No power wanted: groundbreaking color e-paper display looks like pure magic but isn’t

PPDS, the model behind Philips skilled shows, has introduced a brand new vary of merchandise at ISE 2023, together with Philips Tableaux, which it claims is essentially the most energy-efficient and eco-friendly digital signage vary ever launched by a serious producer.

What captured our consideration about Tableaux is the truth that it could possibly run fully unplugged and with out utilizing a single kilowatt of electrical energy, a feat that would assist scale back the carbon footprint of companies in addition to their electrical energy payments. It additionally permits for brand new installations in locations the place entry to electrical energy is difficult.

Two panels can be found, one in a standard 25-inch 16:9 format, whereas the opposite is a extra stretched 28-inch 32:9 mannequin. PPDS claims that its Android-based Tableaux vary can ship as much as 60,000 colours – together with blue – which is a serious milestone for what is actually a glorified e-paper expertise.

Images of the 2 panels in what appeared like industrial settings present content material with comparatively wealthy colours, excessive brightness and distinction, a far cry from the same old monochrome setup.

The Tableaux sequence will present content material with out being plugged in or utilizing power in any respect and PPDS already confirmed that they are going to be suitable with its Wave cloud-based fleet administration platform which is used to, for instance, replace the content material being displayed, over the air and with out human intervention. Note that because of the nature of the expertise, it can’t be used for interactive shows, touchscreen shows or as enterprise displays.

The rise of zero-power electronics

From its humble beginnings in 2007 until now, color e-paper has reached mainstream, even discovering its approach in supermarkets and petrol stations. What Tableaux brings when it comes to innovation is the flexibility to scale to a lot greater display areas and the flexibility to sip power.

PPDS is a part of TPV Technology Limited, the world’s largest producer of displays and the rollout of Tableaux is an intriguing new path we’ll preserve a eager eye on given the present monetary pressures companies – particularly SMBs – are beneath.

We’ve reached out to PPDS to search out out extra in regards to the actual specs of the 2 shows: can they be charged through a USB port (and probably utilizing nothing greater than a conveyable power station or a battery charger)? What is the display decision? What type of brightness/distinction ratio can they ship? Do they use no power in any respect to display? How a lot power do they use to swap the content material being displayed? What is the capability of the embedded battery? 

Beyond that it is going to be attention-grabbing to see if there are any plans to scavenge power (e.g. ambient warmth or mild?), whether or not there’s any plans to go for even bigger format shows and whether or not PPDS will license the expertise to different electronics producers who could then introduce them elsewhere (e.g. fridge, laptop computer, furnishings and many others).

According to Franck Racapé, Head of Global Commercial & Vice President EMEA at PPDS, the smaller of the 2 Tableaux will price round 1,000 Euros in Europe, which, at present power costs, can pay for itself in about 30 months.