Color-changing e-paper was applied to a BMW concept car, which made the technology a hit. Later, kitchen brand Kohler applied it to a toilet, which was also refreshing, and now the latest color-changing e-paper has been applied to Xiaomi's newly released robotic dog, which is once again attracting attention.
Within a year, E-Ink's color-changing electronic paper has been adopted by major manufacturers in different fields and brands, showing that it can bring different imaginative possibilities to products that have never been thought of before. The display system's use on the car, toilet, and robotic dog, while only conceptual demonstrations, imaginatively illuminate the technology's potential future applications.
Johnson Lee, CEO of E Ink, said that color-changing e-paper can show the unique features of the product. Lee said the company has received positive feedback from the market. As for the timing of mass production, Lee pointed out that the decision still rests with the customers because it is still in the early stage of development, and in addition to assisting customers in the introduction of the product, it will also make more efforts in terms of efficiency.
With the current production capacity, E Ink is able to support the development of color-changing electronic paper at this stage. But Lee also emphasized that the expansion of production will be carried out in accordance with the orders already placed by customers. "Many customers' products are exclusively supplied by E Ink, and there had been a shortage of electronic paper in 2021 and 2022, so the expansion of production is carried out under the premise of not wanting to cause customers to go out of stock," said Lee. He added that after the gradual expansion of production capacity in 2023, there will be no shortage of goods for customers, and it is expected that this will have a positive impact on future development.
Although color-changing e-paper has a wide range of applications, the products mentioned above are all conceptual products and have not been formally mass-produced. E Ink said mass production is not a big problem, but it is more difficult to customize services for customers. Therefore, it will start by establishing the eco-system, hoping to cooperate with supply chain partners, and it also expects that more diversified industries will adopt color-changing e-paper to develop new products in the future.
