There have been a lot of ways E Ink has found application this year, and since we are in the middle of the year already, this makes it a perfect time to do a review of all the ways E Ink has come to amaze us so far.

The color-changing BMW SUV

The application areas couldn’t have been more diverse as well, what with BMW showcasing an entire SUV done up with E Ink panels. This enabled the iX Flow concept car to change its colors at the flick of a switch.

This has been made possible thanks to the use of a layer of E Ink Prism on the car’s surface that enabled it to change its color from black to white and vice-versa. It was like magic unfolding right before your eyes. No wonder, the car turned out to be a major attraction at the CES held earlier in the year. In fact, such has been the impact of the car among auto enthusiasts the world over that the carmaker said they are exploring options to launch it anytime soon.

Maybe this could be the beginning of a new trend where we might soon have cars plying on roads that are able to change their colors automatically. It could be just days when there are more colors introduced other than just white and black. That perhaps would be the most radical thing the automobile industry has ever seen so far, apart from the move to adopt fuel-efficient power options and self-driving technologies.

The city road would be more dynamic than ever before, and it shouldn’t be surprising if other car makers join the list to experiment with the color-changing technology. That said, some concerns still remain. For instance, color-changing technology for cars shouldn’t come at the cost of the safety of the passengers. Similarly, such panels hopefully do not inflate the repair costs exponentially in case of the unfortunate scenario of the car meeting with some sort of accident.

The color-changing ceramic tiles

In any case, the same technology can have almost limitless application potential. Take for instance, the self-color-changing ceramic tiles that Zhaoka, one of E Ink’s partner companies, showcased at the Touch Taiwan event. Based on E Ink Prism, the tiles are unique in that they change their color the moment anyone steps on them.

The vanishing bank information display

A perhaps more interesting application of E Ink display is the manner the same is used to mimic a marble counter at the Sinopac Bank. The benefit here is that the panel can be used to display some useful information when needed. Otherwise, it would revert back to show a marble pattern that matches the surroundings. It’s like the display simply vanishes but comes to life again when there is the need to convey some information to the customers.

The badge sticker – Badger

Carrying self-identification cards are old school. Enter the Badger which is the same but with an E Ink display this time that can be programmed to show the information on the small E Ink panel it comes with. It can be simply the name and designation along with maybe a grayscale photograph or a QR code, some background information in brief, all of which can be displayed at the push of a button.

That is not all but the other equally impressive feature of the Badger is that it can act as a real-time language translator as well. This can aid in seamless conversation even if the listener does not understand the language you speak. Both can still be able to make out what is being discussed.

The health tracker – Withings Go

It’s a health tracker all right but one with an E Ink display. This makes it extremely energy efficient though the other benefits of the same include easy readability even in direct sunlight. The wearable is otherwise capable of recognizing different exercise types which can be cycling, swimming, running, and so on. It can make out how many steps have been taken, how long the wearer has been working out, the calories burned in the process, and so on.

Color e-paper displays

E-Paper displays have for long been restricted to shades of just white and black. Recent innovations have made things a lot more colorful while still upholding the basic qualities of E Ink display, that of being energy efficient, and outdoor readability while being easy on the eyes as well. Such displays such as the Gallery 3 or the Kaleido 3 have made it to e-readers such as the Onyx Boox Nova Air Color or the Bigme S Color e-reader and e-note which no doubt can add to the reading experience like no other.

There have also been impressive developments in the ESL segment as well which are now more colorful and engaging than before. Such displays can bring to life any store segment while also acting as a communication medium for store owners to convey information to customers. Those can be like sales promotions, new offers, and such. Another application area for the color e-paper display which makes a lot of sense is public displays and digital signage.

The post E Ink displays: How things panned out so far in 2022 first appeared on Good e-Reader.