Back to the Future: Paper E-Books?

Bob Russell · 05-21-2010, 02:55 PM

All this fuss about creating electronic books, and yet the future might be paper books after all. New research has demonstrated the ability to create a capacitor that can potentially power paper electronics. This may eventually open the door for circuits that are printed on paper, and cheap disposable electronics.

Imagine that... your e-books and paper books are the same thing. Products should be available for holiday shopping in the year 2096 or so.

See more at PhysOrg.com.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 05-21-2010, 03:25 PM

I can wait...

Yeah, reminds me of all the retro-paper look electronic devices they like to show us on TV and movies (Caprica immediately comes to mind). Fortunately, I think sharper minds will prevail, and realize paper really isn't that ideal a medium for presentation of anything...

Delta Tango · 05-21-2010, 04:16 PM

Well, that's power supply; what about a screen?

kjk · 05-21-2010, 04:19 PM

They need to couple that up with the e-Ink Esquire cover they did last year!

oggelbe2007 · 05-21-2010, 04:44 PM

Who needs paper, just tatoo that circuit right on your arm and use your body heat for power. A little wireless network access and some heads-up display in my sunglasses and I'm ready for work at the robot factory. The future is gonna be so much fun.

Bob Russell · 05-21-2010, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oggelbe2007

Who needs paper, just tatoo that circuit right on your arm and use your body heat for power. A little wireless network access and some heads-up display in my sunglasses and I'm ready for work at the robot factory. The future is gonna be so much fun.

Yep. Sort of like this:
Programmable Tatoos
and
Body heat for power

m-reader · 05-22-2010, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I can wait...

Yeah, reminds me of all the retro-paper look electronic devices they like to show us on TV and movies (Caprica immediately comes to mind). Fortunately, I think sharper minds will prevail, and realize paper really isn't that ideal a medium for presentation of anything...

Neal Stephenson's Diamond Age also has a very interesting take on the future of paper. It's nanotech.

cassle · 05-22-2010, 02:11 AM

in the year 2096??? Oh my, I will be 103 in that year! So even if I'm still alive, I couldn't read all day long with those old eyes.. =__=

neilmarr · 05-22-2010, 06:23 AM

I'd love to come back to life for an hour in fifty years' time to pop into someone's house for half an hour just to see where technology has taken us. Being a pipe-smoker, hounded by the anti-smoking tobacco nazis, I'd spend the other half hour wandering around a hospital to visit all the old folks there busy dying of nothing. Neil

AMacD · 05-22-2010, 10:31 AM

"anti-smoking tobacco nazis"... If smokers had not been so damned rude for so long, there would be no need for anti-smoking anything. Take your smelly pipe and stand well downwind, preferably in the middle of lake Superior! Meanwhile, by 2096 I am sure that problem, as well as failing eyesight will be well in the past.

05-21-2010, 02:55 PM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Back to the Future: Paper E-Books? All this fuss about creating electronic books, and yet the future might be paper books after all. New research has demonstrated the ability to create a capacitor that can potentially power paper electronics. This may eventually open the door for circuits that are printed on paper, and cheap disposable electronics. Imagine that... your e-books and paper books are the same thing. Products should be available for holiday shopping in the year 2096 or so. See more at PhysOrg.com.

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05-21-2010, 03:25 PM	#2
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I can wait... Yeah, reminds me of all the retro-paper look electronic devices they like to show us on TV and movies (Caprica immediately comes to mind). Fortunately, I think sharper minds will prevail, and realize paper really isn't that ideal a medium for presentation of anything...

05-21-2010, 04:16 PM	#3
Delta Tango Groupie Posts: 161 Karma: 20000 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Zagreb, Croatia Device: Onyx Boox	Well, that's power supply; what about a screen?

05-21-2010, 04:19 PM	#4
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	They need to couple that up with the e-Ink Esquire cover they did last year!

05-21-2010, 04:44 PM	#5
oggelbe2007 Limited Warranty Posts: 89 Karma: 576 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: North Georgia, USA Device: A sweet PRS-500, DXG	Who needs paper, just tatoo that circuit right on your arm and use your body heat for power. A little wireless network access and some heads-up display in my sunglasses and I'm ready for work at the robot factory. The future is gonna be so much fun.

05-22-2010, 02:11 AM	#8
cassle Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: PRS-500, iPhone	in the year 2096??? Oh my, I will be 103 in that year! So even if I'm still alive, I couldn't read all day long with those old eyes.. =__=

05-22-2010, 06:23 AM	#9
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	I'd love to come back to life for an hour in fifty years' time to pop into someone's house for half an hour just to see where technology has taken us. Being a pipe-smoker, hounded by the anti-smoking tobacco nazis, I'd spend the other half hour wandering around a hospital to visit all the old folks there busy dying of nothing. Neil

05-22-2010, 10:31 AM	#10
AMacD Al Posts: 66 Karma: 140 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bardstown, KY as home base, but RV following the seasons. Device: Kindle1 and Kindle2 and Palm T\|X	"anti-smoking tobacco nazis"... If smokers had not been so damned rude for so long, there would be no need for anti-smoking anything. Take your smelly pipe and stand well downwind, preferably in the middle of lake Superior! Meanwhile, by 2096 I am sure that problem, as well as failing eyesight will be well in the past.

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