E-Ink

= What Is E-Ink? = toc E-ink, or electronic ink, is a type of screen display technology. It is primarily used as a digital substitute for paper, since it replicates many of the features and benefits of paper. It stands in contrast to other types of screen displays such as CRT, LCD, and plasma displays in that it does not emit light. E-ink has revolutionized the way people read, and its continued development could lead to many more possibilities.

E-ink is made by arraying millions of microcapsules on a plastic film. Some manufacturers have their microcapsules filled with electrically charged white chips suspended in a kind of ink, while others make microcapsules that are black on one side and white on the other. When an electric charge is applied to the microcapsules from the plastic film, the microcapsules either push or pull the white chips to one side, or rotate the side of the microcapsules that are a particular color. The electric charges fluctuate to create different color patterns with the microcapsules. When a viewer looks at the e-ink screen, the millions of microcapsules appear to form text or images.

When compared to other displays like CRT or LCD monitors and plasma screens, e-ink is cheaper, requires less energy to run, and can be made thinner and lighter. It can be made into flexible displays, and is thus more durable than other digital displays. Additionally, e-ink reflects, rather than emits, light. While this makes e-ink advantageous to use in the sunlight, it prevents its use in the dark without another source of light shining on it. It has even been noted that e-ink can be added to almost any surface, ranging from price labels at the grocery store even to clothing. When contrasted to traditional paper products, e-ink’s ability to refresh itself cuts down on the production and consumption of paper. As a corollary to that, e-ink used for e-readers can reduce the number of textbooks for kids and save money on books and media that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive.

There is a common debate among users of digital displays that centers on those who prefer e-readers using e-ink versus those who prefer e-readers/tablets that have LCD displays, however. Tablets with LCD screens can be used as e-readers as well as ultra-portable computers, but current limitations with e-ink such as refresh rate and lack of color prevents its use beyond much more than dedicated e-readers. Additionally, some prefer e-ink to LCD displays because of the issue of light-emission and its possible effects on the eyes.

What Are Current Examples Of E-Ink Products?
One of the most prevalent examples of a product that uses e-ink is Amazon’s Kindle. This e-reader debuted in 2007 and has undergone several iterations. The screen now utilizes the Pearl display made by the company E Ink, who claims to be the pioneer in such displays. The Pearl display is currently the latest generation of e-ink display, with its primary assets being a greater contrast and faster refresh rate than previous e-ink displays. E Ink’s products are used by many other companies that sell dedicated e-readers, including Sony and Kobo. media type="youtube" key="GFF9zQ7d5bg" height="315" width="420"

How Does E-Ink Relate To The LIS Profession?
E-ink has revolutionized the core of what libraries and information centers deal with: information. E-ink has allowed for the creation of tablets and e-readers that, with one device, can replace a small library of books. Students have taken e-readers to class. Newspapers have distributed their publications wirelessly, and can do so almost instantaneously upon creation.

The latest version of the Kindle even allows patrons to check-out e-books at their local library. Other libraries and school programs have even purchased e-readers for check-out by patrons and daily use by students. One such example is the library at Cushing Academy.

Museums could potentially utilize e-ink displays for the signs that correspond to artworks and artifacts. As new pieces replace old ones, the e-ink display could simply be refreshed and updated with new information as opposed to printing and replacing the old placards.

**References**
Bonsor, K. (n.d.). How electronic ink works. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/e-ink.htm

Carnoy, D. (2010, October 29). LCD vs. e-ink: The eyestrain debate. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-20021227-82.html

E Ink Corporation (2010). [Home page]. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://www.eink.com/index.html

//Fisher-Watkins Library//. (2011). Retrieved from @http://www.cushing.org/library

Nicosmos. (2008, March). E-ink-2 [Photograph]. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from @http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AE-ink-2.svg

Paolini, R.J., Battista, J., & Albert, J.D. (applicants) (2010, September 9). U.S. Patent Application No. 12/396,575, Publication No. US 2010/0225995 A1.

Pop, S. (2010, July 2). Amazon Kindle DX boasts a Pearl display. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://news.softpedia.com/news/Amazon-Kindle-DX-Boasts-a-Pearl-Display-146026.shtml

TechFlashVideos. (2010, May 27). E Ink demo [Video file]. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFF9zQ7d5bg

Watters, A. (2011, April 20). Check out library books on your Kindle. Retrieved November 11, 2011, from @http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/check_out_library_books_on_your_kindle.php