

First RFID patent 1973 (active re-writable tag)

Late 1980 road toll systems in Norway and US

EAS (electronic article surveillance)

Animal tracking

1999 UCC (uniform code council)

Ticketing 1996 ->

1999 AutoID centers => GS1 EPC global

2004 EPC 2nd generation standard

2004 Felica to mobile phones

2005 first commercial nfc implementation

2008 first consumer nfc implementations


RFID main flavours

ISO 14443 ISO 15693 ISO 18000-6C…

Main application

payment, ticketing item management item management

(EPC)

Reading

Disctance 1-10 cm 30cm, 1.5m 5cm – 10 m

Frequency 13.56 MHz 13.56 MHz

Global: 860 - 960 MHz

FCC: 902 - 928 MHz

ETSI: 868 MHz

Japan: 950 MHz

Trade name MIFARE, Felica, I-code several


EPC in Brief

Electronic Product Code

Replacement for EAN/UPC bar code?

Usually using UHF

http://images.google.fi/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sinesandco.com.au/images/carton1-l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sinesandco.com.au/products.html&usg=__L1dBJCmVCPsaEnQehvccVF2PViE=&h=460&w=500&sz=22&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=YL65bxhmlbFVBM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=130&prev=/images?q=carton&um=1&hl=en

http://images.google.fi/imgres?imgurl=http://media.compendiumblog.com/images/blog_images/50368d13-6fce-458e-920b-790d1c69469d/930de270-1000-4518-b94a-fff6bb39c389/MHM_BB-dock-door.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blog.bluebeanrfid.com/&usg=__Iu8l7hbAMn1Af8oZKjoA1eLxz7s=&h=250&w=250&sz=7&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=t25vx8zM40D2JM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=111&prev=/images?q=rfid+dock+door&um=1&hl=en


NFC Will Change the Way Phones Are Used

Touch as use paradigm:

Initiate service

Share content with other users

Phone becomes your wallet, credit card and travel card

Phone is your key to home, office, car etc


NFC operates in 13.56 MHz

Standardized in ISO 18092

Optimized for short range transactions (<<10 cm)

Fast data rates: between 106-424 kbps

Compatible with the existing payment and ticketing card infrastructure based on ISO 14443 standard (80% of existing infra is ISO14443)


How NFC works ?

Passive communications mode (smart card/tag emulation)

Active communications mode (reader/writer)

Reading distance is few centimeters only

Environmental limitations

Tag must not be attached directly on metal


NFC has few centimeters reading distance

Good for applications where short reading distance is good:

Contactless payment

Contactless ticketing

Initiation of services by touching the tag

Sharing pictures, videos, contacts etc.

Most of logistics apps require 1m+ reading distance

=> NFC is not optimal


RFID and privacy

http://www.spychips.com/


Contactless smart card structure

Overlay foil

Antenna foil (inlay)

Stamped out foil

Overlay foil

Antenna

Finkenzeller Klaus, RFID Handbook, 2003, p. 333

Chip module

Filling

Bonding

Surface for printing etc


Manufacturing tags

Chip supplier Inlay Manufacturer Conversion

Wafer

production

Testing

Id

programming

Water sawing

Affixing in

modules

Coil

manufacturing

Connecting coil

and chip

Testing

Fitting into

housing /

lamination

Initialization

Printing


Receiver

Sender

Transmitting data over RFID

Data Bit

Coding

Demodulation

Encapsulation Modulation

Decoding Decapsulation Data

New Display Technologies

OLED

Passive matrix

Active matrix

E-paper

Gamma


What is an OLED?

An OLED is an electronic device made by placing a series of organic thin films between two conductors. When electrical current is applied, a bright light is emitted.

A device that is 100 to 500 nanometers thick or about 200 times smaller than a human hair.

Organic Light-Emitting Diode

Emissive organic material, that when supplied with an electrical current, produces a superior full-color flat panel display.

OLED’s can provide brighter, crisper displays on electronic devices and it uses less power than conventional light-emitting diodes or liquid crystal displays.

http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/photos/oled_01.jpg

History

First developed in the early 1950’s in France by applying a high-voltage alternating current field to crystalline thin films of acridine orange and quinacrine

The first diode device was invented at Eastman Kodak in the 1980’s by Dr. Ching Tang and Steven Van Slyke

Today OLED is used in television screens, computer displays, portable system screens, advertising, information and indication

Also used in light sources for general space illumination, and large-area light-emitting elements

The OLED Structure

How OLEDs Emit Light

The battery or power supply of the device containing the OLED applies a voltage across the OLED.

An electrical current flows from the cathode to the anode through the organic layers.

OLED displays operate on the attraction between positively and negatively charged particles.

At the boundary between the emissive and the conductive layers, electrons find electron holes.

An OLED is made by placing a series of organic thin films between two conductors.

As soon as electrical current is applied, a bright light is emitted.

Types of OLEDs

Passive-matrix

Active-matrix

Transparent

Top-emitting

Flexible

White

Passive-Matrix

Active-Matrix

Transparent

Top-Emitting

Flexible

White

How OLED’s are made

Three ways to manufacture:

Vacuum deposition

Organic vapor phase deposition

Inkjet printing (Best)

Today’s Uses

Small electronic screens

Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson

Cameras

Keyboads

TVs and Monitors

PDA’s

Current OLEDs

http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/03/Sony_OLED_Review_3.jpg

http://www.electronics-lab.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/optimus_oled_keyboard.jpg

The Future for OLED Technology

OLED’s can be printed onto flexible

substrates and this allows for new

innovations such as roll-up displays

and displays embedded in fabrics

Green technology- OLED screens turned “off” will consumer no power at all and show true black while LCD screens can not

Cell phone prototypes by Motorola, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson have used OLED’ s unique characteristics for flexible and bendable screens

The Future for OLED Technology

Recently, the Japanese government proclaimed that it was fully supporting Sony, Toshiba, Sharp, Matsushita Electric and some other companies in joint research of OLED TV Panels

An agency set up for encouraging research, The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, or NEDO, says they are backing some companies development of a 40-inch OLED display to be complete sometime around 2015

Samsung super-thin

31” OLED screen was

launched in 2008

Future of OLEDs?

Advantages

OLED substrates can be plastic rather than glass

Easier to produce and can be made into larger sizes

Brighter than LEDs because the organic layers are much thinner and can be multi-layered

Do not require backlighting like LCDs - LCDs work by selectively blocking areas of the backlight to make the images that you see, while OLEDs generate light themselves

Consume much less power than LCDs - This is especially important for battery-operated devices such as cell phones

Have large fields of view, about 170 degrees

Disadvantages

• Organic materials have a shorter lifetime than LCD and plasma screens

• Intrusion of water can destroy the organic materials

-Compensated by complex sealing processes

-Complex sealing processes make product less flexible

• Manufacturing processes are EXPENSIVE!

E-paper technologies

Liquid crystal based:

AMLCD, passive STN frequency

Bistable Nematic (various forms)

Cholesteric (CTLC)light

Electrophoretic

Microcapsulese-ink

Microcups

Liquid powderbridgestone

Other

Electrochrome

Bi-chromal spheres

MEMS

P/O-LED

http://jobs.qualcomm.com/apply.asp

http://www.kentdisplays.com/product/standard_list.htm

http://www.sipix.com/products/active_matrix.htm

Matsushita Σbook, CTLC

Sony Librie E-reader,

e-ink display Jinke Hanlin e-

book, CTLC

Founder EBOOK-E312,

STN LCD

E-readers using various display technologies

Gemstar, AM-LCD

Franklin eBookman,

STN-LCD

CyBook Opus, e-ink

display Jinke Hanlin e-book,

e-ink display

http://www.gemstar-ebook.com/ebcontent/devices/2150_intro.asp

http://www.ectaco.com/ebookman/

E-ink characteristics

Mobile

Low power usage

Light weight

Thin

Reading

“close to paper” readability

Read under all circumstances (outdoors)

No flickering

No video

Not yet: full color

Gamma Dynamics

A new type of electronic paper display

Can update the display at a video-level refresh rate and sustain a significantly brighter image than most e-ink displays

Gamma Dynamics has created a new setup that displays static images without using power, like e-ink

Gamma’s "e-paper" screen design sandwiches a network of flat electrodes between a layer of oil on top and pigment underneath

Under an applied voltage, the pigment will flow up to the top surface, and the oil below

Different voltage will send the oil flowing to the top and make the pigment recede, turning it blank again.

The electrodes in the screen are reflective, so the areas not obscured by pigment are bright, almost like an LCD

The e-paper screen can reflect up to 75 percent of ambient light (e-ink reflects 40 percent, and electrowetting displays up to 30). The Gamma e-paper refresh rate is 20 milliseconds, or 50Hz.

Currently works only in grayscale, but the company has had limited success experimenting with color inks using the same setup.

Electrofluidic Display by Gamma


• In each pixel, a polar pigment

dispersion is placed inside a tiny

reservoir.

• The reservoir comprises <5-10% of the

viewable pixel area and therefore the

pigment is substantially hidden from

Pixel Structureview.

• Voltage is used to pull the pigment out

of the reservoir and spread it as a film

directly behind the viewing substrate.

• The display takes on color and

brightness similar to that of

conventional pigments printed on

paper.

• When voltage is removed liquid surface

tension causes the pigment dispersion

to rapidly recoil into the reservoir.

7. Conclusions

Hybrid media is the hub for bridging the printing and digital technologies

AR research and development extends also the usage of printed matter

Printed electronics will eventually provide the means for achieving more intelligent print products

Dynamic contents can be provided in various means

In printing industry we should research and develop the possibilities of hybrid media – who does and what

The business models are still open to be explored



Course Lab

To be accomplished in groups of 2-3 students

Report:

3-5 pages

Introduction of the topic, and possible research questions

Scope of the study

Methodologies applied (literature, web, etc.)

Results

Analysis

Conclusions

References

Deliverable:

Each report should be delivered via Google Docs. Invite teacher to your document: [email protected] or [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Suggested Lab Topics

Augmented reality and hybrid media

Coding systems (barcode / 2D code / watermarks)

Tags (RFID active / passive) and readers

Printed electronics

Feasible business models in hybrid media technology

Documents

Hybrid Media Technology