E-paper and flexible display technologies will overcome the limitations of traditional paper and revolutionize many fields. These technologies will be useful in the education, advertising, medical, consumer electronics, and automotive industries, and will make our lives easier and richer.

Introduction

If we look back at human history, we can see that the invention of paper was a paradigm shift. In an era where internet business is becoming commonplace and the paradigm of life is rapidly changing, the limitations of conventional paper are being exposed. It is difficult for ordinary paper to keep up with the digital and Internet era, such as improving work efficiency and efficiency, innovating work processes and economics, and overcoming construction constraints. In addition, due to the emergence of environmental problems such as global warming caused by carbon dioxide emissions and destruction of forest resources, a new type of paper is needed that can completely replace the functions of paper, while consuming less resources, being eco-friendly, and satisfying the needs of the digital multimedia era. Let’s take a look at how flexible displays can be utilized in a variety of ways to improve our lives and the environment.
Traditional paper has been an important medium throughout human history. It has served to store and transmit information, and has contributed greatly to the preservation of culture and knowledge. However, in today’s information age, the limitations of paper are becoming more apparent. The physical limitations of paper are too great to handle the fast-paced flow of information and the sheer volume of data. E-paper, which is gaining attention as a new technology that can replace paper, is expected to play an important role in solving these problems.

Flexible Display – E-Paper

Electronic paper is also known as E-PAPER. It refers to an electronic device that can act as a paper, i.e., an electronic device that can be conveniently carried, easily taken out whenever needed, and used to take notes, just like a paper book, paper newspaper, or paper magazine. E-paper is portable, thin like paper, and can be rolled or folded at will, so you can carry it in your pocket, and when you need information, just take it out and unfold it to search for the information you want.
Of course, depending on the type and power of the electronic device, the search method, speed, and amount of information can vary. However, a single electronic device that can be rolled, folded, and written on like paper can take over the role of paper, and when you can read newspapers, books, and documents on a single sheet of electronic paper, the distinction between electronic devices and paper is virtually eliminated.
E-books can also be considered a precursor to e-paper, which is currently being researched using two main principles: using small balls or capsules of 0.1 millimeters or less to create the effect of ink, and using thinner flat panel displays such as conventional liquid crystal displays (LCDs) to create the effect of paper.
Currently, several approaches are being tried, but one of the most promising is the use of tiny balls or capsules with a diameter of 0.1 millimeters or less to mimic the effect of ink, as paper prints are made up of a combination of very small ink droplets. This method uses small black and white balls or capsules with a charge between two thin electrode plates, and a negative or positive charge is applied to the electrode plates to move the balls or capsules in a certain direction to display black and white.
In other words, the micro balls, which are divided into black and white, rotate according to the charge to display black and white, and the micro capsules, which contain countless black or white microparticles with a charge, display black and white according to the behavior of the microparticles.
E-paper is currently being practiced in a variety of fields, and the possibilities are endless. For example, in education, digital textbooks using e-paper can help students learn more efficiently. In the advertising industry, innovative billboards are emerging that utilize flexible displays to maximize advertising impact. E-paper is also gaining traction in the healthcare sector. Flexible display devices are being developed that can monitor patients’ conditions in real time, which plays an important role in improving the quality of medical care.

Flexible Display – Possible Applications

Flexible displays are emerging as a solution to various problems in the digital society. There are a wide variety of areas where flexible displays can be utilized. If you think about the inconveniences that we encounter in our daily lives, it is much more tiring to travel to and from school in a crowded subway with a bag full of belongings such as heavy books, cell phones, and writing instruments. Of course, we can solve most things with smartphones and tablet PCs, and we are making continuous technological progress in terms of portability (for example, iPad 1: 680g, iPad 2: 600g, iPad mini ~ … ), but basically, we are limited to a certain size for readability. However, if flexible displays are utilized to develop foldable tablets and foldable smartphones, it will be possible to carry thinner and smaller devices while maintaining the readability of existing tablets. Imagine carrying an all-in-one device in your pocket!
Flexible displays could change many aspects of our lives. For example, they can be combined with smart appliances to create smart home systems that allow you to control all the devices in your home from a single display. In the automotive industry, flexible displays can also be used to create innovative driving experiences. All the information inside the car will be available on a flexible display, making it more convenient and safer for the driver to operate the vehicle.

Conclusion

The development and popularization of flexible displays will bring tremendous changes to human society.
The flexible display industry is not just an IT industry, but will also play an important role in enhancing the value of cultural industries in our society. The media and culture industry has been suffering from this in recent years as the public has been moving closer to video and away from text media. However, the advent of flexible displays is expected to provide a significant boost to the stagnant media and culture industry if the public can access cultural contents more conveniently and easily.
However, the high speed of operation, sharp resolution, and high cost are thought to be obstacles to market penetration. In order for such flexible displays to become commercially viable, it will be necessary to develop low-cost entry-level models for the IT underprivileged.
The development of e-paper and flexible display technology will make our lives more convenient and richer. Looking forward to the future of these technological innovations, we should continue to research and develop them to create a better world.