HP Enables New Field of Flexible Electronics with Reflective Display Technology

Hewlett-Packard (HP) has announced the launch of a new display technology for the personalization of consumer electronics products. Electronic Skins, or eSkins, is a flexible reflective color film that can be applied to a variety of devices – including mobile phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, netbooks and notebooks. eSkins also can reflectively display icons and alpha-numeric characters.

HP eSkins technology offers brand manufacturers new ways to personalize their products with an electronically controlled color surface created using HP’s breakthrough roll-to-roll manufacturing platform. Designed to make fine-scale circuitry on plastic substrates, the platform processes flexible screens in rolls rather than individual sheets, offering the potential for more cost-effective manufacturing.

“Consumer electronics manufacturers who integrate HP eSkins technology into future products can benefit from HP’s expertise and innovation in ink technology and deliver print-like color performance,” said Ken Abbott, director, Emerging Technology, Technology Development Organization, Inkjet and Web Solutions Business, HP. “HP’s eSkins technology allows our partners in the consumer electronics industry to further differentiate their products by introducing a dynamic, durable and reflective digital surface to enable new design freedom.”

This new device architecture is compatible with roll-to-roll plastic circuits that can be combined with proprietary, electrically controllable “inks” to achieve print-like color performance, as well as transparency. Using a technology similar to color printing, HP is developing the capability to produce specific “ink” colors within the Pantone Matching System range. The colors are said to have excellent visibility in direct sunlight and can electronically shift into a transparent state, revealing the surface below the eSkins film.

Posted to the site on 1st June 2009