E-paper solutions instead of paper work

Description:

People are now getting more concerned about the supply of natural resources, especially oil. Furthermore, because of global warming and the worldwide lack of drinking water, protecting these resources and other resources such as trees is extremely important. The paper industry has a tremendous requirement for wood. There are already many tree cutting industries and there are also many which are operating illegally. People are now more concerned about the environment and groups like Greenpeace are doing everything possible to stop this. In order to protect the forests reforms are being made, but these reforms would also affect the publishing, entertainment and news industry. A solution for this is the E-paper solution, which is, using the Internet to transfer the electronic version of books and magazines. E-paper is something like a flexible display which can enhances the portability and space use. It is also possible to exchange data with other devices and update the contents.

Enablers:

- The development of technology in software and hardware

- The global warming issue

- People realize the importance of protecting the forest

- The high possession of PC and PDA

- People now need the latest information in this fast changing world

- People now want more thin and light displays

- By developing the technology of mobile TV like Territorial DMB and Satellite DMB, customers need the displays which is wide and flexible

- Similar technology such as LCD and OLED is developed, by using these technologies, the E-paper solution is possible

- Huge potential contents already exist

- Many major electronic companies, such as Canon, Sony, IBM, Fuji and Philips started to develop E-paper technology

Inhibitors

- Not as convenient as paper work newspapers and magazines

- The copyright issues

- There is no best solution

- Heavily relying on computers causes issues like security, influences on human health etc.

- Technical barriers of flexible display

- Capacity of portable battery is not sufficient

Paradigms:

Having the ability to access all the latest information that you want, downloading whatever documents you want and reading them on your PDA or PC, E-paper solution provides a method to get access to more resources in a more convenient way. This technology is developed mainly because of the escalating use of the Internet. By using E-paper, you help avoid the huge damage done to the forest by cutting trees down for the use of paper for newspapers or just plane paper. By doing this we can help slow down the global warming problem and soil erosion.

Experts:

- Adobe

- CPSG providing solution for online newspaper

- Display search

- Nomura Research Institute

Timing:

According to Display search, E-Paper market will grow to 60 million sheets in 2008, and to 130 million sheets in 2010

Reference:

http://www.displaysearch.com
http://www.adobe.com
http://www.cpsgsoftware.com/
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4602.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-paper