• Product-oriented Services
• Result-oriented service (product substitution)

A number of companies are actively working on electronic paper. The examples on this page are from the three main contenders:

• Gyricon is an electronic paper developed by Xerox, in partnership with 3M. It is the first commercial application of e-paper. It is as 2 colour display (Black/white or other contrasting colours) and only requires power to change what is displayed. Like paper it is flexible, works on reflective light and has a wide viewing angle.. The first application was in retail pricing displays (SmartSign™) that allows fast update of prices in stores. The second application was e-paper (SmartPaper™). Electronic printers, scanners and pens have been developed to refresh the media. An obvious application for the latter is electronic books where the e-paper replaces the paper, and the content is held in memory in the spine.
  
  
• E Ink is the second major player in this field. The technology produces a black/white display from applying a positive or negative field to microcapsules. A small amount of power unlike the Gyricon system is required retain an image. It could be printed on to virtually any surface, including glass, plastic, fabric and even paper. Ultimately electronic ink will permit almost any surface to become a display, bringing information out of the confines of traditional devices and into the world around us. Current contracts are:
  • Philips: Joint venture to develop high-resolution electronic ink displays for use in smart handheld devices for 2004. Applications include personal digital assistants (PDAs) and electronic books.
  • Lucent/Bell Labs: The companies will collaborate on developing "electronic paper": flexible, plastic electronic displays made with a process similar to ink-on-paper printing.
  • Vossloh, Germany: E Ink will produce custom electronic ink display cells based on its new character and segmented display platform. Vossloh IT will develop the electronics and integrate the display cells into their passenger information systems to be launched in 2003.
    
    
• Philips have developed a multicoloured technique, called "photo-enforced stratification," which involves painting a liquid crystal-polymer mix onto a surface, such as a sheet of plastic film, then exposing it to two doses of ultraviolet radiation. The radiation forces the mixture to separate into a honeycomb of tiny individual cells covered by flexible, see-through polymer. When connected to a computer, the crystal-filled cells change colour to create a picture, like any LCD display. Electronic journals, LCD-enhanced clothing and portable computer/television screens are seen a two large markets for this technology.

• Electronic Newspapers, Journals and Books: There are many different possibilities that could evolve. The most probable are given below. This application falls under result-oriented service (product substitution).
  • Manufacturer of the electronic journal or book. These could be sold, leased or like mobiles given free as part of a contract with a media supplier.
  • Publishers of books and journals would supply the electronic content directly via the web or through media supplies.
  • Media supplier could be used as the central source of articles/news/stories. Customer takes out a contract with the media supplier.
  • Mobile phone companies such as Vodafone to act as media suppliers by using the mobile phone to refresh newspapers, journals, and books.
  • Retailers to provide electronic download points in shops for journals, novels etc.
    

   

• Electronic Paper: Gyricon produce the only real replacement for paper, since it does not require power to retain the page content. This application falls under Result-oriented service (product substitution)
  • Manufacturer of the paper.
  • Manufacturers of electronic pens, printers, scanners and other supporting equipment.
  • Retailers to sell the paper and supporting equipment.

   

• Clothing: Both the Philips and E ink systems have potential for printing on to clothing as static or dynamically changing patterns. This application does not clearly fall under one category but best fits product-oriented services.
  • Manufacturer of electronic ink.
  • Textile and/or clothing manufacturer. The textile manufacturer would probably print the electronic ink on the the material.
  • Electronic pattern designer company to produce electronic patterns for clothes. Patterns supplied to clothing manufacturer and also available for download from the internet.
  • Electronic add on companies to change patterns with sound, light etc.
  • Retailers to provide electronic download points in shops for pattern/colour changes.

• Electronic Newspapers, Journals and Books:
  • This should substantially reduce costs for the user over time, since it saves considerably on the costs of producing paper based newspapers/books and journals.
  • Battery costs could wipe out cost savings on paper use. No real data on this. The Gyricon technology looks most promising in that power is only required to change the page content.

   

• Electronic Paper:
  • Will depend on the cost of electronic paper. No data available although Gyricon state that it is relatively inexpensive.

   

• Clothing:
  • This application is a cost added. However it opens up a completely new market.

• Electronic Newspapers, Journals and Books: Very little data available
  • Much longer life than the paper versions with large savings in paper
  • Hazardous material content not known, plus batteries required which contain hazardous materials will be used.
  • Not known whether life cycle energy use is higher or lower. Considerable energy is required to manufacture batteries. Not known if higher than the energy to produce a paper based products.

   

• Electronic Paper: Very little data available
  • Large savings on paper
  • Hazardous material content not known, plus batteries required which contain hazardous materials will be used.
  • Not known whether life cycle energy use is higher or lower. Considerable energy is required to manufacture batteries. Not known if higher than the energy to produce a paper based products.

   

• Clothing: Very little data available
  • Saves on dyes which often contain hazardous materials.
  • Hazardous material content not known, plus batteries required which contain hazardous materials will be used.
  • Will require higher energy over the life cycle. Mainly from battery use, unless solar energy, or body heat can be used as the energy source.
  • Could be some gains from not so many clothes being required by the user.

• Electronic Newspapers, Journals and Books:
  • More choice on content downloaded. Could result in dumbing down further news and information.
  • Could result in retailers of newspapers, journals and books going out of business.
  • Could drastically reduce timber production in some countries dependent on it, and result in a big impact on their economies.

   

• Electronic Paper:
  • Could drastically reduce timber production in some countries dependent on it, and result in a big impact on their economies.

   

• Clothing:
  • Could destroy cottage industries in developing countries, which hand produce clothing at low cost.
  • Would influence fashion.

• Electronic Paper: Market will depend on the price of electronic paper, and how long it retains data without power. It is likely to be only a niche market, since there are no obvious drivers to tempt users to change.
  

• Clothing: The technology for printing electronic ink on clothes is still a few years off. Once the final technological hurdles have been overcome it could become a very large market if it was fashion driven.