Having kept their invention under lock and key for months, a group of Taiwanese researchers quietly unveiled a new form of rewritable e-paper called the i2R e-paper. The paper doesn’t consume electricity, is flexible and can be disposed in an eco-friendly way.
Although current iterations of the i2R e-paper can only be reused 260 times, it’s certainly a start. Without a backlight and no AC power, the rewritable e-paper stores specially formatted images in the device by heat. To erase the page, simply slide it through a ‘thermal writing device.’ Developed at the Industrial Technology Research Institute in Tokyo, the project has since been delegated to a Taiwanese firm who hopes to push the project into the market in the near future.
Not only could rewritable, digital paper replace the analog pulp people ordinarily use, it could altogether marginalize blackboards, bulletins and potentially even projectors!
Reusable Synthetic Scrawling
New i2R e-paper is Rewritable E-Paper That Saves Trees and Money
Trend Themes
1. Rewritable E-paper - The development of rewritable e-paper presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the paper industry by replacing traditional analog paper with a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative.
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3. Digitalization of Communication - The advancement of rewritable e-paper enables the digitalization of communication tools such as blackboards, bulletins, and projectors, opening up disruptive innovation opportunities in the education and presentation industries.
Industry Implications
1. Paper Industry - The development of rewritable e-paper presents disruptive innovation opportunities for the paper industry by providing a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional paper products.
2. Technology Industry - The introduction of eco-friendly technologies like the i2R e-paper poses disruptive innovation opportunities in the technology industry by driving the advancement of sustainable and energy-efficient devices.
3. Education Industry - The digitalization of communication tools through rewritable e-paper opens up disruptive innovation opportunities in the education industry by revolutionizing teaching methods and enhancing interactive learning experiences.