SyncroSign's Messenger gets wireless e-paper

Alexander Turcic · 04-06-2005, 08:51 AM

Today Gyricon LLC, a spin-off of Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center, announced the SyncroSign Messenger, a 9.4x12.3 device that displays signs (such as fonts, logos and b&w art) transmitted over a wireless (802.11b) or wired network. Perhaps what is more interesting to us, the Messenger incorporates SmartPaper, Gyricon's own electronic paper technology. Like E-Ink and all of its variants, SmartPaper is a bistable monochromatic display that requires power only when the display changes its content.

Gyricon sells the Messenger as a "dynamic information display" potentially used in corporate, educational, hospitality and government facilities to display electronic signs (such as daily agendas, seminar schedules, etc.) throughout a large venue via a wireless or wired network.

Gyricon's SmartPaper consists of a sheet of flexible, polymeric material that includes millions of tiny embedded beads. Black on one side and white on the other, each bead sits in its own cavity, surrounded by silicone oil that allows free rotation. Because the beads are electronically charged - the black side is positively charged, the white side negatively - the beads turn under the influence of an electric field. Thus, one side always faces forward. To make a sign, Gyricon laminates the sheet to a backplane, which can generate electric field patterns causing a programmed message to display on the sheet. Because the beads are only 90 microns in size - half the diameter of a human hair - a person viewing the sign sees only the aggregate effect of many beads of white or black, rather than each individual bead.

I could be wrong but SmartPaper sounds very much like E-Ink!

[Official announcement]

Mattoquai · 04-06-2005, 11:10 AM

If it costs about $650.00 USD (see press release), then you could better not leave it unattended on top off your reception desk

By the way, the technology used by Gyricon is the 'oldest' e-paper technology I believe (correct me if I'm wrong). Researcher Nick Sheridon came up with it in the early 70's.

TadW · 04-06-2005, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mattoquai

If it costs about $650.00 USD (see press release), then you could better not leave it unattended on top off your reception desk

Completely agree with you

Quote:

By the way, the technology used by Gyricon is the 'oldest' e-paper technology I believe (correct me if I'm wrong). Researcher Nick Sheridon came up with it in the early 70's.

Wow... and still we are waiting for more e-paper products to emerge. What is taking them so long?

hacker · 04-06-2005, 05:31 PM

The technology sounds like the game Othello to me...

04-06-2005, 08:51 AM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,163 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	SyncroSign's Messenger gets wireless e-paper Today Gyricon LLC, a spin-off of Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center, announced the SyncroSign Messenger, a 9.4x12.3 device that displays signs (such as fonts, logos and b&w art) transmitted over a wireless (802.11b) or wired network. Perhaps what is more interesting to us, the Messenger incorporates SmartPaper, Gyricon's own electronic paper technology. Like E-Ink and all of its variants, SmartPaper is a bistable monochromatic display that requires power only when the display changes its content. Gyricon sells the Messenger as a "dynamic information display" potentially used in corporate, educational, hospitality and government facilities to display electronic signs (such as daily agendas, seminar schedules, etc.) throughout a large venue via a wireless or wired network. Gyricon's SmartPaper consists of a sheet of flexible, polymeric material that includes millions of tiny embedded beads. Black on one side and white on the other, each bead sits in its own cavity, surrounded by silicone oil that allows free rotation. Because the beads are electronically charged - the black side is positively charged, the white side negatively - the beads turn under the influence of an electric field. Thus, one side always faces forward. To make a sign, Gyricon laminates the sheet to a backplane, which can generate electric field patterns causing a programmed message to display on the sheet. Because the beads are only 90 microns in size - half the diameter of a human hair - a person viewing the sign sees only the aggregate effect of many beads of white or black, rather than each individual bead. I could be wrong but SmartPaper sounds very much like E-Ink! [Official announcement]

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04-06-2005, 11:10 AM	#2
Mattoquai Enthusiast Posts: 21 Karma: 40 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NL Device: Blackberry 8700c / Nokia N70 / Iliad	If it costs about $650.00 USD (see press release), then you could better not leave it unattended on top off your reception desk By the way, the technology used by Gyricon is the 'oldest' e-paper technology I believe (correct me if I'm wrong). Researcher Nick Sheridon came up with it in the early 70's.

04-06-2005, 05:31 PM	#4
hacker Technology Mercenary Posts: 617 Karma: 2561 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East Lyme, CT Device: Direct Neural Implant	The technology sounds like the game Othello to me...